Skilled nursing facilities (SNF) provide 24-hour, inpatient care for people of all ages who can no longer live independently or care for themselves. SNFs have a range of services including 24-hour supervision, nursing care, case management, assistance with daily activities, three meals a day, security, and social and recreational activities, housekeeping, and laundry.
Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) covers short-term nursing home or rehab care (up to 100 days) in a Medicare-certified nursing home after hospitalization. Medicare Part B (medical insurance) covers doctor visits and physical, speech, or occupational therapy, even if you get these services while in a nursing home. Medicare Part D (drug coverage) covers prescription drugs you need while in a nursing home. Medicare generally does not cover long-term nursing home stays (Medicare.gov, 2025).
In Florida, there are approximately 700 skilled nursing facilities serving nearly 75,000 residents. These facilities range in size, averaging 120 beds per facility (KFF, 2024).
In recent years, the population of nursing homes has changed dramatically. Increasingly, residents are living with complex medical needs and nearly half of nursing home residents live with a diagnosis of dementia (Lendon et al., 2024).
Pre-Test: Try these True/False questions before continuing.
Answers are listed below the box.
- The more you learn about the different types of dementia and how they progress, the more success you will have when caring for someone living with dementia.
- Forgetfulness might be the most obvious symptom in the early, mild stage of Alzheimer’s disease
- Agitation can include irritability, confusion, making loud demands, and using obscene language.
- Delusions and hallucinations in people living with dementia can be caused by urinary tract infections and dehydration.
- Wandering can be addressed by using a physical restraint to keep the person from wandering.
- A sign of moderate dementia can include needing more assistance with ADLs.
- In the early stages of dementia, it is recommended that family members receive specialized training about dementia.
- When a loved one dies, family members can experience grief that resembles clinical depression.
- To integrate staff into a homelike environment, hire staff with the emotional skills to interact with people who have memory problems.
- An ethical dilemma can occur when there are good reasons both for and against a particular course of action and a decision must be made.
Answers: Question 5 is false; the remainder are true.