There are some key differences between skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes, though the services these facilities provide are similar and often overlap. A skilled nursing facility is ideal for short-term support, such as after an illness, injury, or surgery. Nursing homes offer long-term residential care for people who have complex medical needs. Both nursing homes and stand-alone skilled nursing facilities offer round-the-clock care for seniors who need 24-hour medical supervision but don’t require hospitalization.
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Skilled nursing care is the highest level of medical care you can receive outside of a hospital. It’s provided by registered nurses (RNs) or other trained, licensed professionals under the supervision of a doctor.
Common examples of skilled nursing care services include:
Skilled nursing care can be provided in many settings, including:
SNFs are designed for people who are:
The goal is to help patients recover enough to care for themselves or to be able to transition to a less intensive care option. Thus, care teams in skilled nursing facilities also commonly include:
Care teams at skilled nursing facilities also help with:
Stand-alone facilities that provide exclusively short-term skilled nursing care are residential, but they aren’t designed for long-term inhabitants. The average stay at a skilled nursing facility is about 28 days.[01]
Nursing homes provide care for seniors who have medical needs that affect their ability to live independently. The typical nursing home resident has a serious health condition that requires regular or frequent specialized medical care. Services provided in nursing homes typically include:
The average length of a nursing home stay is 485 days.[02]
Most nursing homes also have skilled nursing units that provide 24-hour services and care when long-term residents need extra medical attention.
Read related article:When Is It Time for a Nursing Home? 6 Questions to Ask Yourself
Is a nursing home the right fit?
Let our free assessment guide you to the best senior care options, tailored to your needs.
Skilled nursing facilities are primarily for people who need high-level but short-term medical care while they recover. Nursing homes, on the other hand, are long-term residential facilities for people who have complex medical needs.
| SNF | Nursing Home | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical care goals | Recover from illness, injury, or surgery | Maintain or improve health condition |
| Staff | Nurses, nursing aides, and skilled professional therapists, such as physical, occupational, or speech | Nurses, nurse aides |
| Average length of stay | 28 days | 485 days |
The best place for your loved one to receive skilled nursing care will depend on several factors, including their condition, the type of care they need, and how long they’re expected to need care.
To receive skilled nursing care in a nursing home or stand-alone rehab facility, your loved one will need a doctor’s order. This order, much like a prescription, documents a senior’s medical needs, including level of care and length of stay required, and confirms that they meet state requirements for admission. Once an individual has a doctor’s recommendation, they’re generally free to choose a nursing home or skilled nursing facility.
Read more:Nursing Home Requirements for Seniors
Skilled nursing care, whether it’s provided in a nursing home or a skilled nursing facility, is more expensive than other types of care. In 2025, the national median monthly cost of a nursing home is $9,277 for a semi-private room and $10,646 for a private room. Skilled nursing facility costs are similar.[03]
Federal or state programs that can help pay for care include Medicare for short-term stays and, if eligible, Medicaid or veterans benefits for long-term care.
Once you understand your loved one’s needs, it’s time to find a facility in your area that can meet those needs. A Place for Mom doesn’t make referrals to nursing homes, but provides an easy-to-use, national directory of nursing homes at NursingHomes.com. Our directory has listings for over 15,000 nursing homes across the country.
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After your loved one has recovered from their illness or injury and no longer needs a skilled nursing level of care, you may consider longer-term senior living options that also offer care services on-site to keep your loved one safe in the event of another illness or injury. Reach out to one of A Place for Mom’s Senior Living Advisors for more information about long-term senior care types. They can guide you through the senior living search process, discuss budget and needs, and even schedule tours with local communities at no cost to your family.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2022, January). Nursing homes including rehab services.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2019, February). Long-term care providers and services users in the United States.
Genworth. (2025). Cost of Care Survey.
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.