Nurses are undoubtedly the best human support with the skills and passion for different health needs. Beyond assisting a primary care doctor, nurses can also provide care. Nursing has different specialties, just like doctors. But sometimes the similarities in their duties make it hard to distinguish between each of these nurses.
You can choose the best care for your loved one by knowing the distinctions between skilled and custodial care.
Your elderly loved one can be directed to a skilled care facility after being released from the hospital rather than returning home. Some individuals confuse the two; however, they are significantly different.
Read to the end to learn the difference between a skilled nurse and a custodial nurse.
Page Contents
Skilled Nursing Vs Custodial Care
There are specific reasons that distinguish skilled nursing from custodial care. This includes cost, duties, facility, etc. Below are some of the reasons:
1. Differences in their Workplace
A nursing home and a skilled nursing facility are fundamentally different because the latter requires ongoing medical care. A skilled nursing facility is a place where patients receive inpatient medical care and rehabilitation. Here patients are under the supervision of trained medical professionals.
They provide the medical services that are legally necessary, such as
- trained nurses
- speech therapists
- physical and economic therapists
- and audiologists.
Skilled nursing facilities provide healthcare and daily living help(ADLs).
Every patient entering a skilled nursing facility is subjected to an initial and continuous health evaluation. This is to assess their
- physical and mental well-being
- prescription compliance
- and capacity for daily living activities like washing and dressing.
Primary care doctors, general practitioners, and primary health physicians are typical health workers in a skilled nursing facility.
Nursing houses are also known as care homes or residential homes. They include trained nurses and care assistants who can offer both nursing and residential care. A nursing home is popularly typical for its devotion to the elderly ones. It assists those who have certain medical illnesses or impairments (e.g., Alzheimer’s), which makes daily life extremely difficult for them.
Additionally, there is always at least one competent and registered nurse present in a nursing home care facility. Thus ensuring residents have access to skilled nursing care and 24-hour medical attention.
Furthermore, they work with a geriatric doctor, and general care doctors, to diagnose and treat conditions that face the elderly. These patients frequently have one or even more chronic medical conditions. This way, they can engage in proper measures to provide adequate care.
2. Duties
Custodial care is given to people who have difficulty with activities of daily living (ADLs) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). In other words, it is any non-medical care given to people who struggle with daily activities or utilize life support tools, e.g. digestive bags.
Most people who require custodial care have a chronic illness with less probability of complete recovery.
It entails assistance with daily tasks like dressing, feeding, bathing, and other potential assistance with household chores like cooking and laundry. Custodial care is provided by qualified nursing assistants and trained staff in a skilled nursing facility.
Skilled nursing provides services to patients who require palliative or end-of-life care or recuperating from a short-term medical condition. These services, which include
- wound care
- physical therapy
- intravenous injections
- Catheter care, etc.,
are offered by certified individuals with medical training directly or through their supervision. Skilled nursing caregivers include registered nurses, accredited rehabilitation therapists, and nursing assistants.
3. Cost
Skilled care and custodial care have different levels of cost coverage. Medicare does not cover custodial care. Custodial care can be funded privately (sometimes known as “private pay”) through long-term care insurance or government programs like Medicaid or benefits for veterans. Some insurance plans exclusively cover nursing facility care.
Others might provide coverage for other services like assisted living, medical supplies, and even home care. Therefore, it is crucial to carry out in-depth research to choose the policy that best suits your needs. Additionally, families must understand the difference between skilled and custodial care. They must know how expenses are paid before deciding where their loved one will live after skilled care sessions.
It is reported that the annual median cost for long-term custodial care according to different services is:
- Homemaker Services: $59,488
- Adult Day Care: $20,280
- Assisted Living Facilities: $54,000
- Home Health Aides: $61,776
However, it is also reported that the average cost of skilled care is close to $324 per day. Though skilled nursing care is the most expensive sort of senior care, there are cheaper options in some states than others. It’s also important to remember that prices can differ even within a single state.
Who Needs Custodial Care?
Custodial care is virtually limitless. People are more vulnerable to chronic illnesses as they get older. Also, accidents and illnesses often contribute to the overall decline, which can be more challenging to recover from. Custodial care may involve the services of primary care doctors and other specialists like geriatric doctors.
● Falls
Falls constitute most of the leading causes of death and injury. Common injuries include broken bones or head injuries. Some persons still have trouble carrying out their everyday tasks after receiving significant rehabilitation. Therefore, custodial care is essential to ensuring that patients heal safely.
● Mental Impairment
Cognitive decline, such as dementia and Alzheimer can result in devastating consequences for elderly persons and their families. Most dementias worsen over time, making it hard to function safely daily. As such these elderly patients will need the services of custodial care.
● Persistent Medical Conditions
Chronic diseases like cancer, arthritis, heart disease, and kidney disease can cause a progressive decline and make daily activities more difficult. However, custodial care helps patients efficiently manage these diseases in their day-to-day activities.
● Neurological Diseases And Stroke
Stroke survivors frequently experience long-term impairments like speech, cognition, and weakness. Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and ALS are neurological disorders that make it challenging to manage daily activities. Custodial care can help with secure transfers and mobility.
What Service Does Skilled Nursing Provide?
- intravenous (IV) injections
- Catheter care
- Therapeutic exercises
- Venipuncture or blood draws
- observation and assessment of patients’ changing conditions
- Diabetic management
- Wound care and monitoring of skin conditions
- Ambulation programs
- Tube feedings
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
- A change in treatment and care based on changes in the condition
- Assessment of rehabilitation needs and potential
Conclusion
This article clearly distinguishes between skilled nursing and custodial care. For each of their facilities and nursing homes, there are special doctors and staff working to assist every patient. Therefore, it is important to note these differences before deciding to get the service of either skilled nursing or custodial care.
Leave a Reply