Moving into a nursing home or deciding to place your loved one in a nursing home is a big decision — one that requires thought and care. As you begin to put your plan into place, you may be wondering: What does an average nursing home stay look like?
Nursing homes are facilities that offer round-the-clock care and medical support, explains Dr. Brittany Ferri, an occupational therapist with the National Council on Aging. It’s common to have several questions and concerns as you enter a nursing home, including the quality of care to expect and the potential changes to your daily life and independence, she adds.
Dr. Natalie Baker, a member of the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA) and a professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing, says that in addition to concerns like these, length of stay is often at the top of people’s lists, with many potential residents wanting to know how quickly they or their loved one will be discharged after they enter a facility.
Here, we’ll take a closer look at the question of how long people tend to stay in nursing homes, what factors influence this and who needs nursing home care in general.
What is the average nursing home stay?
The average nursing home stay is about 485 days, or a little over a year, according to a report by the Department of Human Services and the National Center for Health Statistics. Some people stay fewer days than this (43% of residents stay fewer than 100 days, according to the report), while others end up staying longer (57% have a stay of 100 days or longer).
The length of stay can vary widely, depending on various factors, Ferri notes, including:
- Gender.
- Specific health concerns.
- Severity of medical conditions.
- Physical limitations.
- Cognitive abilities.
- The rate of progression for health conditions.
“They stay as long as they need to in order to regain enough independence to return to their home.”
—Dr. Brittany Ferri, occupational therapist with the National Council on Aging
Average stay in a nursing home for men vs. women
The average nursing home stay is generally longer for women, Ferri says, and this is likely because they tend to live longer than men. For example, according to the AARP, up to 70% of nursing home residents are women, and they are admitted to nursing homes at an average age of 80.
The main factor that impacts length of stay
Perhaps the most profound factor to influence your length of stay at a nursing home is the medical reason why you need the care. “For instance, recovery from acute medical events like strokes might result in one- to three-week stays, as someone goes to a nursing home for continued rehab after a hospitalization,” says Ferri. “They stay as long as they need to in order to regain enough independence to return to their home.”
However, someone who enters a nursing home for a longer-term, degenerative condition, such as Alzheimer’s disease, may need to stay longer. Some may need 24/7 care that can’t be safely provided at home if they don’t have a supportive environment or the ability to finance in-home care.
Is nursing home care ever permanent?
While nursing home care may be temporary for many people — including people recovering from surgery, strokes or people in need of rehabilitation — sometimes nursing home care is longer-term, or even permanent.
“If a person needs continuous, intensive care that cannot be adequately provided at home… a nursing home stay can become permanent. In these instances, this is considered long-term care.”
—Dr. Brittany Ferri
“Many factors might prolong a nursing home stay, including unstable medical conditions and the inability of the older adult to receive the necessary care at an assisted living facility or at home,” Baker explains.
At times, nursing home stays end up being permanent. “Residents with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia-related diagnoses are more likely to remain in a nursing home,” Baker says.
Who needs nursing home care?
Generally, nursing home care is needed when the level of care is too intensive for family caregivers to manage alone or when in-home care is not an option, Ferri says. There are numerous reasons why someone may enter a nursing home, according to Ferri. These include:
- Recovery from surgery.
- Recovery from severe illness.
- Need for rehabilitative services, such as occupational therapy, speech-language pathology or physical therapy.
- Specialized care for progressive health conditions, including mechanical ventilation and frequent wound care.
“If a person needs continuous, intensive care that cannot be adequately provided at home… a nursing home stay can become permanent,” Ferri describes. “In these instances, this is considered long-term care.”
Many older adults are admitted to nursing homes after hospitalization, Baker notes. The goal of this care would be to regain health and eventually return to the person’s home, or enter an assisted living facility.
“Some older adults are admitted directly from an assisted living facility when that facility can no longer meet their level of care,” Baker says. “Likewise, some families who can no longer meet the needs of their loved one at home will arrange for a direct admit to a nursing home.”
“The nursing home will determine the level of ongoing care needed and coordinate with the family to arrange for the services.”
—Dr. Natalie Baker, professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
What to do after your nursing home stay?
The next steps after staying in a nursing home usually depend on the progress made during the stay, Ferri says. “Many may continue to need rehab services like physical, occupational or speech therapies to further regain independence,” she says.
After discharge from a nursing home, most older adults will end up needing additional care through outpatient rehab services, or through the care of a home health aide, says Baker. “The nursing home will determine the level of ongoing care needed and coordinate with the family to arrange for the services.”
Additionally, says Baker, it’s vital that you follow up with your primary care provider within a week of nursing home discharge.
The bottom line
As you plan for a stay in a nursing home, you likely want to know how long you or your loved one will be there. The length of stay is unique to each person, depending on factors such as which medical condition they are recovering from, what type of care is needed and whether or not it’s possible to continue care at home or in outpatient facilities.
People with Alzheimer’s and other dementias may need to stay in nursing home facilities long-term, while many others may only need care for a short amount of timeIf you have further questions about how long you should expect to stay in a nursing home, you should reach out to your healthcare team or contact the nursing home facility that you are considering.
