Care Types
Senior Living vs Nursing Home: What's the Difference?
Assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing serve different needs. Compare costs, medical care levels, and who each option is best for.
Families often use 'nursing home' as a catch-all term — but assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing are distinct care levels with different costs, staffing, and medical capabilities.
Assisted Living
Residential care with ADL support. No 24-hour skilled nursing. Average $4,200–$4,800/month. Best for seniors needing daily help but not complex medical care.
Memory Care
Secured dementia care within or separate from assisted living. Higher staffing. Average $5,000–$7,500/month.
Skilled Nursing (Nursing Home)
24/7 licensed nursing for medically complex patients. Medicare may cover short rehab stays. Long-term average $8,500–$12,000/month.
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