New Orleans Nursing Homes

New Orleans nursing homes offer residence to seniors and patients with moderate to major medical conditions that impair their capabilities of living independently. Nursing care provides continuous monitoring. The facility's staff of nurses, nursing aides, physicians, therapists and social workers attempt to maintain or rehabilitate the health of their patients. Some are available 24 hours of the day. Nursing homes, or skilled nursing facilities, provide the highest level of patient care outside of a hospital. Many have services specializing in certain medical issues. New Orleans skilled nursing facilities will either administer short-term or long-term care, although some institutions deliver both.

Short-term care concentrates on helping patients rehabilitate from acute medical crises like strokes, falls or aneurisms. Physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapists plan individualized paths for recovery so patients can get back on their feet as soon as possible. Once short-term patients are discharged from nursing care, they can go back to their normal lives or join less inclusive care options. Long-term care focuses on medical and social treatment for moderately to severely disabled patients. Patients may have dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, major wounds or other diseases or physical conditions that render them bedridden. The medical staff of doctors and nurses supply proper medical care through performing medical procedures and constantly checking on their health. Non-medical staff provide custodial care and companionship to long-term patients.

When major medical conditions can no longer be managed through less inclusive care, patients must seek long-term nursing care. Short-term nursing care is usually needed much more abruptly. Almost 75 percent of short-term stays are precipitated by a hospitalization. Patients with further medical needs are required to be admitted to nursing home by their doctors. It may be helpful to remember that doctors and specialists can be useful sources of information on area nursing homes. It is important to seek excellent hospital care because those first few days of the recovery process are vital. In New Orleans, the best health care services are provided by Oschner Foundation Hospital and Oschner Baptist Medical Center.

New Orleans nursing care costs are slightly higher than the Louisiana median and quite a bit less than the national average. Semi-private and private SNF rooms cost $4,502 and $5,323 per month, respectively. Assisted living facilities cost more than the national average, at $3,583 per month.

Some people believe nursing homes are a destination where long-term care patients will decline in health. In reality, many seniors see enough improved health to be able to move to assisted living care, independent living facilities or senior apartments. Another negative connotation associated with nursing homes is that they normally provide poor and inadequate care. This view is not representative of all nursing homes. Although there are some with ill-trained staff, many skilled nursing facilities offer the finest quality in medical care. Our site wants to help seniors and their families understand the subject and help them find quality nursing facilities for their specific financial, medical and emotional needs.