Baltimore Nursing Homes

Baltimore nursing homes afford residence and critical medical treatment for seniors and patients with rehabilitative or long-term care needs. Extensive nursing care staff of physicians, nurses, specialists, non-medical care personnel and therapists actively help patients recuperate or maintain their level of health through medical and social services. Nursing homes are also called skilled nursing facilities. Baltimore skilled nursing facilities typically specialize in dealing with a certain medical issue, but most are broken down into either short-term care or long-term care. Some facilities have the capabilities to provide both types of care.

Short-term care is based around rehabilitation from acute medical events, most commonly strokes, heart attacks, aneurisms and injuries related to falls. Nursing personnel, including physical, speech, respiratory or occupational therapists, will work with individuals to help patients recover quickly. When short-term patients are discharged, they are in the position to return to their previous lives or seek less inclusive treatment with assisted living or in home care. Long-term care focuses on taking care of patients with serious and complex medical conditions. They may have pulmonary illnesses, neurological illnesses, Alzheimer’s, dementia, diabetes or general physical decline. Physicians and nurses treat their specific medical needs, whether it is a colostomy bag, blood work, wound care or medicine management. Some long-term patients see enough improvement to be able to move to assisted living care. For others, a skilled living facility stay is the last stop before hospice of end of life care.

Long-term care stays are typically brought upon by deterioration of an existing medical condition. Nearly 75 percent of the time, short-term stays are preceded by an acute medical event requiring a hospitalization. If patients have not recovered enough during their hospital stay, their doctor will prescribe a nursing home stay. Under the circumstances, patients should try to reach the best hospital care possible because their short stay is the first leg of their recovery. In Baltimore, top quality health care, based on patients’ hospital experiences, can be found at Mercy Medical Center Inc. and The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

While other Baltimore senior care costs are reasonable, nursing care is expensive compared to the national average and Maryland median level. Semi-private and private nursing home rooms cost $7,741 and $8,334 per month, respectively. Assisted living facility rooms cost $3,050 per month. Homemaker services, home health aide and adult day health care run a monthly cost of $3,432, $3,623 and $1,668, respectively.

The physical, emotional and financial tolls nursing care can take on seniors and their families are enormous. Not only do future nursing care patients have to deal with a loss of freedom and loss of their previous way of life, but families often feel guilty they can no longer take care of their parents. Our site wants to help seniors and their families find nursing care that gives compassionate, dedicated and vigilant care in an environment that fosters independence. We also want the final choice of care to fit their personal financial, medical and emotional needs.