Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)

MaineHealth has skilled nursing facilities where patients can get more care after a hospital stay. Skilled nursing facilities offer medical, rehab and other services. Most often patients go home after a hospital stay. Sometimes they may need more care and be discharged to a skilled nursing facility. Patients may need to stay in skilled nursing facilities after a hospital stay in order to fully recover.

What is a skilled nursing facility?

A skilled nursing facility is similar to a nursing home but offers more medical expertise and services. Patients receive skilled nursing and rehabilitation services to fully recover and regain independence. Conditions that may require a stay in a skilled nursing facility include:

• Recovery from joint replacement surgery
• Recovery process from a hospital stay due to illness or injury
• Stroke

Who provides care at skilled nursing facility?

Patients may receive care from:

• Registered nurse to give medications, monitor recovery, care for any wounds
• Physical therapist to help patients strengthen muscles and regain balance and control
• Occupational therapist to teach skills for doing everyday tasks
• Speech and language therapists to treat swallowing and communication problems.

Types of care at skilled nursing facilities

Some types of short-term or long-term care provided by skilled nursing facilities include:

• Stroke recovery - helping patients regain motor skills and speech functions
• Custodial care - helping patients with needs like bathing, dressing and eating
• General wound care - cleaning wounds and administering antibiotics for infection
• Acute conditions - services offered for health-threatening illness, infection or injury
• Terminal illness care - services offered along with hospice care for people living with terminal illness
• General rehabilitation - speech, physical, and occupational therapy and other services to help patients recover after an extended illness or invasive operation.

Skilled nursing facility services

Skilled nursing facilities provide a range of services depending on patient needs and available staff. Some services that insurance may cover at skilled nursing facilities include:

• Semi-private room (a room you share with other patients)
• Meals
• Skilled nursing care
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Speech-language pathology services
• Medical social services
• Medications
• Medical supplies and equipment used in the facility
• Ambulance transportation
• Dietary counseling