by Mindy Hunter

Created on: October 31, 2008

Nursing home. Those two words immediately conjure depressing visions of frail, decrepit people, slumped over in wheelchairs. People stuck in a form of limbo, unable to live in the real world, but not ready to pass on to the next. They are the old and forgotten, left at the nursing home to die, because they no longer play a valuable part in society.

In reality aging is a difficult process for many, filled with transitions and losses. One of the most difficult losses is the loss of independence and the inability to care for oneself. The greatest fear of many people, old or young, is ending up in a nursing home, and that fear is perpetuated by negative stereotypes, such as the one above.

Contrary to popular belief, not every old person will end up in a nursing home. Only a very small percentage of the population will end up living at one of these facilities. Society views nursing homes as a place old people go to die, and in a way this is true. Most people frail enough to need 24 hour nursing care are not going to get better and go home, but it also does not mean they are ready to die. Many older adults live happy, productive lives at nursing homes, filling their last years with meaning.

Many of these nursing homes, or skilled nursing facilities, as most are called now, strive to provide their residents with home like environments that make the residents feel comfortable and consider the facility their home. Skilled nursing facilities provide activities for the residents to participate in on a daily basis, such as exercise, art classes and outings. For many older adults, the increase in attention and social interaction with people in their similar situation is very comforting and therapeutic. For many people who had been living at home, their TV may have been their only activity and family members their only social interaction. The nursing services provide residents with 24 hour medical supervision, which keep the people healthier for longer. Many skilled nursing facilities also provide therapy services to help residents maintain their maximum level of independence.

With this understanding of what a modern nursing home is, it becomes clear that the goal is not to provide a place for an older person to go to die, but rather a place where an older person who is no longer able to care for him or herself can be provided with the highest quality of life possible. With the extra care and services a person may stay at a much higher level of independence than he or she would have been able to at home, which has a direct impact on a person's mood and outlook on life.

A skilled nursing facility is another transition in life. For some residents entering the facility, the nursing care and therapy will allow them to gain enough strength to return home or to an assisted living. For other residents the facility will provide a quality of life that may not have been attainable at home, and in that higher quality, make the end years of their lives worthwhile and meaningful.

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