People go to nursing homes for different reasons, including if they’re sick, hurt, had surgery and need to get better, or have chronic care needs or disabilities that require on-going nursing care. You may have other long-term care choices, like community
services, home care, or assisted living, depending on your needs and resources. Before choosing a nursing home, you can check to see if one of these other options is available to
you or if they might help after a nursing home stay. Medicare generally doesn’t cover long-term care stays in a nursing home. If you have Medicaid you may be eligible for home- and community-based services covered by Medicaid. Before you make any decisions about long term care, get as much information as you can about where you might live and what help you may need. A nursing home may not be your only choice.
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