Nursing home numbers shrink while in-home care grows

The New York Times reported last week that the number of skilled nursing homes and facilities is declining amid growth of in-home care nursing programs. According to a recent article in The New York Times, the number of nursing homes shrunk by 350 nationwide during the past six years, while the number of in-home care nursing programs has doubled to from 42 to 84.

In-home care nursing programs use a team of doctors, social workers, physical and occupational therapists and other specialists to provide managed care for patients in their own homes or at adult day-care centers. These programs are less expensive than nursing home care and provide better outcomes.