Help finding a skilled-nursing facility

A skilled-nursing facility, often called an SNF, is a place that provides round-the-clock licensed nursing care. Some people stay for short-term rehab after a hospital stay. Others need longer-term care for help with daily needs and ongoing medical monitoring.

Choosing this kind of care for someone you love is hard. It is normal to slow down, compare options, and ask questions. Taking time is usually wise, even when the move feels urgent.

Northhaven Care can help you understand the basic options and compare facilities in a calm, organized way. We do not provide medical advice or admission decisions.

We are a free matching service. You tell us general contact information, the state, who the care is for, the general kind of care needed, and the language you prefer. We do not need medical records, diagnoses, medication lists, insurance numbers, or immigration documents.

We then help you compare skilled-nursing facilities that may fit the situation. Some participating facilities pay us a flat fee to be matched. This never changes what your family pays, and it never affects our guidance about Medicare or Medicaid.

If you want to start, visit get matched or read more about our services.

A useful place to start is Medicare’s Care Compare site at Medicare.gov Care Compare. The Medicare CMS Five-Star rating has three parts: health inspections, staffing, and quality measures.

Staffing is often the most telling part. Staffing means how many nurses and aides are working for each resident, and RN hours per resident per day can matter a lot. RN means registered nurse, a licensed nurse with more advanced training.

Ratings can help you compare facilities, but they do not tell the whole story. A tour, a call, and direct questions are still important. Ratings also vary over time and by state.

Skilled-nursing and nursing-home care is often expensive. A common planning range is about $7,000 to $13,000+ per month, but the real cost can be lower or higher depending on the state, the room type, the level of care, and how it is paid.

Medicare may cover short-term skilled care after a qualifying hospital stay, often for up to 100 days, but there is usually cost-sharing after day 20. Medicaid can cover long-term nursing care for people who qualify based on income and assets, and the rules vary by state.

If you are unsure what applies, we can help you understand the general process. We do not give financial advice, and we do not guarantee coverage. For official eligibility rules, check your state Medicaid office and Medicare.gov.

A tour can help you see how a facility works in daily life. Ask about staffing, how quickly call buttons are answered, how they handle falls and infections, visiting rules, therapy services, meals, and language support.

You can also ask who will coordinate care, how often families get updates, and what happens if your relative needs more support than expected. If you are worried about quality, ask how complaints are handled and whether the facility works with the long-term care ombudsman in your state.

Helpful questions include:

- How many residents does each nurse or aide care for on a typical shift?
- Is there an RN in the building at all times?
- What is the average wait time for help during the day and at night?
- How do you support families who speak another language?
- Who should we contact if we have concerns after admission?

Needing skilled-nursing care is separate from immigration status. Families may still be eligible for some kinds of care or support, depending on the program and the state. The rules are specific, so it is best to confirm with official sources.

We also know that many families are more comfortable in a language other than English. Help is often available in Spanish and other languages, and we can work with your language preference when we match you.

If you want a broader overview first, see our guides. If you are ready to compare options, use get matched.