Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Nursing Homes
A nursing home is a place for people who don't need to be in a hospital but can't be cared for at home. Most nursing homes have nursing aides and skilled nurses on hand 24 hours a day.
Some nursing homes are set up like a hospital. The staff provides medical care, as well as physical, speech and occupational therapy. There might be a nurses' station on each floor. Other nursing homes try to be more like home. They try to have a neighborhood feel. Often, they don't have a fixed day-to-day schedule, and kitchens might be open to residents. Staff members are encouraged to develop relationships with residents.
Some nursing homes have special care units for people with serious memory problems such as Alzheimer's disease. Some will let couples live together. Nursing homes are not only for older adults, but for anyone who requires 24-hour care.
It sits within Older Adults and Health System.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute on Aging.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Nursing Homes
580 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Binaural Beats for Cognitive Function in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment in Nursing HomesChina Medical University, China
- Protocolized Receptive Music Intervention to Reduce Care Refusal in Nursing Home Residents With Major Neurocognitive DisordersLNA SANTE
- Prevention of Pain Induced During Bed Bath in EhpadHôpital NOVO
- Connecting Today to Combat Social Isolation and LonelinessUniversity of Alberta
- Feasibility of a Multidisciplinary Student-Led Program to Improve Frailty in Nursing Home ResidentsUniversidad de Almeria
- Effectiveness of RPT With Elastic Band in Tx of Sarcopenia in LTCFsCishan Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare
Research already completed
- Utilizing Palliative Leaders In Facilities to Transform Care for Alzheimer's DiseaseIndiana University
- Effects of Exergaming and Autogenic Relaxation on Psychological Well-Being in Nursing Home ResidentsCumhuriyet University
- Multicomponent Exercise and Frailty in Nursing Home ResidentsEscoles Universitaries Gimbernat
- The Effect of Laughter Therapy on the Mental Health of Elderly Living in a Nursing HomeIstanbul University - Cerrahpasa
- Virtual Reality-Based Integrative Simulation Nursing Home VisitAl-Zaytoonah University of Jordan
- Acceptability Assessment of an "Organization of Care Integrating Artificial Intelligence and a Solution of Telemedicine" on Care of the Nursing Home Residents Located in a Medical Desert: Pilot Study INTEL@MED-POCUniversity Hospital, Limoges
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Finding Quality Nursing Home CareAGS Health in Aging Foundation
- How to Choose a Nursing Home or Other Long-Term Care FacilityNational Institute on Aging
- Nursing HomesAGS Health in Aging Foundation
Related Issues
- Long-term careCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Report a Patient Safety Concern or File a ComplaintJoint Commission
Statistics and Research
- National Post-Acute and Long-Term Care StudyNational Center for Health Statistics
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Long-Term CareNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Nursing HomesNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Nursing Homes. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Nursing Homes, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.