Booming eldercare industry, dizzying choices: 5 things to keep in mind when choosing a retirement home for Mom or Dad

A continuum of care

For those faced with such a choice, let’s start with the basics: What’s the difference between a retirement home and a nursing home? 

If you’re not really sure, you’re not alone. That’s because such facilities exist along a continuum of care, says Nancy Swanger, founding director of the Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living and associate professor at Washington State University in Pullman.