Even though home-based nursing care is a growing trend in the United States, placing a relative in a nursing home may be one of the most difficult and traumatic decisions a family member can make. More than 1.8 million people live in nursing homes. About 7.4 percent of Americans aged 75 and older lived in nursing homes in 2006.

A nursing home, also known as a skilled nursing facility, is a place for people who can no longer be cared for at home. This can include people with critical injuries or serious illnesses, or those needing care after surgery.