Rest Cure

What Does Rest Cure Mean?

The rest cure was a treatment that emerged in the late 19th century. It involved enforced rest, often combined with a specific diet, and was believed to be beneficial for women suffering from mental illness.

However, this practice was discredited in the 20th century. Today, the term refers to time spent in a rest home, hospice, sanitarium, or nursing home for custodial care.

Insuranceopedia Explains Rest Cure

The American neurologist Silas Weir Mitchell developed the rest cure for women with mental health conditions, such as anorexia. Patients were placed in institutions, isolated from their families, and subjected to a regimen of specific foods and extended periods of enforced rest.

Although this treatment is no longer considered effective, the term is still in use today. It now refers to the time a person spends in a facility where they receive non-medical care, assistance with self-administering medication, preparation of special diets, and help with daily living activities. Most people who receive this kind of care today are older adults or those with chronic conditions, which is one reason families often consider life insurance for chronic illnesses. The population living in such facilities is detailed in data on people in nursing homes.