A nursing home or nursing facility shall be defined as a facility which is operated in connection with a hospital, or in which nursing care and medical services are prescribed by or performed under the general direction of persons licensed to practice medicine or surgery in the State, for the accommodation of convalescent or other persons who are not acutely ill and not in need of hospital care, but who do require skilled nursing care and related medical services. The term “nursing home” or “nursing facility” is restricted to those facilities, the purpose of which is to provide skilled nursing care and related medical services for a period of not less than 24 hours per day to individuals admitted because of illness, disease or physical or mental infirmity and which provides a community service. [PL 2001, c. 666, Pt. A, §2 (AMD).]