Unfortunately, negligent acts and poor care while at nursing homes happens at both “good” and “bad” homes alike, and quite often, perception based upon reputation alone clouds reality. Every nursing home eligible to be paid by Medicare (which is to say, almost all of them) is subject to a federally-issued ranking system based on one to five stars. The stars focus on such factors as state department of health reports, staff turnover, and “quality of care,” amongst other things, and any ranking of less than three stars is considered to be “below average” under this system. However, these ratings can’t be trusted as the only authority on the subject of where your loved one should receive the care that they deserve — and care that you can be satisfied with.
Indeed, an interesting article from a North Carolina newspaper takes a look at how these stats don’t really tell the whole story. A smaller facility, for instance, generally can’t compete with the salaries of a larger facility and can tend to have a higher staff turnover rate.
Many of these studies are based on reports regarding resident health from two years ago — which can give more of a “snapshot” of how a nursing home functioned at a prior instant in time, as opposed to an up-to-date analysis. At the end of the day, the best way to get a feel for which facility will best suit your loved one’s needs is to investigate yourself — visit the facility, get to know its ins and outs, speak to the staff, establish a rapport with those who will actually be providing the care. Unfortunately, even facilities with the highest ratings can still fail to provide adequate care — this is why it is best to look into the matter yourself and come to a decision that you feel comfortable with.
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