If you are currently faced with placing a loved one in a nursing home or rehabilitation center, it is critical to obtain as much information as possible on the facility. This can be challenging when the residency is sudden or not expected – for example if mom or dad has a fall at home and is injured.
A good place to start your search is the U.S. News and World Report nursing home ratings for this year. The ratings are based on a 5-star scale that reflects how the facility performed during its last state inspection. The list begins with the 5-star facilities listed alphabetically, followed by the 4-star facilities listed alphabetically, and so on. You can see the results here.
If you already have someone in a nursing home, you can see how your facility performed. If the facility did not do well, you can ask the Administrator or Director of Nursing what the problems were and what the facility is doing about the deficiencies. It is a great way to be an advocate.