Find Quality Nursing Homes for Your Loved Ones

Skilled Nursing Care: 24/7 nursing supervision including medication management, wound care, IV therapy, catheter care, and other medical services provided by licensed nurses and certified nursing assistants.

Long-Term Residential Care: Extended residential care for individuals needing ongoing assistance with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, eating, mobility, and personal hygiene.

Memory & Dementia Care: Specialized secured units for residents with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, featuring structured routines, cognitive activities, and staff trained in behavioral management.

Rehabilitation Services: Short-term physical, occupational, and speech therapy designed to help patients recover after surgery, stroke, or illness and regain enough independence to return home.

Overall Quality Rating

The CMS 5-star rating combines health inspections, staffing, and quality measures into a single score. 3,032 facilities nationwide have earned the top 5-star rating. Look for facilities rated 4 or 5 stars, but also examine each component rating individually. A facility may score high on staffing but low on inspections.

Staffing Levels

Staffing is one of the strongest predictors of care quality. Compare total nursing hours per resident day, registered nurse (RN) hours, and weekend staffing levels. Higher RN staffing is consistently associated with fewer pressure ulcers, infections, and hospitalizations.

Health Inspections

CMS conducts unannounced inspections annually and investigates complaints. Review the number and severity of deficiency citations, whether deficiencies were corrected, and any fines or penalties imposed. Fewer and less severe deficiencies indicate better compliance with federal standards.

Quality Measures

CMS tracks clinical quality measures including falls with major injury, pressure ulcers, urinary tract infections, use of physical restraints, excessive weight loss, and antipsychotic medication use. Compare these rates across facilities to identify those with the best clinical outcomes.

Resident Rights

Visit the facility and observe how staff interact with residents. Ask about care planning processes, grievance procedures, activity programs, and family communication. The best facilities involve residents and families in care decisions and maintain a dignified, home-like environment.

Location & Visiting

Choose a facility close enough for family to visit regularly. Frequent visits improve resident well-being and help families monitor care quality. Consider visiting hours flexibility, outdoor spaces, common areas, and whether the facility accommodates family participation in meals and activities.

Health Inspections: The most heavily weighted component. Based on the three most recent annual surveys plus complaint investigations over the past three years. Inspectors evaluate compliance with over 180 federal regulations covering resident care, facility conditions, administration, and safety. Fewer and less severe deficiencies result in more stars.

Staffing: Measures total nursing staff hours per resident day, including registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs). RN staffing is weighted most heavily because research consistently links higher RN hours to better patient outcomes. Weekend staffing levels are also factored in.

Quality Measures: Derived from clinical data reported by facilities and Medicare claims. Tracks outcomes like falls with major injury, pressure ulcers, urinary tract infections, excessive weight loss, use of physical restraints, antipsychotic medication use, and successful discharge back to the community. Better clinical outcomes earn more stars.