Web Site Rates Nursing Homes
We provide this free financial resource to visitors of the Community Room of SeniorSSuperStoreS in an effort to keep baby boomers, seniors and the elderly informed of matters that can affect their lifestyle.
The Federal government, in November 2002, launched a new online database aimed at educating those shopping for a nursing home. The database has existed in some form for years, but this latest version is designed to be more user-friendly and will be updated every three months.
You many access this web site at Nursing Home Compare or you may call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
The database shares quality-of-care information such as little-considered factors like the percentages of residents who lose the ability to perform basic daily tasks or who develop bed sores - things that people want to know when putting themselves, a spouse or a parent into a nursing home.
It includes 10 "quality measures", or standardized percentages of patient well-being, for the 17,000 or so nursing homes in the United States that accept Medicare and/or Medicaid.
These new measures are in addition to the results of regulatory inspections of the homes, which are performed about every 14 months. The more frequent release of data will allow for a better overall picture of the quality of a facility's operation. Nursing homes found deficient in the regulatory inspections usually have 30 days to remedy their problems. The new, more frequent data, in addition to covering issues more oriented to consumers, means that nursing homes with problems need to be more responsive in correctng their deficiencies.
Nursing home administrators say the release of this database is another tool for nursing home hunters, but it should not be the only factor in making a decision. Some say that the data runs the risk of oversimplifying important factors, such as appearance and eye-appeal, cleanliness, and how happy the residents appear on the spur of the moment visit - more common sense things.
The data measures percentages of patients with:
We should note that many nursing homes also serve a transition role for patients coming out of a hospitalization. These sub-acute or rehab patients (usually paid for my Medicare - for up to 100 days maximum) are often in more pain, have more difficulty walking and have other physical problems more acute than normal nursing home residents. Thus, the data on these patients can distort the figures within a facility, and especially from one facility to another. The database reporting tries to make that distinction, but you must keep these factors in mind as you analyze the data.
Regardless of the faults with the new online database, at least the Federal government's attempts should be appreciated by the baby boomer to the elderly population, and everyone else facing difficult decisions about their own care and the care of loved ones.
You may also want to check out other of our long term care resouces: Factors to Consider When Looking for a Nursing Home and you can receive a free copy of "The Insiders Guide to Long Term Care Insurance" to help you protect your assets.
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