Choosing A Nursing Home Care Facility
Whether to ensure and protect the safety of yourself or for a family member or friend, the right nursing home care facility can be a lifesaver in terms of providing the medical care and support services you need, while also meeting social and recreation needs as well. At the same time, choosing the right nursing home can be a daunting process, and reports are rampant of nursing home abuse and neglect. Fortunately, there are several tools that are now available to help you inspect and review the quality of care provided at various nursing home facilities in the area, giving you information on how our state is doing overall compared to other areas in providing quality care for older residents, as well as tool that give a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in these facilities prior to paying a visit.
New York Nursing Home Ranking
The American Association of Retired People (AARP) has issued its second edition Nursing Home Scorecard, which ranks nursing home facilities in each state. Containing ratings for facilities that excel and rank above average in terms of providing quality resident care, as well as those that score dismally low, the scorecard provides a realistic measurement in five important areas:
- Affordability and Access;
- Choice of Setting;
- Quality of Life and Quality Of Care;
- Support for Family Caregivers;
- Effective Transitions and Levels of Care.
According to the AARP Scorecard, New York had an overall ranking of 22 out of 50, putting us slightly above the national average in terms of the overall level and quality of care received within the state.
Tools For Choosing The Right Nursing Home
In addition to state and national rankings, there are two tools that allow you to view specific reports and ratings on individual nursing homes and long term care facilities throughout New York.
Nursing Home Compare
Offered by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Nursing Home Compare tool uses a five-star system to rate specific nursing homes on areas such as staffing, inspection scores, and overall quality. You can use a physical location, such as the Bronx, as a search term, or search by zip code to view ratings and comments for providers in the area you choose.
Nursing Home Inspect
A service from the journalistic resource Propublica, Nursing Home Inspect provides information contained within actual state inspection reports of nursing homes in your area, allowing you to view deficiencies and ratings for individual facilities over the past three years. While it does not include specifics on what each home provides, it is a valuable resource in determining which long term care facility to avoid.
Reach Out to Us for Assistance
At Cavallo & Cavallo, our experienced New York Medicaid and nursing home attorneys understand how difficult it can be to find the right facility to meet you or your loved ones needs. As your neighborhood law firm, we are always happy to assist you in a matters relating to nursing home care and estate management, while ensuring your rights and interests are protected. We have offices in the Bronx and Westchester; call or contact us online for a free consultation.
