1 in 5 U.S. Nursing Homes Get Poor Grades

About 20 percent of the nearly 16,000 nursing homes in the United States earn poor ratings for overall quality, according to a new analysis of government data.

USA Today examined ratings for nursing homes based on the results of inspections, complaint investigations, and other sources in 2008 and 2009. The newspaper found that nursing home problems exist in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., putting more than 250,000 American seniors who live in nursing homes at increased risks of injury or death caused by negligence, medical malpractice, and medication errors.

Nursing home abuse is a leading cause of injury and death to older Americans. Inadequate care or supervision in nursing homes, assisted-care facilities, and similar healthcare locations can lead to serious falls, sexual abuse by other patients or staff members, and substandard medical care. Families and loved ones who send their relatives to live in a nursing home thinking they are getting the best care available often are shocked by the abuse and neglect present in some homes.

Star Rating System Implemented for Nursing Homes

Some of the nursing homes that earned poor overall quality scores are habitual offenders, earning bad scores year after year, the newspaper analysis found. In many cases, the operators of these facilities have failed to heed warnings and recommendations on how to improve their care.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services assign star ratings ranging from one to five to nursing homes. The ratings are based on overall quality of care, staffing, and health inspections. Nursing homes owned and operated by for-profit enterprises tended to earn fewer stars than those owned by non-profits, the newspaper reports.

On average, nursing homes that earned the lowest ratings had 14 deficiencies, including some problems associated with quality-of-life measures and safety violations.

No related posts.