How to Choose the Right Nursing Home

One of the questions we often get at Lanzone Morgan, is how to choose a good nursing home. I’m going to share several websites that provide valuable information about nursing homes. The first website I highly recommend is CANHR, which stands for California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform. CANHR has been around for over 20 years, and their website provides a wealth of resources. Under the resources tab, you can investigate whether a nursing home has been cited by the Department of Public Health and see what violations they have, such as short staffing or resident neglect. You can also find answers to frequently asked questions, such as whether you need to sign an arbitration agreement, whether you have the right to hold a bed at a nursing home if your loved one goes to the hospital, and what your rights are regarding visiting a loved one. Additionally, you can learn how to file a complaint with the state against a nursing home if you are experiencing issues.

Another useful website is Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare tool, which allows you to search for nursing homes and see their ratings. While Medicare uses a star system to grade nursing homes, it is important to note that these ratings are only as reliable as the information provided to Medicare by the nursing homes themselves. However, the site still allows you to search for nursing homes by zip code or city, check their staffing levels, review complaints, and access investigation reports. Another great resource is the Consumer Voice website, which monitors long-term care facilities across the country. This site provides bulletins and publications on various topics, including consent to medications, visiting rights, arbitration agreements, and other important information. Lastly, the California Department of Public Health website is a valuable tool for researching nursing homes in the state. It provides information on staffing levels, complaints, and overall ratings, which can be useful both for those currently dealing with issues at a nursing home and for those considering placing a loved one in a facility.