Practical writing for families choosing, checking and paying for long-term care — grounded in the same federal data as the rest of this site.
Ownership & industry
The CMS 5-Star Nursing Home Rating is a tool designed to help you compare nursing homes. It provides an overall rating based on three components: health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. However, while it offe...
Aug 13, 2026 · 7 min read
Ownership & industry
When you are evaluating nursing homes, it's important to know how often they are inspected. Nursing homes are surveyed by state survey agencies, under contract to CMS. This is not a once-a-year event; schedules can vary...
Aug 8, 2026 · 6 min read
Ownership & industry
Choosing a nursing home can be stressful, especially if you discover the facility you're considering is on a watchlist. The Special Focus Facility (SFF) programme singles out nursing homes with a history of persistent an...
Aug 6, 2026 · 6 min read
Ownership & industry
When a nursing home closes, it can be due to voluntary business decisions or the termination of Medicare and Medicaid agreements following repeated failures to meet necessary requirements. Regardless of the reason, resid...
Aug 5, 2026 · 6 min read
Ownership & industry
Nursing home staffing ratios are a critical number when comparing facilities. They are expressed as hours per resident per day, reflecting the total nursing hours available each day divided by the number of residents. Un...
Aug 5, 2026 · 5 min read
Ownership & industry
Reading nursing home inspection reports might seem daunting, especially if you're unfamiliar with the system of citations and categories used. However, understanding these reports is essential when choosing care for a lo...
Aug 4, 2026 · 6 min read
Ownership & industry
When considering a nursing home for a loved one, the name on the building might not be as crucial as you think. A substantial number of American nursing homes belong to chains, and the decisions impacting care often orig...
Jul 22, 2026 · 5 min read
Ownership & industry
When choosing a nursing home for your loved one, the decision between for-profit and non-profit facilities often arises. Although ownership type might influence the operating priorities of a nursing home, it isn't necess...
Jul 22, 2026 · 5 min read
Ownership & industry
Private equity firms and real estate investment trusts have increasingly acquired nursing homes over the years. This trend has sparked a slew of academic studies and congressional scrutiny, largely due to the perceived i...
Jul 12, 2026 · 5 min read
Ownership & industry
When choosing a nursing home for a loved one, high staff turnover might seem like just another statistic. But in an industry where continuity of care is vital, losing half the workforce annually is significant. This leve...
Jul 10, 2026 · 6 min read
Ownership & industry
When selecting a nursing home, it's tempting to rely solely on star ratings. However, the weekend staffing levels might reveal more about a home's quality and management. Understanding the weekend gap can provide crucial...
Jul 8, 2026 · 6 min read