A new resource to help consumers choose a nursing home for long term care was released recently.
Best Nursing Homes 2014
US News & World Report published its Best Nursing Homes 2014. The resource lists the top ranked nursing homes in every state across the nation and includes nearly 16,000 facilities. The rankings can be searched by state and zip code and even include close to 100 of the country’s major metropolitan areas.
A new version of the rankings is released annually and 2014 is the 6th year in a row the resource has been published. In order to establish the rankings, US News & World Report analyzed information from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services database and placed each facility based on a 5 star ranking.
According to the press release regarding the new publication, the number of 5 star facilities has significantly increased to 25% this year. The number of 5 star facilities on the list in 2013 was at just 19%.
Improvements in Care 
“The rising number of five-star homes is encouraging,” says Avery Comarow, U.S. News health rankings editor. “It speaks to care that is steadily becoming more skilled and compassionate.”
As the issue of long term care becomes more pressing and makes its way into more public policy debates, nursing homes and other long term care facilities are working to improve the quality of care provided. Baby Boomers have much higher expectations of care than previous generations, who often didn’t spend more than a couple years in a long term care facility.
Since the length of retirement and the risk of long term care continue to grow as life spans increase, the type of environment provided in long term care facilities has become of utmost importance to families.
Choosing a Facility
Many people are often confused about how to choose the right nursing home and unsure of where to turn for reliable information. The rankings help simplify the process for those looking into long term care facilities and provide much of the information that people need to know.
Long term care is needed for a variety of situations, though not always for the elderly. 40% of long term care patients are between the ages of 18 and 65. The most common reasons for long term care include physical injury and rehabilitation after a fall or a stroke, debilitating diseases like obesity or heart disease, or forms of dementia like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.
The reasons vary quite widely, but preparing for long term care is something that every one should do and this new list of nursing homes helps consumers make a more informed decision.
Click here to access the Best Nursing Homes 2014 and find the top nursing homes in your state.
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