© Imelda Maurer, cdp September 28, 2009
When a nursing home touts its five-star rating, it may mean something positive – or not. A five star rating may indicate that the nursing home really is a place where the residents are provided good holistic care, live in a home environment, experience person-centered care, make choices about significant issues in their day and in their care – when they get up and when they go to bed, when and how they are bathed, etc. -- and where staff are empowered and happy in their work.
That same five star rating may not reflect the reality of perhaps, institutionalization with its depersonalization of residents and staff, high turnover with its implications for continuity of good care, poor staff morale with implications for residents, etc.
The government website itself states the limitations of the rating system. (http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/static/tabHelp.asp?activeTab=6) noting that the information is for one point in time (snap shot ), that it is self-reported and that the Quality Measures and Quality Indicators measure only a few of the many aspects of care.
An article in today’s Los Angeles Times states, “Although the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services created a website called Nursing Home Compare in 1998 . . . the site's usefulness has been criticized since its inception. “
The entire article can be read at: http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-nursing-homes28-2009sep28,0,5321203.story
Nationally, this article reports, 40% of persons over the age of 65 can expect to spend some time in a nursing home. Our own self-interest pushes us to learn more about these issues and to advocate for those living in nursing homes and --- for ourselves.
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