How to Research California Nursing Homes: Comparing the Quality of Care Before Making a Placement Decision

Are you searching for a skilled nursing facility (nursing home) in California for yourself or a loved one but have concerns about the quality of care their residents receive?  If so, there are certain steps that you as a consumer can take to research the quality of care that is provided by all of the licensed skilled nursing facilities that operate in California. Concerns about the type of care residents will receive along with others factors such as costs, facility amenities, and services offered, are all integral in making a decision about proper placement into a nursing home.

Many consumers are unaware that you can go to your local Department of Public Health and pull the file of any licensed skilled nursing facility that operates in the State of California.  In pulling the file of any particular facility, you can review important information about the facility including how the facility performed during their Annual Survey (as conducted by the California Department of Public Health Licensing and Certification Division) as well as during any investigations that have been undertaken by the Department of Public Health following complaints made against the facility.  Every licensed facility has a file that is open for review by the public

In an effort to assist consumers in making decisions about nursing home placement, the organization California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) provides an interactive web-site that offers guidance and tools to help evaluate nursing facilities that operate in California.  Using the State’s star rating system which is based on factors that include staffing, quality of the facility, quality of care, and costs, the CANHR web-site provides those in search of elder care facilities with important information to assist in making the best possible decision.  Federal and state records are used by the system to provide an accurate description of nursing homes and like facilities on a multitude of levels.  Consumers can search for information about elder care facilities by city, county or by facility name at www.nursinghomeguide.org.

Unfortunately, the abuse and/or neglect of residents in California nursing homes is a reality that is becoming more prevalent as our elderly population grows.  Careful consideration of the facilities that operate in California can serve to limit the chances that you or a loved one will suffer abuse or neglect following admission into a facility that has a poor prior history in providing quality care.

Berman & Riedel, LLP handles nursing home abuse and neglect cases throughout the State of California, representing victims of elder abuse and neglect who are patients at skilled nursing facilities.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding the care that a loved one is receiving in a California nursing home or other type of care facility for the elderly, please feel free to call our office today at (858) 350-8855.  Our legal team can meet with you and your family for an initial free consultation to discuss the rights you may haveunder our laws. To learn more about our team of attorneys, paralegals and staff please visit www.bermanlawyers.com/elder-abuse/.