Ohio Nursing Homes Get Great Marks

April 1, 2015 | Crandall & Pera Law
Ohio Nursing Homes Get Great Marks

For the last seven years, U.S. News & World Report has published an annual “Best Nursing Homes” edition. The report helps families to search for information about care, safety, staffing and more for almost 16,000 nursing homes throughout the nation. This year’s edition has good news for Ohio.

Ohio was ranked second in the nation for five-star rated nursing homes. Around 17% of the states’ facilities received the rating, the highest available. The national average of 5-star nursing homes is 21.7%. The lists are generally regarded as highly accurate, and make use of data provided by a program run by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The report also includes some excellent information on choosing the right nursing home, covering costs, and guaranteeing good care. Choosing a nursing home for a loved one is difficult at best; this resource provides excellent help when you need it most.

Choosing the right nursing home


How do you know which nursing home to choose? Think about this:

  • Who’s paying? If you are able to privately pay for a loved ones care, your options may be a bit more open. However, most facilities accept Medicare or Medicaid. The Veterans Administration has a benefit program to provide care for veterans and their spouses. Also, if the care is long-term, some facilities are open to negotiation.

  • Location, location, location. A large part of your loved ones well-being will include healthy relationships. If you have to drive several hours to visit, you may want to reconsider. Additionally, it’s harder to ensure ongoing quality of care if you are unable to visit often.

  • It never hurts to ask. Once you’ve done your research online, it’s time to visit and look around. Ask residents what they think, and ask as many of them as you can. Ask if the facility accepts Medicare or Medicaid. Ask the nurses about their jobs and their patients. Ask about diets and food quality and activities.


Even the best facilities can make mistakes. Armed with these tools, the risk of abuse or neglect can be minimized but never eliminated. If your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, please contact us for a free consultation.