Ratings not everything for local nursing homes

The government released new federal ratings on evaluating nursing homes across the country, with about 61% of all nursing homes getting lower quality-of-care scores,. That included a few facilities in the Coachella Valley that couldn’t even clear more than two stars.

Businesses are feeling the heat, but want to remind potential residents the star ratings aren’t everything in choosing a nursing home for a loved one. ManorCare Health Services in Palm Desert received back-to-back 1-star ratings, but guests who’ve stayed there couldn’t disagree more. “Well, I was surprised by that, because I know what the service was to me,” said Floyd Tucker, who stayed at ManorCare twice for knee and hip replacements. On the opposite end of the spectrum, The Springs at Carlotta was the highest-rated nursing home in the desert with an overall rating of 5-stars. So why the wide divide?

The government toughed the standards this past year, focusing more closely on quality measures and the use of unnecessary antipsychotic drugs. They also changed the scoring method for staffing. Lower scores were widely expected because of the changes, and were accurately predicted. But places like ManorCare took exception to being judged by a single government assessment. The company released this statement:

“ManorCare Health Services is dedicated to providing high quality care to all of our residents and patients. We take the accuracy of the self-reported information very seriously and will continue to assess how we can improve the delivery of care. Although, we are not content with our rating, we believe our dedicated caregivers give our residents their best each and every day and we are committed to continue to strive for excellence for our residents and their families.

The information received through Five Star does not necessarily reflect the quality of care being delivered. The Five-Star Rating system is only one way to assess whether skilled nursing care centers are providing excellent care. These rankings are not a silver bullet for individuals needing nursing center care, nor their loved ones. Deciding which nursing center is right for them is too important of a decision to leave to one government rating system. Visiting a facility is the best way to compare centers. Find out about the specific services provided; ask staff and residents’ questions; and learn about payment options.

Whenever we identify a patient care issue or if state surveyors have a concern, we aggressively address the matter in a plan of correction, training or other measures to ensure patient comfort and safety. We have staff training in place, conduct self-inspections and work with patients and families to ensure we are meeting their needs. We encourage families to approach us directly with any concerns they may have so that we can take immediate action in a personal and collaborative manner.

The majority of our patients come to us with multiple care issues requiring complex skilled medical and rehabilitation services. We are proud that patients choose ManorCare for their care.”

Agnes Page, who’s been a resident at the top-rated Carlotta for nine years, said, “You need to find out about where you’re going. There’s no question about it, because I’ve heard lots of comments about places that people have been sent and they’ve died quickly.” Page added, “or their family has come and rescued them and taken them someplace else.”

Some other important factors to consider are visiting a location before ever making a full-fledged decision. Get a full tour and be on the lookout for safety hazards, even something as small as loose or frayed carpet. that elderly people could easily trip over.

Make sure to check the facility has adequate staffing, and if so, that the turnover ration of employees is low. Usually a high employee retention rate correlates to happier staff, meaning happier residents.

The California Advocacy for Nursing Home Reform believes the stricter government ratings are necessary to provide accurate public information to families. The categories that contribute to Overall Rating include Quality Measures, Staffing, and Health inspection. But while ratings help, they shouldn’t be the lone deciding factor.

For the full list of where nursing homes in the Coachella Valley stack up, visit the link below and type in your zip code.

http://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html