Improvements To "Nursing Home Compare" Could Help Families Make Better Decisions For Their Loved Ones

Main Category: Seniors / Aging
Also Included In: Caregivers / Homecare
Article Date: 19 Jun 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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AARP issued a statement in response to today's announcement of improvements to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) "Nursing Home Compare" web site. The statement, from AARP Executive Vice President John Rother, follows:

"Choosing a nursing home is a daunting decision for any family, often made even harder by a rush to move a loved one into a new home. In such a difficult time, transparency of quality and safety information is essential. We applaud CMS for its work to simplify the process of choosing a safe, quality nursing home by making improvements to the 'Nursing Home Compare' web site.

"The star rating system proposed today could make it easier for families to identify facilities that consistently provide quality service and safety for their residents. AARP is also hopeful that added transparency will spur the industry to improve the performance of every nursing home. We look forward to working with CMS to refine the rating system announced today as we work toward making 'Nursing Home Compare' an even more valuable tool for families in need of long-term care."

AARP has several resources, including a nursing home evaluation checklist, to help families make better decisions when exploring long-term care options. More information is available at http://www.aarp.org/health/longtermcare.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates.

http://www.aarp.org