Of all the unusual gifts you can give Mom or Dad this holiday season, none would be more surprising than a simple card saying, “We’re putting you in a home.” Just make sure you don’t pick a bad one, because nearly a quarter of nursing homes were rated “much below average” in a new monthly federal evaluation.

From MedPage Today:

Scored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS] on the basis of one to five stars, 12% of nursing homes achieved the highest five stars and 22% one star, or “much below average,” with the rest distributed evenly among the other star scores.

The scores were calculated on the basis of health inspection surveys, quality measures, and staffing information, and will be updated monthly. Nursing homes receive an overall rating, and a rating for each of the individual components.

The ratings can be found on the existing Nursing Home Compare Web site.

According to MedPage Today, nursing home industry groups are unhappy with the new ranking system. They say it doesn’t take into account “customer satisfaction,” and that the evaluation doesn’t include all caregivers in a facility. The CMS counters that “types of staff included in this evaluation are registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, licensed vocational nurses, and certified nursing assistants”—which we imagine would be the staff most potential customers are curious about.

And you’re welcome for that gift idea!

“Nearly a Quarter of Nursing Homes Rated Much Below Average” [MedPage Today]

(Photo: “Happy Gilmore”)

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