Nursing Homes With a Track Record - a Bad One

Among the 15,547 nursing homes in the full set of U.S. News rankings, 131 are tagged as "Special-Focus Facilities." Consider it a red flag. These homes have been singled out by the state where they operate and by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as nursing homes with long histories of subpar or inconsistent health inspections. Here's more about SFFs:

What makes a nursing home an SFF?
A history. A single event, even a serious one such as spoiled food that sickens several residents, isn't enough. But similar findings in three consecutive inspections are one of three required SFF flags. The second is that a deficiency affected or could have affected many residents. The third is that the problem remained unresolved on follow-up inspections.

Should I remove my loved one from an SFF?
Not necessarily. Moving a resident who has grown used to the rhythms and routines of a home can be upsetting, even traumatic. If you are generally satisfied with the level of care, says CMS spokesperson Mary Kahn, it's better just to be watchful. "One family member who is attentive and an activist," she says, "can go a long way toward ensuring their loved one receives good care."

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Nursing Homes With a Track Record - A Bad One