Marie, I don't have any specific help, but I believe nursing homes are regulated by the state in which they're located. Can you start at the state's website?

Try Googling this, with the name of the state in the blank: State of __________ Nursing Home Ratings.

Good luck, Marie.

Hugs,
SadieSadie

Try this...I've gone here to keep an eye on things where my Uncle is.YOu can search by state.

Here is a link that might be useful: Member of the family.....

You may be thinking about Healthgrades.com. Most of the others, have obsolete information and they are trying to sell you the information. The state healh and welfare departments do the inspections, and share the information with Medicare/Medicaid. In most states there is also an ombudsman for nursing facilities, which should be available through the appropriate state government web site. You might also find an office for the aging, that can help you.If all else fails, each facility is required to have the latest information available, to be viewed by residents and the public. The faciliies we have used for our son, have it available outside the business office, in a mailbox. If you can't find a copy, ask. We are in Idaho, but the same requirment was in place in California where my Mom was a resident, in a couple different places. There can be a difference in care, but a lot of the issues, are not as they have been, in the past. The regulations have really been tightened. Of course when you have a Mama Bear like me, to keep them on their toes, it helps. LOL You have to absolutley, be an advocate for your loved one. Speak loud and clear and repeat as necessary. Get their attention and get the answers you want and need. Hope you get the information you need. We have been in a nursing home tango for 9 years now, and it is at times frustrating, but for the most part the care has been wonderful and caring and they want to be helpful. BUT, you need to stay in touch, and let them know ou are watching.

State inspections do help, but one can not depend on these alone. In my state, the inpsectors notify the Nursing Home a couple days in advance before arrival - what good is that? The other problem we have is not enough inspection staff. It is impossible for them to make enough inpsections to cover the state 100% each year.

Medicare, provides a nursing home compare. Which
includes the results of state inspections.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nursing home compare

As Jemdandy said, "State inspections do help, but one can not depend on these alone". I worked at a nursing home in California for eleven years, not in nursing, but in administration (payroll and billing). The state did not call ahead to let us know they were coming, but they came at about the same time every year (October for us). So, near the end of September a few things that they knew would be looked at would change. They would have inservices to remind everyone how to behave while the state was there. It made me sick and angry. The state only wants good care for the residents, and so should the nursing home, so they should behave in that manner ALL the time. It was a good nursing home - I mean I never saw or heard of any abuse, but it could have been better.

As someone else mentioned, in California, the previous year's state inspection results must be not only displayed where others can see it, it must be "loose" so that they can pick it up and read through all it's pages.

I know that it takes lots of time, but the only way to really know if a nursing home is doing its job is to speak with some of the families of the residents or maybe spend some time visiting someone there and watch the interaction between the staff and the residents. You would think that speaking with the residents might be the best, but unless you actually know that the resident is "together", that might not be the most helpful. My father, after he had had a couple of strokes, would tell us the most outlandish things that he swears happened to him and around him, and unless you knew him, you might have been convinced that these things really happened. I know for a fact that he didn't get mad at a nurse and push her through the sliding glass door in his room, because I would have been the one to call for repair, LOL.

Good luck.

From experience...try to get personal recommendations instead of ratings, especially those based on state or local inspections.

Ratings don't include the most important thing....the quality of care. We placed my mother in a nursing home that had the best ratings....and found the place to be a hellhole, got her out of there fast.

They had sufficient quantity of caregivers...but they basically ignored the residents. Residents were kept in night clothes, and the staff had from little to no personal interaction with residents. The residents were kept sedated, and this can be done because, in NJ, when one enters a nursing home...they are under the control of the doctor paid by the home.
This is the type of thing that is not seen or recorded on inspections.

I meant to add to my first post, that you probably won't find true "ratings". What you will find, are the violations or how the facility did for certain issues, like bedsores,and the number of staff on hand. How they compare, one facility to another in the state or nationally will also be shown. Some times they are kept in bedclothes depending on the type of care, but for the most part, I think they get them dressed before breakfast and verbally interact, to see if they remember their names, the date etc, if they are able to respond. It is how they can tell the day to day condition of some patients. Most facilies do contract with a clinic or a couple doctors' because frankly, most doctors do not want to spend their time ther, just as many no longer do hospital visits but rely on Hospitalists. It takes away from their practice. But, you can have your doctor intercede if you feel something needs addressing. Is there are particular reason your mentioned not wanting the Medicare, information?