Choosing a Nursing Home and What to Check on a Visit¶
A family member may need a nursing home for different reasons: recovering from surgery or an illness, or needing ongoing help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, or eating. This page covers the first decision point: picking a nursing home and knowing what to look for on a visit.
What this page does not cover yet
This page is scoped to choosing a facility and visiting it before or after a move. It does not yet cover assisted living specifically, how to prepare for moving day itself, staying involved as a caregiver once someone has moved in, or how to work with a facility social worker. Those are separate, not-yet-written parts of this guide.
Know what kind of care you're choosing¶
Nursing homes can provide two different things, and it matters which one you need:
- Short-term care: rehabilitation after surgery (for example, physical therapy after a hip or knee replacement) or skilled nursing to recover from an illness like pneumonia.
- Long-term care: ongoing help with daily activities like dressing or bathing.
Coverage differs sharply between the two. Medicare Part A covers up to 100 days of short-term skilled care in a Medicare-certified nursing home after a hospital stay. Medicare generally does not cover long-term nursing home stays.
If long-term care is needed, Medicaid may cover it, and may also cover home-and-community-based services, depending on your state and whether you qualify.
Before deciding anything, talk to someone you trust: a family member, the person's health care provider, or a social worker.
Find and compare facilities¶
Medicare.gov/care-compare lists nursing homes. You can find comparison information on every Medicare-certified nursing home in the country through this tool. Use the information available there to help guide your decision, along with other information you gather.
A visit to a nursing home is important and should not be replaced by online ratings alone.
What to check and ask on a visit¶
A visit to a nursing home lets you see the residents and staff in the setting, ask questions of the facility staff, and talk with residents and their families. It is best to visit before you make a final decision.
Questions worth bringing, organized by what they cover:
- Care planning: How will I (or my family member) be involved in the care plan? How does the facility handle medical emergencies? How do you report and get updates on a concern?
- Dementia care (if relevant): Is there a designated dementia care unit? How are staff trained for dementia care? Is the unit locked with safe outdoor access? How does the facility avoid antipsychotic medication where possible, and how does it prevent unsafe wandering?
- Staffing and fees: How many staff are assigned per resident, by shift? Does the facility accept Medicare and/or Medicaid? Can you get an itemized list of what's included in the base rate versus billed separately?
- Daily life and preferences: What activities are offered, and can residents help choose them? Can the resident bring their own furniture, choose roommates, and set their own routine for meals, waking, and sleeping? Is there private space for visitors?
Nursing homes that accept Medicare or Medicaid payments must comply with federal requirements.
Get free, personalized help¶
You can get contact information for your local Long-Term Care Ombudsman through the Eldercare Locator. The Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman can help you find local long-term-care resources and get personalized help choosing or evaluating a nursing home.