Press Release 4/24/02

National Citizens' Coalition for NURSING HOME REFORM	Diane Menio, President Elma Holder, Founder Donna R. Lenhoff, Esq., Executive Director
1424 16th Street, NW, Suite 202 Washington, DC 20036-2211	Phone: 202-332-2275 FAX: 202-332-2949
E-mail: nccnhr@nccnhr.org URL: nursinghomeaction.org	Contact: Donna R. Lenhoff, Esq., ext. 106 Janet Wells, ext. 117

For Release: April 24, 2002

(printable pdf version of this document)

The National Citizens’ Coalition for Nursing Home Reform (NCCNHR) today congratulated the Department of Health and Human Services for publicly advertising information about nursing home quality in six pilot states.

"Placing a loved one in a nursing home is one of the most difficult tasks a family ever faces," said NCCNHR executive director Donna R. Lenhoff. "The information released today in the pilot states should help people evaluate nursing homes—both when they are choosing a facility and when they are monitoring the care their loved ones are getting. And we hope that, by shining a spotlight on quality of care, this information will also motivate nursing homes to improve their caregiving."

Lenhoff noted that providing this information – while a welcome and important government function – must not supplant thorough annual inspections, prompt complaint investigations, and strict enforcement of federal and state standards. She also cautioned that the quality measures, still in the developmental stage, are only one aid families should use in selecting a nursing home.

"No one should choose a nursing home without visiting it and observing firsthand the quality of care – whether residents are responded to quickly when they call for help and whether staff treat residents with respect and kindness," said Lenhoff. "Families should be wary of facilities that are dirty or smell bad, or where residents are confined to wheelchairs and beds with physical restraints."

These are all signs that a facility is understaffed, said Lenhoff.

"Understaffing is the most serious problem in nursing homes," she said. "Be sure you know whether there are enough nurses and nursing assistants to give good care – including nights and weekends."

NCCNHR also advises people looking for a nursing home to:

• Consult the state or local long term care ombudsman program. Ombudsmen investigate complaints in nursing homes, and they can provide information on the number and type of complaints facilities receive.
• Ask the nursing home to see a copy of its latest state inspection report. Nursing homes that accept Medicare and Medicaid are required to provide them.
• Consult the government’s "Nursing Home Compare" website (www.medicare.gov) not only for the quality measures announced today, but also for information about findings of deficiencies and staffing ratios.

NCCNHR publishes an eight-page "Consumer Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home" (printable PDF version) that advises consumers about how to use ‘Nursing Home Compare,’ what to look for on a visit to a facility, and how to get other expert advice. Also see more information on the CMS Quality Initiative including links to relevant websites.

NCCNHR also publishes a book, Nursing Homes: Getting Good Care There, to help families monitor the quality of care their loved ones receive after they enter a nursing home. For this and other consumer publications, as well as how to contact state ombudsmen and citizen advocacy groups who can help, see the NCCNHR website at nursinghomeaction.org.

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