Consumer Reports Finds Nursing Home Care Deficient

By Daniel Hawn

Published on October 06, 2006

In an investigative report titled "Nursing Homes: Business as Usual," Consumer Reports looked at the three latest state inspection reports for approximately 16,000 nursing homes located throughout the United States. Investigators analyzed the number of staff members at each home as well as quality indicators, such as the number of patients who developed bedsores when they exhibited no risk factors for them.

Investigators concluded that poor care in nursing homes is all too common, particularly in for-profit homes that belong to chains.

The report tells of one California nursing home, White Blossom Care Center, in which a state inspection turned up a number of violations. Among other things, the inspection revealed that the home's employees committed a potentially fatal medication error, neglected doctors' orders, and left patients' bedsores untreated.

The report says that not-for-profit nursing homes tend to provide higher quality services than for-profit homes. It also says that independently operated facilities seem to offer better care than nursing homes that are part of chains.

The entire report, along with a state-by-state list of profiled nursing homes, is available for free at consumerreports.org.

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