When choosing a nursing home, one of the most important factors you should take into consideration is if it is Medicare and Medicaid certified. The reason for this is not only being able to use your Medicare or Medicaid to cover the costs, but also because it will help you assess the quality of care they provide.
For a nursing home to get certified they have to pass not just fire inspections but health inspections too. These health inspections are done yearly for most, although “problematic” nursing homes are inspected more frequently than that.
Note though that despite the certification, it is still important to compare nursing homes by actually visiting the place and looking at the facilities, observing the staff’s attitudes, and getting feedback. Use the fact that a home is Medicare or Medicaid certified as a guide, and not a sole determiner when it comes to choosing nursing homes.