Protect Your House When You Want to Qualify for Medicaid
While you generally do not have to sell your home in order to qualify for Medicaid for nursing home coverage, it's possible f...
Read moreIf you are looking for a nursing home for yourself or a loved one, you want to choose a good facility. But what makes a nursing home good? Though good can be hard to define, some qualities are key to take into account.
A nursing home could be considered good if it is clean, well-staffed, offers nutritious meals, and provides high-quality care for its residents. Other practical factors, such as location and cost, are as crucial to weigh when determining if a particular facility is a suitable choice.
Local Elder Law Attorneys in Your City
Finding the right long-term care facility for yourself or a loved one is a major decision. The best choice will be specific to your unique needs, preferences, and medical care requirements. Consider the following factors – and some vital resources – when searching for a nursing home.
When looking for a nursing home, here are some factors to guide your decision-making process:
1. Location and Accessibility
2. Quality of Care
3. Specialized Services
4. Safety and Cleanliness
5. Resident Life and Activities
6. Meals and Nutrition
7. Costs and Insurance
8. Resident and Family Feedback
9. Licensing and Certification
10. Trial Visits
You may have several long-term care facilities in your area, so choosing the right one may feel overwhelming. However, there are rating systems you can consult to help you make a more informed decision. Among them are rankings from U.S. News & World Report, which has been publishing an annual list of what it considers to be the best nursing homes in the United States since 2009. Its 2025 evaluation includes ratings of nearly 15,000 nursing homes.
U.S. News found that the best nursing homes for short-term rehabilitation discharge an average of 50 percent more patients to residences, rather than long-term care facilities, compared to below-average nursing homes.
The best nursing homes for long-term care give their residents antipsychotic medications 46 percent less of the time than nursing homes that were rated as below average. Long-term residents at the best nursing homes are more than 60 percent less likely to require emergency department care than long-term residents at below-average nursing facilities.
One area U.S. News found in need of improvement is staffing. According to their findings, nearly half of U.S. nursing homes are not complying with the federal regulation to provide at least eight hours every day of registered nurse-staffing. Of the nursing homes failing to comply with the regulation, the average nursing home experienced 15 days per year of inadequate staffing.
Conversely, U.S. News found that the best nursing homes for short-term rehabilitation provide an average of 50 percent more nursing-care hours per resident than the short-term nursing facilities that ranked as below average.
For nursing homes that provide long-term care, the best ones have double the staff retention rates compared with underperforming nursing facilities.
These findings speak to the importance of assessing the staff-to-resident ratio when exploring nursing homes. Additionally, ask about the staff’s qualifications and job-related experience.
After considering the factors above and researching various resources, start visiting nursing homes in your area. If you are looking for a nursing home or assisted living facility for yourself, take a trusted friend or family member with you to provide an objective view of the facility.
Before you sign any admission contract or agreement, consult an experienced elder law attorney near you. They can guide you through the paperwork required to become a resident in the nursing homes you are considering. If you start planning far enough in advance, they also can help you figure out potential options to pay for long-term care. For example, you may be eligible for Medicaid, which covers long-term care services.
For additional reading on topics related to elder care and elder law, check out the following articles:
While you generally do not have to sell your home in order to qualify for Medicaid for nursing home coverage, it's possible f...
Read moreChoosing a Medicare drug plan (Medicare Part D) requires evaluating more factors than just the cost of the monthly premium.
Read moreAs long-term care costs continue to rise, long-term care insurance can help cover expenses, but long-term care insurance cont...
Read moreMany people believe that if they have a will, their estate planning is complete, but there is much more to a solid estate pla...
Read moreIn addition to nursing home care, Medicaid may cover home care and some care in an assisted living facility. Coverage in your state may depend on waivers of federal rules.
READ MORETo be eligible for Medicaid long-term care, recipients must have limited incomes and no more than $2,000 (in most states). Special rules apply for the home and other assets.
READ MORESpouses of Medicaid nursing home residents have special protections to keep them from becoming impoverished.
READ MOREIn addition to nursing home care, Medicaid may cover home care and some care in an assisted living facility. Coverage in your state may depend on waivers of federal rules.
READ MORETo be eligible for Medicaid long-term care, recipients must have limited incomes and no more than $2,000 (in most states). Special rules apply for the home and other assets.
READ MORESpouses of Medicaid nursing home residents have special protections to keep them from becoming impoverished.
READ MORECareful planning for potentially devastating long-term care costs can help protect your estate, whether for your spouse or for your children.
READ MOREIf steps aren't taken to protect the Medicaid recipient's house from the state’s attempts to recover benefits paid, the house may need to be sold.
READ MOREThere are ways to handle excess income or assets and still qualify for Medicaid long-term care, and programs that deliver care at home rather than in a nursing home.
READ MORECareful planning for potentially devastating long-term care costs can help protect your estate, whether for your spouse or for your children.
READ MOREIf steps aren't taken to protect the Medicaid recipient's house from the state’s attempts to recover benefits paid, the house may need to be sold.
READ MOREThere are ways to handle excess income or assets and still qualify for Medicaid long-term care, and programs that deliver care at home rather than in a nursing home.
READ MOREMost states have laws on the books making adult children responsible if their parents can't afford to take care of themselves.
READ MOREApplying for Medicaid is a highly technical and complex process, and bad advice can actually make it more difficult to qualify for benefits.
READ MOREMedicare's coverage of nursing home care is quite limited. For those who can afford it and who can qualify for coverage, long-term care insurance is the best alternative to Medicaid.
READ MOREMost states have laws on the books making adult children responsible if their parents can't afford to take care of themselves.
READ MOREApplying for Medicaid is a highly technical and complex process, and bad advice can actually make it more difficult to qualify for benefits.
READ MOREMedicare's coverage of nursing home care is quite limited. For those who can afford it and who can qualify for coverage, long-term care insurance is the best alternative to Medicaid.
READ MOREDistinguish the key concepts in estate planning, including the will, the trust, probate, the power of attorney, and how to avoid estate taxes.
READ MORELearn about grandparents’ visitation rights and how to avoid tax and public benefit issues when making gifts to grandchildren.
READ MOREUnderstand when and how a court appoints a guardian or conservator for an adult who becomes incapacitated, and how to avoid guardianship.
READ MOREWe need to plan for the possibility that we will become unable to make our own medical decisions. This may take the form of a health care proxy, a medical directive, a living will, or a combination of these.
READ MOREDistinguish the key concepts in estate planning, including the will, the trust, probate, the power of attorney, and how to avoid estate taxes.
READ MORELearn about grandparents’ visitation rights and how to avoid tax and public benefit issues when making gifts to grandchildren.
READ MOREUnderstand when and how a court appoints a guardian or conservator for an adult who becomes incapacitated, and how to avoid guardianship.
READ MOREWe need to plan for the possibility that we will become unable to make our own medical decisions. This may take the form of a health care proxy, a medical directive, a living will, or a combination of these.
READ MOREUnderstand the ins and outs of insurance to cover the high cost of nursing home care, including when to buy it, how much to buy, and which spouse should get the coverage.
READ MORELearn who qualifies for Medicare, what the program covers, all about Medicare Advantage, and how to supplement Medicare’s coverage.
READ MOREWe explain the five phases of retirement planning, the difference between a 401(k) and an IRA, types of investments, asset diversification, the required minimum distribution rules, and more.
READ MOREFind out how to choose a nursing home or assisted living facility, when to fight a discharge, the rights of nursing home residents, all about reverse mortgages, and more.
READ MOREUnderstand the ins and outs of insurance to cover the high cost of nursing home care, including when to buy it, how much to buy, and which spouse should get the coverage.
READ MOREWe explain the five phases of retirement planning, the difference between a 401(k) and an IRA, types of investments, asset diversification, the required minimum distribution rules, and more.
READ MOREFind out how to choose a nursing home or assisted living facility, when to fight a discharge, the rights of nursing home residents, all about reverse mortgages, and more.
READ MOREGet a solid grounding in Social Security, including who is eligible, how to apply, spousal benefits, the taxation of benefits, how work affects payments, and SSDI and SSI.
READ MORELearn how a special needs trust can preserve assets for a person with disabilities without jeopardizing Medicaid and SSI, and how to plan for when caregivers are gone.
READ MOREExplore benefits for older veterans, including the VA’s disability pension benefit, aid and attendance, and long-term care coverage for veterans and surviving spouses.
READ MOREGet a solid grounding in Social Security, including who is eligible, how to apply, spousal benefits, the taxation of benefits, how work affects payments, and SSDI and SSI.
READ MORELearn how a special needs trust can preserve assets for a person with disabilities without jeopardizing Medicaid and SSI, and how to plan for when caregivers are gone.
READ MOREExplore benefits for older veterans, including the VA’s disability pension benefit, aid and attendance, and long-term care coverage for veterans and surviving spouses.
READ MORE