The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services posted the quality ratings of 16,000 individual nursing homes across the U.S. based on a one- to five star scale. The ratings are based on data from state inspections, reports on staffing and quality measures, according to a CMS press release. The homes received stars for each category and for overall quality. Learn more at http://www.medicare.gov/nhcompare. 

How to Check a Nursing Home

Review the home's most recent annual inspection report, which must be posted at the facility. Also review previous inspection reports and complaint investigations. Facilities must make them available.

To compare nursing homes this site provided by Medicare.gov will help: http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/.   Find Nursing Homes in your area. Search by name, city, county, state, or ZIP code.
Compare the quality of the nursing Homes you're considering using the Five-Star Quality Ratings, health inspection results, nursing home staff data, quality measures, and fire safety inspection results.
To check if a nursing home has been fined, go to www.idph.state.il.us and search for "nursing home violators."

Registered nurses per resident—a good indicator of quality care—is rated for each home at http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare under "Nursing Home Staffing."

If care is poor, consult the home's director of nursing. Review the resident's care plan and doctor's orders. File complaints with your state’s Department of Public Health, the home's ombudsman or, in cases of suspected abuse, the U.S. Government Nursing Home Comparison Site http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CertificationandComplianc/12_NHs.asp. This page provides basic information about being certified as a Medicare and/or Medicaid nursing home provider and includes links to applicable laws, regulations, and compliance information In the downloads section, we also provide you related nursing home reports, compendia, and the list of special focus facilities (i.e., nursing homes with a record of poor survey (inspection) performance on which CMS focuses extra attention).

Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and nursing facilities (NFs) are required to be in compliance with the requirements in 42 CFR Part 483, Subpart B, to receive payment under the Medicare or Medicaid programs.  To certify a SNF or NF, a state surveyor completes at least a Life Safety Code (LSC) survey, and a Standard Survey. SNF/NF surveys are not announced to the facility.  States conduct standard surveys and complete them on consecutive workdays, whenever possible.  They may be conducted at any time including weekends, 24 hours a day. 

The State has the responsibility for certifying a skilled nursing facility's or nursing facility's compliance or noncompliance, except in the case of State-operated facilities.  However, the State's certification for a skilled nursing facility is subject to CMS' approval.  "Certification of compliance" means that a facility's compliance with Federal participation requirements is ascertained.  In addition to certifying a facility's compliance or noncompliance, the State recommends appropriate enforcement actions to the State Medicaid agency for Medicaid and to the regional office for Medicare. The CMS regional office determines a facility's eligibility to participate in the Medicare program based on the State's certification of compliance and a facility's compliance with civil rights requirements.

• The following entities are responsible for surveying and certifying a skilled nursing facility's or nursing facility's compliance or noncompliance with Federal requirements;
• State-Operated Skilled Nursing Facilities or Nursing Facilities or State-Operated Dually Participating Facilities;
• Non-State Operated Skilled Nursing Facilities;
• on-State Operated Dually Participating Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities/Nursing Facilities).

It is often said that it is not where you live but how you live that is important. While this is certainly true, where you live, at least for seniors, very much determines how you live. Your lifestyle as a senior or retiree will depend on whether you live at home by yourself or with your spouse or with fam­ily, in a retirement community, in an assisted-living com­munity or a nursing home, and so forth. Your lifestyle will also depend on where you live geographically and how close you will be living to friends and family who can assist you in times of need.