How do I go about choosing a nursing home?

First, read "A Consumer Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home" created by the The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long Term Care. The National Consumer Voice is a non-profit organization with a mission to protect the rights, safety and dignity of residents of long-term care around the country.

Then, consider buying an essential book entitled "Nursing Homes: Getting Good Care There (2nd Ed.)" by Sarah Greene Burger, Virginia Fraser, Sara Hunt, and Barbara Frank.  Information on how to purchase this book can be found within Within The Consumer Voices’ publication page.

Additionally, one can download the large publication, "Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home" created by the federal CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), also in Spanish.

Where can I find information about a particular nursing home?

Visit Nursing Home Compare, the federal government's web site that shows important quality indicators about every nursing home in the nation that accepts Medicaid or Medicare payments. Please understand that this web site is not a comprehensive guide to nursing homes nor does the site rate these institutions. Also, the information on the web site about staffing levels is not accurate, as confirmed by the federal government. While CMS has attempted to correct this problem, it is still not recommended that one rely on this staffing information.

Also, visit the Member of the Family web site which provides information about Medicare/Medicaid-certified nursing homes, including reports based on recent government surveys. One will also find a National Watch List of homes cited for violations or that have had substantiated complaints made against them.

Finally, visit the Nursing Home pages of the Consumer Reports web site.  There you will find another Watch List of nursing homes and an explanation of how it was compiled.

My loved-one is in a nursing home in Connecticut. Who do I call if I have need help dealing with the nursing home or have a complaint?

Every nursing home resident in the State of Connecticut has advocates working on his or her behalf in the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Visit this web site for current telephone numbers for the ombudsman in your region.  For more information about Ombudsman, visit the National Long Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center.   Also, many times legal assistance can be provided by attorneys from Connecticut’s legal services organizations.

Where can I find more information about nursing home advocacy issues in general?

Visit the The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long Term Care web site for information on the latest issues affecting nursing home residents.

NCCNHR is the only national organization that is solely dedicated to improving the quality of care and quality of life for nursing home residents.

The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long Term Care is a non-profit organization, so please consider becoming a member or making a donation in memory or in honor of a nursing home resident loved-one.

Also, the National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) web site contains several articles about nursing home residents' rights and other long-term care issues.

Are there any advocacy groups in Connecticut working to improve and protect nursing home residents' rights?

On a state level, Connecticut Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform (CCCNHR) takes public positions and lobbies the government on legislative and regulatory issues affecting nursing home residents.  CCCNHR always welcomes calls or letters from persons interested in nursing home resident advocacy work.

Connecticut Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform (CCCNHR)
c/o Joelen Gates
Connecticut Legal Services, Inc.
872 Main St.
Willimantic, CT 06226
phone: 860-456-1761