A recent study from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) was done comparing the quality of nursing home care around the country. This study was the first of its kind, focusing on quality and staffing amongst the ten (10) largest for-profit nursing home chains. The major complaint of families and residents alike is poor quality of nursing home care and the study found that this complaint was most common in for-profit facilities. Charlene Harrington, RN, PhD, professor emeritus of sociology and nursing at the UCSF School of Nursing found “the top 10 chains have a strategy of keeping labor costs low to increase profits… they are not making quality a priority.” The study further showed that the ten (10) largest for-profit chains were cited for thirty six (36%) more deficiencies and forty one (41%) more serious deficiencies than the top rated facilities. Deficiencies range from resident weight loss, failure to prevent pressure sores and falls to infections and other problems that can seriously harm residents.
The above statistics and findings should be taken into consideration by anyone considering nursing home placement for a loved one. When it comes to making a decision as vital as choosing a nursing home sometimes you are not getting what you pay for.