What qualifications and certifications should I look for in a long-term care provider?
For nursing homes or hospice providers, make sure that they have a license from the California Department of Public Health. This will mean that they provide a high standard of care. You can also look at each facility’s rating from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
To see the license number for each nursing home or hospice provider on this website:
- Search for the facility you’re interested in. When you see the Google Map that shows where the facility is located, look to the right and you’ll see it’s license number.
To see the CMS rating for each nursing home or hospice provider on this website:
- Search for the facility you’re interested in. Go to the “At-A-Glance” section and look for “CMS 5-Star Rating.” Facilities with five stars are well above average. Facilities with one star are well below average. Learn more about the CMS five-star rating system.
What about qualifications for home health providers?
This website provides quality of care ratings to give you information about home health services that skilled professionals may provide to you at home. This includes support managing your daily activities, treating your symptoms, preventing harm, and providing the best possible care to help prevent you from needing to get unplanned hospital care. When you contact a home health care service provider, ask about their professional skills and qualifications.
How can I find out how safe a long-term care facility is?
Long-term care providers focus on their residents’ safety in several ways. This includes following specific safety protocols, conducting regular safety inspections, ensuring proper staffing levels, providing emergency response systems, and maintaining secure environments.
How do I compare specific providers on the website?
You can compare up to six facilities at a time. Get step-by-step instructions here.
We recommend visiting the facilities you’re interested in after you narrow down your options. Talk to people you can trust, including people currently using the facility or people who have used it recently – or their family members. We also recommend talking to the potential resident’s primary care provider and other staff members at the facility.
Be sure to involve the person who will use the facility in your decision-making process, when possible. This will help to make sure that the facility aligns with their needs and preferences.