The Federal Government’s “Nursing Home Compare”: provides a detailed quality ranking of each nursing home on a 5 star (best) score to a 1 star (worst). We recommend selecting only those homes with a 4 or 5 star overall rating for your further investigation, and avoiding those substandard homes with 1 or 2 stars.  Here is our latest Elder Justice Committee downloadable compilation of the federal government 1-5 star ratings of all Monroe County nursing homes: https://app.box.com/s/qxur3rb4thxxtmk42gytiutkcggdw630

To obtain a copy of Medicare’s “Your Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home” phone 1-800-MEDICARE to ask for brochure No. 02174 or click this online link to read or download (72 pages)

ALTY New York’s “Change for Good” is a booklet that contains key questions to ask staff when evaluating potential elder care settings.

The Elder Pages Directory is a comprehensive listing of housing options for elders in Monroe and surrounding counties, plus information about food and nutrition services, rehabilitation services, home support services, insurance resources, government agencies, transportation and legal services. Printed directories are available at libraries, or call G.R.A.P.E. (Greater Rochester Area Partnership for the Elderly) at 585-256-4351.

Lifespan (585-244-8400) in Rochester, NY provides information, guidance and more than 30 services that help older adults and caregivers take on longer life -- from care management for Elder care to finding a job in retirement.  Lifespan’s “The Smart Consumer’s Guide to Quality Nursing Home Care” may be obtained by calling Lifespan or by clicking here.

Things you must know before going to the hospital brochure – from the New York StateWide Senior Action Council.

The Long Term Care Community Coalition (LTCCC) is devoted to improving care for the elderly and disabled. They work to ensure that long term care consumers in all settings, who are often very vulnerable, are cared for safely and treated with dignity.  Its website contains useful consumer guides, reports and newsletters, as well as Take Action links.

These three culture change organizations have been working toward transforming the traditional institutional focused nursing home into resident-centered, caring communities:

http://pioneernetwork.org/   http://www.edenalt.org/  http://thegreenhouseproject.org/

National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care

Advocate Gets NYS Comptroller to Audit Department of Health

NYS Comptroller’s February 2016 Report: Nursing Home Surveillance

Democrat and Chronicle Editorial: “Nursing homes audit alarming”

Democrat and Chronicle News Report: “NY audit: Nursing home oversight weak”

Democrat and Chronicle News Report: “At some nursing homes, deficiencies repeat over and over”