MINNEAPOLIS, MN (December 20, 2024) – Elder Voice Advocates is making it easier for Minnesota families to find safe, high-quality senior care with a major expansion of Elder Care IQ, the trusted tool for screening long-term care providers.
Built on the foundation of state surveys and investigations, Elder Care IQ now delivers a complete picture view of a provider’s track record by incorporating federal nursing home data through the integration of ProPublica’s Nursing Home Inspect. This enhancement equips families with critical insights to evaluate providers and ensure their loved ones receive safe, compassionate care.
Comprehensive State and Federal Nursing Home Data at Your Fingertips
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees long-term care facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs, provides essential data on inspections, deficiencies, penalties, and staffing levels across the U.S. This valuable information, accessible through Nursing Home Inspect, sheds light on nursing homes that may pose risks to residents.
Key insights include:
Staffing Metrics: Average hours of nursing care per resident per day and nurse turnover rates.
Deficiency Reports: Number, type, and severity of deficiencies cited.
Penalties: Financial and corrective actions required by CMS.
Provider Comparisons: Metrics compared to national averages for informed evaluations.
Special Focus Facilities (SFF): Spotlighting High-Risk Nursing Homes
CMS established the Special Focus Facility (SFF) program to identify nursing homes with a history of persistent care quality issues. These facilities, often plagued by recurring systemic problems, pose ongoing risks to residents’ health and safety.
Characteristics of SFF Nursing Homes include:
Higher Number of Deficiencies: Typically twice the national average per inspection.
More Severe Deficiencies: Including incidents of harm or injury to residents.
Chronic Non-Compliance: Patterns of recurring serious issues over several years.
Why This Expansion Matters
Navigating senior care can be overwhelming, with safety, quality, and staffing concerns adding to the stress. Elder Care IQ’s expanded features provide families with tools to:
Spot Risks: Identify facilities with histories of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
Compare Options: Access side-by-side comparisons of staffing metrics, deficiency reports, and penalties.
Highlight Problem Facilities: Recognize high-risk nursing homes under CMS’s Special Focus Facility program.
Empowering Families to Make Informed Decisions
“Elder Care IQ is about empowering families with transparency and trust,” said Kristine Sundberg, Executive Director at Elder Voice Advocates. “This expansion helps families make informed decisions about long-term care in one stop, easy to use screening resource.”
About Elder Voice Advocates
Elder Voice Advocates is dedicated to advocating for the rights and quality care of seniors by increasing transparency and accountability in long-term care. Additionally, a long-term care screening tool has been developed to provide state and federal government investigation, survey, fines, and staffing level reports. Since its launch, Elder Care IQ has been a trusted resource, offering families critical information to safeguard their loved ones.
For more information, visit https://eldercareiq.org.
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Contact
Jacquie Jurva, PR Consultant763.772.7525Jacquie@JurvaConsulting.com
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