Nursing Homes Watch List
The country has a problem. Over 90% of nursing homes in the United States have had some kind of violation or confirmed complaint in the last 3 years. Some of these issues are minor and some are life threatening. So how do you know which nursing homes you can trust? As you are browsing nursing homes on this site, check the reviews at the bottom of each listing, as many have warnings about potential problems. We have created administrative reviews for nursing homes with outstanding issues. Many of these problems may be minor, so please check medicare.gov or your local Ombudsman for the latest information.
The nursing homes on this list were flagged as some of the worst facilities in the country. The original data set was derived from Medicare.gov and then expanded based on data from state websites and other public resources. The list is relatively short, so there are plenty of other options to choose from. If you need to find an alternative to a nursing home on this list, use our advanced search to find all the nearest services in your area (we list 98% of all the available facilities). After you find a set of facilities that interest you, call your local Ombudsman or state inspection office to get the most current information about these options. You may be surprised.
There are over 15,000 nursing homes in the US. This list of poorly rated nursing homes represents only a very small percentage of the total options available (less than 1%).
Research any nursing home before you decide
Inspection records change constantly as facilities correct old problems and new complaints are filed, so the most reliable step you can take is to check a facility against the latest state and federal data before you commit. Search our directory to find nursing homes near you, then read the resident reviews and warnings on each listing and confirm the current standing with Medicare.gov or your state Ombudsman.