Nursing Homes
A Nursing Home (NH) is a facility that provides 24 hour 7 day a week medical care and supervision.
A Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) provides skilled nursing (examples: wound care, pain management, or bowel/bladder training), and physical, occupational or speech therapy services. A SNF may also be referred to as a sub-acute rehab. Medicare may cover up to 100 days in a skilled nursing facility if you have met very specific Medicare eligibility guidelines.
Medicare does NOT cover ongoing long-term Nursing Home care. You may require additional care after your Medicare coverage ends. You may choose to pay the nursing home privately, use long-term care insurance or apply for state Medicaid.
A nursing home may also provide long-term care.
To obtain a list of licensed nursing homes from the RI Department of Health Licensee List click the button below.
The RI Department of Health’s Healthcare Quality Reporting Program has developed a Nursing Home Summary Report to help you compare Nursing Homes and choose among them. To find the most recent report click here http://www.health.ri.gov/nursinghomes/about/quality/
Under Federal and state law you retain ALL of the same Rights that you enjoy in the community. Your Rights and Protections as a Nursing Home Resident can be downloaded by clicking here.
Suspicion of Abuse (physical, sexual, financial exploitation and property theft) should be reported to the police and to the following:
Department of Health Facilities Regulation 401-222-5200
RI Attorney General Patient Abuse or Neglect, Medicaid Fraud & Drug Diversion Unit 401-222-2566 or 274-4400 x2269
RI Long Term Care Ombudsman 401-785-3340
Question When Choosing a Nursing Home
You may wish to download and print The Nursing Home Checklist created by Medicare.
- Find a few nursing homes near you or your family & friends
- Medicare rates nursing homes on a 1 (below average) to 5 (above average) star scale based on: health inspections, staffing report, Medicare participation, number of certified beds and type of ownership.
- Schedule a visit to tour the facility and eat a meal
- Talk with the Staff, Residents and Families
- Make an unscheduled visit at another time such as an evening or weekend
Health Care and Services:
- Can residents retain their personal physician if they wish?
- Will a resident be moved out of the facility if additional care is needed?
- Are rehabilitation programs and therapies offered, as appropriate?
- What are the policies on “do not resuscitate” and “advance directives”?
- If applicable, does the facility meet the Alzheimer’s Association criteria?
- Does the facility offer specialized programs or services?
Staffing:
- What is the facility’s staff to resident ratio on each shift & on weekends? Note: RI recently passed legislation requiring an average of 3.58 hours of resident care per day by 2022 and 3.81 hours by 2023.
- What is the staff longevity?
- How are prospective employees screened?
- What kind of training do new employees receive?
- Is staff trained to work with individuals with dementia or behavioral problems?
Accommodations:
- Is there adequate privacy and space in resident rooms?
- What personal possessions are permitted in resident rooms? Is storage available?
- How are items protected from theft?
- Does each room have its own bathroom and shower or is it shared? If shared, by how many?
- What are the policies on transfer and relocation of residents?
- Are tv, cable, wi-fi and telephone included in the rate?,
- Does each room have it’s own heat & air conditioning thermostat? If not, where is the control?
- Are the bathing and food preparation areas clean and accessible?
Meals and Resident Activities:
- Are meals served in an appealing manner and at proper temperature?
- Are there food choices?
- Are there accommodations for special diets? (Kosher, Gluten Free, Vegan etc)
- Are snacks and drinks available between meals?
- Is there an active residents’ council?
- Are religious services or special events held at or outside the facility and what is scheduled?
- Are there activities offered everyday including evenings and weekends?
Family Visits:
- What are the facility’s policies concerning visitors?
- Are family members permitted to join relatives for occasional meals? Is there a fee?
Payment Policies:
- Is the facility approved to accept Medicare or Medicaid patients?
- What is the billing and payment policy?
- What is included in the daily/monthly rate?
- Are there any additional charges?
- How long will the bed be held if the resident is hospitalized? What is the bed hold fee?
Facility Environment:
- Visit both the rehab unit and the long term care units.
- Do the residents appear to be well cared for, properly groomed, and dressed appropriately for the season and time of day?
- Do staff seem to be friendly, caring and accommodating to residents, visitors and others?
- Do staff members respond promptly to resident’s requests?
- Is the facility clean?
- Are there strong odors in the facility?
- Is the facility well maintained, pleasing and cheerful?
- Are the exits clearly marked and accessible?
Survey Reports:
- When was the facility’s last survey conducted?
- Is the most recent survey report available in the facility? If so, where?
- Have cited deficiencies been corrected?
- If corrected, when and how were they corrected?
- How will the facility prevent them from recurring?
- If deficiencies are not yet corrected, what is the facility’s plan for correcting?