Opinion
LETTERS
Nursing Homes: The Good and the Bad
Medical professionals, a social worker and an industry group respond to a front-page article about the five-star rating system.
March 21, 2021
To the Editor:
Re “To Lift Ratings, Nursing Homes Shroud Neglect” (front page, March 14):
I am an elder-care specialist who has witnessed firsthand the less than optimal conditions in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, some of which have even earned five-star ratings.
The information on the Medicare website that tracks these facilities can be misleading and distorted. A lack of surprise inspections and reliance on self-reporting lead to limited disclosure about staffing, infection rates, medication errors, neglect and abuse.
I urge families to research the facilities through in-person visits to observe the environment, ask questions about care and activities, and promote discussions with resident family members.
The pandemic has illuminated deficits in long-term care facilities that must be addressed. Our seniors and loved ones are vulnerable and deserve more than fanciful reports and stars that are ultimately meaningless.
Teri Koff
New York
The writer is a social worker. | 
