Nursing Home Care: New Jersey Makes the Grade

As baby boomers age, nursing care facilities are being pressed for beds and high-quality nursing care. Recently, a Florida-based advocacy group ranked nursing facilities in the United States based on several factors. New Jersey did better than most, but there remains room for improvement.

The nonprofit agency Families for Better Care supports the rights to quality of life for nursing home residents. Looking at eight criteria developed by the government in assessing nursing home care, the group gave each state a rank and a grade. New Jersey earned an overall B grade and ranked 15th in the nation for quality of care.

The assessment of nursing care in New Jersey included the following:

• Our state had the third-lowest rate of verified ombudsman complaints. The state ombudsman investigates mandated reports of elder abuse and nursing neglect. The low rate of verified complaints earned the state an A in this category.
• New Jersey also scored an A on the number of nursing facilities that scored above average on regular inspections.
• The state earned an F for the amount of time staff provides direct care to nursing home patients.

Families for Better Care cited these common problems with nursing facilities throughout the United States:

• Elder abuse and neglect
• Insufficient number of staff members
• Insufficiently skilled nursing staff
• Widespread deficiency violations

The problem of poor nursing care is only going to worsen as the ranks of senior citizens grow. If concerned about elder abuse or a loved one in a nursing facility, seek skilled legal advice in New Jersey.