New Medicare Nursing Home Guidance

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (HHS)

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today issued new guidance for nursing home surveyors, further defining and clarifying several important dimensions of care to help improve nursing home residents’ quality of life and environment.

Beginning June 12, 2009, nursing home surveys will be conducted with a sharpened focus on resident rights in key areas such as:

• Ensuring they live with dignity;
• Offering choices in care and services;
• Accommodating the environment to each of their needs and preferences; and
• Creating a more homelike environment –including access for visitors.

Currently, nearly 1.5 million individuals live in approximately 15,800 nursing homes on any given day, and about 3 million people will spend some time in a nursing home each year.

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