Which nursing homes are the best in Tri-Cities? One ranks far above the rest
Washington’s elderly population is growing. Currently, Washingtonians ages 65 and older account for 18% of the state’s population. According to the AARP, that’s a 7% increase since 2000, and is expected to rise past 23% by 2050.
With an increase in elderly folks comes an increased need for nursing home care. According to independent health policy research organization KFF, more than 13,600 Washington residents are living in certified nursing facilities.
But how can Tri-Citians know which nursing home is the right facility for their circumstances?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rates facilities on a five-star scale. Every facility that accepts Medicaid and Medicare payments is rated, so the majority of locations are included. A score breakdown is available on the Medicare site, with full reports on each facility.
The Medicare site lists five nursing homes in the Tri-Cities area.
Each was given a score out of five based on three primary metrics: health inspections, staffing and quality measures. Here’s how Tri-Cities nursing homes ranked.
Best Tri-Cities nursing homes
Of the five nursing homes given a rating in the Tri-Cities area, only one received a five-star score. Two received an average score of three stars. Two nursing homes in the area received a below-average one-star rating.
Regency Canyon Lakes Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
Regency Canyon Lakes Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Kennewick received an overall five-star rating:
- Health inspections: 5 stars
- Staffing: 5 stars
- Quality measures: 4 stars
In the past three years, Regency has had three total health citations. The national average in that time span is 9.6, and the average in Washington state is 18.2.
Each of these citations came from a facility-reported issue, not a complaint or inspection. It had no infection control citations.
According to the report, the nursing home averages nearly 50 residents per day. The state average is about 72 residents a day, and the national average is nearly 84.
Staff have an average of 4 hours and 43 minutes to spend with each resident daily, exceeding the national average of 3 hours and 52 minutes, and the state average of 4 hours and 24 minutes.
Regency also has a lower staff turnover rate than the state and national average.
The four stars in quality represents a five-star score for short-stay quality measures and a two-star score for long-stay quality measures. Fewer than 18% of Regency’s short-stay residents were re-hospitalized after their stay — the state average is 20%, and the national average is 25%.
Regency also outperformed the averages for the percentage of residents who were at or above their expected ability to care for themselves at discharge, for flu shots among residents and staff, for pneumonia vaccinations and for the percentage of residents who successfully return to their prior home or community.
While receiving only two stars for long-stay quality measures, Regency outperformed the averages in several of those categories as well, including the percentage of residents showing symptoms of depression.
Additionally, none of their long-stay residents lost too much weight, compared to a state and national average of 5.6%.
The Life Care Center of Kennewick received an overall three-star rating:
Life Care Center has had 14 health citations in the past three years.
None of these citations followed a routine inspection — three came from a facility-reported issue, and the other 11 followed a complaint. The facility also had two citations from infection control inspections in the past three years.
The nursing home is slightly below the national average for the average number of staff hours per resident each day, with 3 hours and 43 minutes. Life Care Center has a smaller than average number of residents per day at 62.
The staff turnover rate is 38.4%, considerably lower than the state average of 49.5% and the national average of 47.5%.
Life Care Center received five stars for both short-stay and long-stay quality measures. More than 81% of short-stay residents left the facility at or above the expected ability to care for themselves, far higher than the national average of about 54%. The national average rate of successful return home for short-stay residents is just under 50%, Life Care Facilities’ is 67.5%.
Additionally, 0% of short-stay residents received antipsychotic medication for the first time, and 0% of short-stay residents had new or worsened pressure ulcers or pressure injuries.
The facility also outperformed the averages for long-stay residents on antipsychotic medication, with 2.6% compared to the state and national average of 14.6%. Only 3.5% of long-stay residents showed symptoms of depression, compared to the state average of 15%.
Richland Post Acute also received an overall three-star rating:
The nursing home has received 22 health citations over the past three years, more than the national average of 9.6 and the state average of 18.2.
None of these citations came from a facility-reported issue, but 11 followed complaints. Richland Post Acute has had no infection control citations in the past three years.
Richland Post Acute averages 68.3 residents per day. It outperforms the state and national average for staff hours per resident each day, at 4 hours and 32 minutes. The facility has a slightly lower turnover rate than the state and national averages, at 44.8%.
The facility received a three-star rating for short-stay quality measures and a four-star rating for long-stay quality measures. It has had 69.4% of short-stay residents successfully return home, and outperformed the averages for flu shots among residents and pneumonia vaccinations.
Only 7.9% of Richland Post Acute’s long-stay residents received antipsychotic medication, compared to the state and national average of 14.6%. Only 10.8% of long-stay residents have had an increased need for help with daily activities, while the state average is 18.8% and the national average is 17%.
Only 2.8% of long-stay residents lost too much weight, compared to the national and state averages, which are both 5.6%.
Poorly rated Tri-Cities nursing homes
The two nursing homes that each got a below-average one-star rating are in Richland and Pasco.
Avalon Health and Rehabilitation Center
Avalon Health and Rehabilitation Center in Pasco received one star overall:
- Health inspections: 1 star
- Staffing: 2 stars
- Quality measures: 3 stars
The facility had 34 health citations in the past three years, 12 following complaints and six following a facility-reported issue. Avalon has also had six infection control citations.
Avalon has an average of 64.1 residents per day and is on par with the average staff hours per resident each day, at 3 hours and 53 minutes, just one minute higher than the national average. Its turnover rate is slightly higher, though, with 52.3% compared to the state average of 49.5% and the national average of 47.5%.
The nursing home received a two-star score in short-stay quality measures and a four-star score in long-stay quality measures. It fell below the national average for percentage of residents at or above the expected ability to care for themselves at discharge, at 45.10% compared to the national 54.06%.
Life Care Center of Richland also received an overall ranking of one star:
- Health inspections: 1 star
- Staffing: 3 stars
- Quality measures: 4 stars
The facility received 31 health citations over the past three years, 11 from complaints and 17 from facility-reported issues. Life Care Center has also had eight citations from infection control inspections in that time.
Life Care Center averages 51.7 residents per day, with staff averaging 4 hours and 19 minutes for each resident daily. Its turnover rate for staff is 56.5%, higher than the state and national averages.
It is the only facility in Tri-Cities that has had an administrator leave the facility in the past year.
The nursing home received a four-star score for both short-stay and long-stay quality measures, matching or narrowly exceeding the average in many categories.
How Medicare ranks nursing homes
The Medicare site Nursing Home Compare gives a score out of five based on three primary metrics: health inspections, staffing and quality measures.
The health inspection metric looks at the annual compliance inspection report for each facility, plus the previous two years’ inspections. Nursing homes may be inspected in addition to their yearly checks, if they report an incident or receive a complaint. Such reports from the past three years are also taken into account, as well as the past three years of infection control inspections, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The staffing metric looks for high staffing levels and low turnover rates. The ratio of staffing hours per resident per day are calculated, describing the average time staff has with each resident every day.
The metric for quality looks at performance aspects among both short-stay and long-stay residents, like pain rates, flu shots, weight loss and more.
In these ratings, a short stay is considered any stay 100 days or less, with a typical goal of improving their health in order to return to their previous lifestyle. Long stays exceed 100 days and have a typical goal of keeping their highest possible well-being while in a long-term facility.