Worst Nursing Homes in Idaho
Nursing home quality is a major issue in the United States, and Idaho is no exception. There are many long-term care facilities with poor records of care. The worst-performing nursing homes in the state regularly compromise the safety of their residents, especially elderly citizens. If you or a loved one are considering a nursing home, you must know which ones are best avoided.
Identifying Poorly Performing Nursing Homes in Idaho: Resources and Ratings
There are several ways to identify troublesome care facilities in Idaho. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has the primary system for evaluating nursing facilities nationwide, but you can also use the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare website. Let’s look at these resources closely.
Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare Website
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services created a five-star rating system to grade all nursing homes in the United States. This system awards an overall score, as well as three individual ratings in the categories of quality measures, staffing, and health inspections. A one-star rating is considered much below average, while a five-star rating is much above average. If a nursing home is in the Special Focus Facility program via CMS, it has a history of violations. The nursing home compare tool on this website includes ratings and inspection reports.
All the facilities listed in this article have a one-star overall score from the CMS star rating system.
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare website also contains inspection reports for Idaho nursing homes. These reports are available to the public so that older adults can make informed decisions about their care.
Special Focus Facilities and Candidates
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services designates some facilities under the Special Focus Facility or Candidate programs in addition to the five-star rating system. Essentially, these designations mean that the facility has a particularly troubled past and must meet certain standards to maintain its license, undergoing more frequent inspections. Not all problematic nursing homes will make it on this list.
List of Worst Nursing Homes in Idaho: Based on Publicly Available Data
- Silverton Health and Rehabilitation of Cascadia – Infection control has been the most severe problem at Silverton Health, with deficiencies affecting several residents due to poor prevention practices. Abuse and neglect have also been cited numerous times in complaint and inspection reports, as well as insufficient care for residents [1].
- Caldwell Care of Cascadia – A complaint report in 2022 resulted in a fine of $114,455 against this Idaho nursing home. The most severe violations cited were a failure to provide basic life support to certain residents and a failure to protect patients from physical, sexual, and mental abuse, exploitation, and neglect [2].
- Silver Ridge Care – Silver Ridge Care has had 47 deficiencies in the last three years. This includes pharmacy service failures, insufficient nursing staff, nutritional deficiencies, poor infection control practices, and multiple issues with providing quality care [3].
- Valley View Nursing and Rehabilitation – In the last three years, Valley View has been cited for 60 deficiencies. Most notably, the facility failed to procure food from safe and approved choices. Staff also was unable to protect all residents from instances of abuse, neglect, and exploitation [4].
- Idaho State Veterans Home – Lewiston – Within this list, this facility has one of the most severe cases of physical abuse, sexual abuse, or mental abuse. Many residents were significantly harmed due to the staff’s inability to protect them. The failure to respond to and report these allegations eventually led to a fine of $287,460 [5].
- Twin Falls Transitional Care of Cascadia – Although the incidents have not been widespread, Twin Falls Transition Care is guilty of allowing abuse, neglect, and exploitation to affect residents several times in the last three years. The staff also failed to provide adequate care for the well-being of patients on numerous occasions [6].
- Grangeville Health and Rehab Center of Cascadia – Some residents at this life care center were placed in immediate danger due to physical, sexual, or mental abuse. The staff failed to protect all residents from harm and to respond to all allegations, both of which are considered incredibly severe violations [7].
- Coeur D’Alene Health of Cascadia – Multiple reports since 2018 have cited at least sixteen deficiencies found at Coeur D’Alene Health of Cascadia. Some of the most common issues include resident rights violations, care planning failures, poor assessment practices, and instances of abuse or neglect [8].
- Meridian Meadows Transitional Care – Although only seventeen deficiencies have been found since 2022, the findings in these reports are still concerning. The most severe violation was multiple residents suffering from physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, or neglect [9].
- Paradise Creek Health and Rehab of Cascadia – Quality of life, freedom from abuse or neglect, and infection prevention have been the primary issues at Paradise Creek. The facility has paid fifteen fines totaling over $77,000 since 2023 because of numerous deficiencies [10].
- Valley Vista Care Center of St. Maries – Once again, quality nursing home care at Valley Vista Care Center is compromised by a history of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Many residents have also been affected by insufficient nursing staff, poor administrative practices, the presence of accident hazards, and low-quality care planning [11].
Common Problems Found in Poorly Rated Nursing Homes
Facilities that fail to provide high-quality Medicare and Medicaid services often have the same serious quality issues. Here are some of the most common problems found in poorly-rated assisted living communities:
- Inadequate staffing
- Poorly trained nurses
- Negligent care
- Improper monitoring
- Physical, sexual, or mental abuse
- Preventable injuries like falls, bedsores, and infections
- Administrative inefficiencies
Legal Options for Residents of Poorly Performing Nursing Homes
If you suspect mistreatment at a life care center, you have legal options to report and rectify the problem. First, you should report your concerns to the facility’s administrative staff. Then, you can file a complaint with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. If that does not work, you may need to file a lawsuit for nursing home abuse or neglect. In dire circumstances, you can transfer the resident to a facility with a stronger record and the highest five-star rating.
Compensation in Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Cases
Victims of nursing home abuse or neglect can pursue economic and non-economic damages for compensation. Economic damages include lost income, medical expenses, and future medical costs. Non-economic losses include emotional distress, mental anguish, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Why You Need an Experienced Nursing Home Neglect Attorney
An experienced nursing home abuse attorney will strengthen your compensation claim, increasing your chances of winning. This lawyer will investigate the claim, navigate complex regulations, deal with nursing homes and their insurance companies, and hold negligent facilities accountable for mistreatment.
Contact Our Idaho Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers for a Free Consultation
The Nursing Home Law Center can provide support and guidance throughout the legal process. Our team will help you file your nursing home abuse claim and pursue fair compensation for damages. Call us today at 800-926-7565 or complete the online form to request a free consultation.
Resources: [1] ProPublica – Silverton Health, [2] ProPublica – Caldwell Care, [3] ProPublica – Silver Ridge, [4] ProPublica – Valley View, [5] ProPublica – Idaho State Veterans, [6] ProPublica – Twin Falls, [7] ProPublica – Grangeville Health, [8] ProPublica – Coeur D’Alene, [9] ProPublica – Meridian Meadows, [10] ProPublica – Paradise Creek, [11] ProPublica – Valley Vista Care