Finding a nursing home for a loved one can be a stressful experience, full of endless questions and concerns about the care provided. So it is reassuring when just such a facility is named among the best nursing homes in the country. The Nathaniel Witherell, the short-term rehabilitation and skilled nursing center in Greenwich, was just named in the top 13% of the top-ranked nursing homes in the country for 2016-17 by U.S. News & World Report.
This is the eighth year in a row that Witherell has received this prestigious honor, awarded only to those nursing homes that rate highest in terms of health and safety standards, nurse staffing and care times, and quality of care.
U.S. News evaluated more than 15,000 homes nationwide, across each state and in 100 major metropolitan areas. This year, just over 2,000 nursing homes earned the designation of a U.S. News Best Nursing Home, representing about 13 percent of all homes. The Witherell was among 52 nursing homes out of the 227 in Connecticut to be included.
Allen M. Brown, Witherell’s Executive Director, attributes the center’s recognition to its commitment to high quality care and staff turnover rate that is more than six times lower than the national nursing home average. (Witherell’s annual nursing staff turnover is 7%, compared to a national average of 46%, as reported by AARP.)
“Many of our nurses and aides have been with us 10 to 30 years,” says Brown. “Because they are consistently assigned to the same residents and are not switched around, they develop close, long-term relationships, and are dedicated to providing the outstanding, compassionate care our residents and their families require and deserve.”
Brown also believes that Witherell’s deep commitment to the philosophy of person centered care was a factor in the top ranking. Person centered care means that care is respectful and responsive to residents’ preferences and needs, and that they and their families are involved in all clinical decisions. At Witherell, residents are involved in setting up their daily routines, including what time they eat and receive services. There is a calendar of events from which to choose, and, as there are no set visiting hours, family and pets are always welcome.
Ranking Criteria
U.S. News nursing home ratings rely on data supplied by Nursing Home Compare, a program run by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that sets and enforces standards for nursing homes. Since its inception in 2009, Witherell has received CMS’s highest possible 5-star ranking.
This year, U.S. News updated its methodology to give users a better sense of how homes perform over time and to determine whether a home provides appropriate rehabilitation services. Last year, if a nursing home earned an average of 4.5 from the CMS, it was considered a 5-star home and was named a “Best Nursing Home.” CMS data showed that some homes dipped below 4 stars from month to month yet were still considered a Best Home. U.S. News changed the methodology for this year’s rankings to show a comprehensive picture of the data, which resulted in a 41 percent decrease in the number of top performers over the previous year.
To learn more about Nathaniel Witherell, call Allen Brown, Executive Director, at 203-618-4323, Scott Neff, Development Director, at 203-618-4227, or visit nathanielwitherell.org.
