Making sure your loved one is safe in a nursing home starts with knowing the facility’s history. Checking for violations helps families choose a safe facility.
It can also confirm concerns about nursing home neglect or abuse in a current facility. Several tools provide access to public reports, ratings, and complaints about nursing homes across the country.
5 essential tools to check for nursing home violations are:
- Medicare nursing home ratings
- Long-term care ombudsman programs
- State nursing home inspection reports
- ProPublica’s Nursing Home Inspect tool
- Online nursing home ratings and reviews
Find out more about using these tools so you can learn how to check nursing home violations.
Why Checking for Nursing Home Violations Matters
Violations in care facilities can reveal serious issues, including unsanitary conditions, neglect, and even nursing home abuse. Facilities with repeated deficiencies may not provide the care your loved one deserves.
Checking for nursing home violations helps families spot red flags and take action before harm occurs. The resources below can uncover past violations, safety concerns, and signs of substandard care.
If you find troubling violations or have concerns about your loved one’s well-being, you don’t have to handle it alone. The Nursing Home Abuse Center works with skilled elder abuse lawyers nationwide.
Get a free case review right now to see if we can connect you.
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5 Ways to Check Nursing Home Violations
Researching facilities can help families protect their loved ones from unsafe conditions, like understaffing, which can lead to harm.
Trusted resources provide access to inspection reports, complaints, and facility ratings.
1. Medicare Nursing Home Ratings
Medicare’s Care Compare tool provides official nursing home ratings based on health inspections, quality measures, and care deficiencies.
- How to Use: Go to Medicare’s Care Compare page and enter the facility name or location to view its overall rating, inspection results, and staffing levels
- What You’ll Find: Health inspection scores, quality measures, and documented violations
- Why It Matters: A facility with repeated deficiencies may not provide the level of care residents deserve
Low ratings or past violations can signal ongoing care problems, so it’s important to review the details carefully.
2. Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs
Each state has a nursing home ombudsman office that serves as an advocate for residents and helps families access facility inspection reports and complaints.
- How to Use: Contact your state’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and request a nursing home’s complaint history and investigation outcomes
- What You’ll Find: Firsthand accounts of resident concerns, past investigations, and facility responses
- Why It Matters: A local ombudsman can provide insight beyond official reports and assist with filing complaints
A nursing home ombudsman can offer information about past violations, resident complaints, and ongoing investigations into facilities.
3. State Nursing Home Inspection Reports
Most state health departments publish nursing home inspection reports that detail violations, complaints, and deficiencies found during routine inspections.
These reports often include information about health and safety violations, emergency preparedness, and nursing home infection control issues.
- How to Use: Visit your state health department’s website and search for “nursing home inspection reports” to find detailed records on past violations
- What You’ll Find: Deficiencies, complaints, health and safety violations, and compliance history
- Why It Matters: Some violations may not appear in national databases but are documented at the state level
If your loved one was harmed in a nursing home, you may have legal options.
Call us right now at (855) 264-6310 or Click to Live Chat to find out if we can help.
4. ProPublica’s Nursing Home Inspect Tool
ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that compiles federal nursing home inspection reports into an easy-to-use database.
The Nursing Home Inspect tool allows users to search by facility name or state and review specific citations for health deficiencies, safety issues, and violations of care standards.
- How to Use: Visit ProPublica’s Nursing Home Inspect tool, search for a facility by name or state, and review inspection violations
- What You’ll Find: Citations, safety deficiencies, and repeat offenses reported by federal agencies
- Why It Matters: A pattern of violations can indicate serious risks to residents’ safety and well-being
By using the Nursing Home Inspect tool to assess a facility’s quality, you can make informed decisions about your loved one’s care.
5. Online Nursing Home Ratings and Reviews
Websites like U.S. News Health provide comprehensive nursing home ratings based on quality of care, safety standards, and resident satisfaction.
- How to Use: Search U.S. News Health’s Best Nursing Homes of 2025 list or other rating platforms for facility rankings, then read resident and family reviews for firsthand experiences
- What You’ll Find: Care quality ratings, safety scores, and detailed reviews from families and residents
- Why It Matters: You may find warning signs from other families that might not appear in official reports
Reading reviews of nursing homes from families and residents can also help uncover potential red flags.
Recognizing Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Even if a facility has no reported violations, abuse or neglect can still happen behind closed doors. Families should stay alert for warning signs of nursing home abuse.
If your loved one is in a nursing home, watch for these red flags:
- Changes in behavior, fearfulness, or withdrawal
- Poor hygiene, dirty clothing, or strong odors
- Pressure ulcers, especially stage 4 bedsores
- Reports from residents about mistreatment
- Sudden weight loss or signs of dehydration
- Unexplained injuries, like bruises
Trust your instincts — if something feels off, it’s important to take a closer look. If you notice any concerning signs of nursing home neglect or abuse, it could be time to take immediate action.
Steps to Take If You Discover Nursing Home Violations
If you uncover nursing home violations or notice signs of neglect or abuse, taking the right steps can help protect your loved one and hold the facility accountable.
Here are 3 steps you can take if your loved one was harmed:
- Report to facility management: Speak with the nursing home’s administration about concerns and request a formal response
- File a complaint with your state: Each state has a department responsible for investigating nursing home complaints
- Consult a nursing home abuse lawyer: If violations involve neglect or abuse, legal action may be necessary
Taking action can help stop unsafe practices and protect others from harm. If concerns go unresolved or your loved one has suffered due to poor care, legal help may be the next step.
Get Legal Help for Nursing Home Violations
When a nursing home fails to provide safe, quality care, the consequences can be devastating. Families deserve answers, and facilities should be held responsible for the harm they cause.
Pursuing legal action may provide financial relief for medical costs and suffering while helping to prevent future nursing home mistreatment.
Call the Nursing Home Abuse Center right now at (855) 264-6310 or get a free case review. We may be able to help you fight for the compensation and justice your family deserves.
