Here’s what to do — and what to look out for — when choosing a nursing home in Pennsylvania

Deciding that it’s time for a loved one to transition to a nursing home is a difficult decision. Trying to figure out which facility is best suited to meet their health needs, financial resources, and safety concerns can feel daunting.

In Pennsylvania — and especially in the Philly region — finding the perfect nursing home has become harder in recent years. The pandemic financially weakened the already overwhelmed long-term nursing-care industry and many facilities have closed, downsized, or shifted to specialized care.

It’s not all bad news: For the first time in almost 25 years, Pennsylvania enacted new regulations for the nursing-care industry — which will have an impact on the lives of more than 70,000 nursing-home residents in the state.

Starting in 2023:

Additionally, the long-term care industry will receive hundreds of millions of dollars over the next fiscal year to meet these new regulations, especially to fulfill staffing needs.

While some people may be able to take their time searching for the right nursing home, others need to find care quickly. In those instances, their options may be more limited.

“The reason people might not have a choice is that there’s a few things happening,” said Kathy Cubit, advocacy manager for the Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of Elders. “Facilities are closing. There’s a workforce crisis where a facility may have empty beds, but they don’t have the staff. And you may have people who receive care with Medicare, or there are insurance considerations, that may even further limit choices.”

If you have the time to shop around, consider how close it is to home, what type of insurance is accepted, and whether staffing levels are adequate.

Here are some resources you can use to help your search.

The Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging serves as a regional hub of information and resources for older adults. In the Philly-region, the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) acts as the region’s agency, facilitating referrals to care and whatever else one may need. Call PCA at 215-765-9040 or visit pcacares.org.

To see a list of every Area Agency on Aging in the state visit p4a.org/aaas.

This statewide advocacy organization not only helps people looking for nursing homes but also operates the Philly-region’s ombudsman program — a workforce of volunteers that will directly advocate for residents of nursing homes. Call the CARIE line at 215-545-5728 to receive help or visit its website at carie.org.

This Department of Health hotline can connect older adults and people with disabilities to support and services in their community. They will also help determine funding eligibility for the care needed. Call 1-800-753-8827 for help or visit humanservices.state.pa.us/IRT to find referrals.

This federal online tool helps you find local nursing-care providers, see ratings and information on facilities, and can get you resources to help with you decide. Look for providers at medicare.gov/care-compare. When you find a provider, you can see information like the number of certified beds, whether they participate in Medicare and Medicaid, if the facility has a resident or family council, and much more.

This national nonprofit, based in New York, monitors and releases information on nursing homes across the country. On LTCCC’s website you can find resources based on state. For Pennsylvania, they have reports on staffing, facility ratings, and nursing homes you may want to avoid. Find more information at nursinghome411.org/states/pa.