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U.S. News’ 2027 nursing home ratings found small increases in direct-care nursing time and staff retention, alongside a rise in reported depressive symptoms among long-term care residents. About 18% of more than 14,600 evaluated facilities earned a Best Nursing Home designation.
U.S. News & World Report released its 2027 nursing home ratings Tuesday, reporting modest gains in staffing and staff retention but an increase in depressive symptoms among long-term care residents. More than 14,600 skilled nursing facilities were evaluated, and about 18% received a Best Nursing Home designation.
The report found direct-care nursing time rose from 26.5 to 27 minutes per resident per day compared with the prior year. Average staff retention edged up from 53% to 54%. Jordan Derk, a senior care researcher at U.S. News, described the staffing change as modest but encouraging given persistent staffing challenges in the sector.
Top-rated facilities also performed better than national averages on several reported measures. For short-term rehabilitation residents, they had 19% fewer emergency room visits than the national average. Across the top-performing facilities, U.S. News reported 21% fewer hospital readmissions than at other facilities and 19% more total staffing per resident per day than the national average. The report also said top performers provided twice as much physical therapy per resident day as the national average.
The report identified a less positive trend among long-term care residents: the share with depressive symptoms increased from 10% to 13% compared with last year. Derk called the rise troubling. The source material does not specify the underlying survey period or provide further detail on how depressive symptoms were measured.
Staffing and Resident Outcomes
The findings offer families and care providers a snapshot of how facilities compare on staffing and selected care outcomes, while showing that progress is uneven. The modest rise in nursing time and retention is a positive movement in measures that U.S. News associates with quality, but the report does not establish that staffing changes caused better outcomes.
The increase in reported depressive symptoms points to a concern that is distinct from staffing and hospitalization measures. Families comparing facilities may want to ask how a home monitors residents’ emotional well-being and responds when symptoms emerge. The ratings are one source of information, not a substitute for facility-specific questions or other quality records.
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How the 2027 Ratings Work
U.S. News assesses short-term rehabilitation and long-term care separately, using 17 measures for each. According to Derk, the two groups have different care needs, so the evaluation gives different weight to relevant indicators. Short-term rehabilitation ratings emphasize measures such as physical therapy and emergency room visits; long-term care ratings focus more on ongoing nursing support and infection rates.
The framework combines process, structural and outcome measures. U.S. News expanded its quality indicators in the previous year and added data from a wider range of sources, according to the report. Derk said the 2027 scoring methodology was kept consistent with last year’s so the organization could compare trends using the available data.
About 43 metropolitan areas had at least 10 Best Nursing Homes. The report cited both large markets and smaller ones, including Buffalo, where 14 of 45 area nursing homes received a high-performing rating in short-term rehabilitation, long-term care or both.
““While that’s a small increase, it’s encouraging since that is such a big issue across the industry.””
— Jordan Derk, senior care researcher at U.S. News
Limits of the Reported Findings
The source material does not give the exact reporting date, the full data collection periods, or detailed definitions for every measure. It also does not explain why depressive symptoms rose from 10% to 13%, whether the increase reflects changes in resident health, measurement or other factors, or how the trend varied among facilities.
The reported differences describe comparisons between rated groups and national averages; they do not, by themselves, show that staffing levels caused differences in emergency visits or readmissions. The source also does not list all 17 measures for each type of care or provide facility-by-facility results beyond selected examples.
Facility Results and Follow-Up
The 2027 ratings provide facility and metropolitan-area comparisons for families, providers and others reviewing nursing home performance. Readers can use the designations as a starting point, then check the specific measures and facility records that matter to their situation. The source material does not announce a separate follow-up release or a date for additional analysis.
Further reporting would be needed to clarify the reasons behind the increase in depressive symptoms and whether the staffing and outcome trends persist in subsequent data. U.S. News said it kept its scoring method consistent for this year’s report; changes to future methodology were not specified.
Key Questions
What were the main findings in the 2027 U.S. News nursing home report?
The report found small increases in direct-care nursing time and staff retention, as well as a rise in depressive symptoms among long-term care residents. It also reported fewer emergency room visits and hospital readmissions at top-performing facilities compared with stated reference groups.
How many nursing homes earned a Best Nursing Home designation?
U.S. News evaluated more than 14,600 skilled nursing facilities, and about 18% received the 2027 Best Nursing Home designation.
What happened to depressive symptoms among long-term care residents?
The report said the share of long-term care residents with depressive symptoms rose from 10% to 13% compared with the prior year. The source does not explain what drove the increase.
Did staffing improve at nursing homes?
The report found modest gains: direct-care nursing time increased from 26.5 to 27 minutes per resident per day, while average staff retention rose from 53% to 54%. These are reported averages, not a claim that every facility improved.
How should families use the ratings?
The ratings can help families compare facilities, but the reported group averages do not establish why one facility performed differently from another. Families can use them as a starting point and ask about a specific home’s staffing, care measures and approach to residents’ emotional well-being.
Source: skillednursingnews.com
