Understanding how skilled nursing communities achieve high-performance ratings within their industry can be helpful as you evaluate options, formulate your questions and determine the best care for you or the senior in your life.

There are several reputable industry lists available and worth exploring. To shed some light on this process, we chose to focus on one well-established resource, U.S. News & World Report “Best Nursing Homes,” to show which factors contribute to their awards.

About the Annual U.S. News & World Report "Best Nursing Homes" Awards

Since 2009, U.S. News & World Report has been aggregating public data from over 15,000 skilled nursing communities, or nursing homes, in the United States. These data sets provide information about staffing, safety, health inspections and more to help individuals make informed decisions. 

Much of the data comes from the federal government’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services through a program called Care Compare. Additionally, the report incorporates industry research and recommendations from experts to isolate which factors should be considered when comparing the best senior care options.

U.S. News & World Report recognized fewer than 20% of the nearly 15,000 communities evaluated as "Best Nursing Homes." This means when you find a community with this designation, you're looking at a place that has demonstrated consistently strong care across multiple quality measures.

What Factors Contribute to Ratings

Short-Term Rehabilitation Factors

U.S. News & World Report looked at these factors to assess short-term rehabilitation, the majority of which focus on health and safety factors as well as overall outcomes:

• Consistent nurse staffing: Having properly staffed communities in line with federal requirements and standards is directly linked to better safety and outcomes for patients.
• Emergency-room visits: Having a low number of patients who needed to visit the emergency room suggests attention to safety and indicates a higher quality of care.
• Flu vaccination: Especially because patients often live in close proximity, receiving a timely flu vaccination is a crucial disease-prevention protocol. 
• Rehabilitation therapy: Exceeding the minimum amount of recommended therapy for a patient’s condition suggests an appropriate level of care. 
• Ability to return home: Rehabilitating successfully means being able to return to one’s own home or residence after being discharged.
• Physical therapist staffing: Being able to go home on time and avoiding injury requires having the appropriate number of physical rehabilitation therapists per patient, per day. 
• Prevention of falls: A low number of falls that resulted in a major injury, such as a dislocation or bone fracture, suggests higher quality of care and safety.
• Rate of substantiated complaints: Having a low number of complaints is linked to better safety, satisfaction and a positive culture.
• Registered nurse staffing: Registered nurses are the highest trained level of nurses. Having enough registered nurses is correlated with successful rehabilitation.
• Use of antipsychotic drugs: Having an above-average percentage of patients given antipsychotic drugs can indicate inappropriate use. These drugs should be used for medical treatment, not behavior control.

Long-Term Care Factors

U.S. News & World Report uses the following factors when evaluating long-term care, which focus on measures taken to improve and maintain quality of life for residents.

• Ability to self-care: Having a consistent percentage of residents over time who maintain the ability to do common activities like stay active, eat and use the bathroom without help indicates that a community is committed to ensuring sustained wellness for residents.
• Emergency-room visits: Having a low number of residents who needed to visit the emergency room suggests attention to safety and indicates a higher quality of care.
• Hospitalizations: Having fewer hospitalizations (per thousand resident days) suggests attention to safety and indicates a higher quality of care.
• Nurse staffing: Having enough nursing staff (registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nursing aides) per resident, per day is correlated with better quality and safety.
• Pneumonia vaccination: Since residents often live in close proximity, receiving a timely pneumonia vaccination is a crucial disease-prevention tool. 
• Prevention of pressure ulcers: Reducing and maintaining a low rate of resident pressure-related bedsores low indicates an attentive, well-staffed team. 
• Rate of substantiated complaints: Having a low number of complaints is linked to better safety, satisfaction and a positive culture.
• Registered nurse staffing ratio: Employing registered nurses, the highest-credentialed nursing degree, increases the ratio of trained nurses and suggests a high level of care.
• Use of antianxiety and hypnotic drugs: Having an above-average percentage of residents given antipsychotic drugs can indicate inappropriate use. These drugs should be used for medical treatment, not behavior control.
  
  

Once U.S. News & World Report has collected the data, these factors receive a statistical weight. Communities are now rated as "High-Performing," "As Expected" or "Evaluated." Only those that earn "High-Performing" designations in Short-Term Rehabilitation or Long-Term Care (or both) receive the "Best Nursing Homes" recognition.

What the Ratings Mean for Your Search

Ratings are a helpful starting point, but they're not the whole story. They show you how a community has performed on specific measures, but they can't tell you if it's the right fit for your family.

Think of ratings as your first step. Use them to create a shortlist of communities worth visiting. Then schedule tours to see these places in person and ask the questions that matter most to you.

Start with highly rated communities near you. Location matters. You'll want to visit regularly and stay involved in care, so choose communities close to family and friends.

Look at what each community does well. One might excel at rehabilitation therapy while another shines in long-term care. Match these strengths to what you need.

Questions to Ask Beyond the Ratings

When you visit, pay attention to what daily life actually looks like. The questions you ask should help you understand how well the community delivers care.

How does staffing change throughout the day? Ask about nurse-to-resident ratios during nights and weekends. Find out how long team members have worked there and who your main contact will be.

What rehabilitation services are available? Confirm that physical, occupational and speech therapy are on site. Ask how often care plans are reviewed. 

What does a typical day look like? Ask them to walk you through daily routines and activities. Request to visit during mealtime so you can see how residents and patients are treated.

How does the community keep everyone safe? Ask about fall prevention and how often rooms are cleaned.

Most importantly, trust what you see and feel. Healthcare experts emphasize watching how team members interact with residents and patients. Do they seem caring and attentive? Do residents and patients look comfortable? Talk to current families about their experiences.

The Goodman Group’s Commitment to Excellence

The Goodman Group prides itself on its commitment to its residents and patients at its managed communities and on being an industry leader across the country. The Goodman Group is proud to announce that six of its managed communities have been recognized as a Best Nursing Home for 2026 by U.S. News & World Report.

Communities earning a High Performance designation for Short-Term Rehabilitation:

• Gardens at Terracina Health & Rehabilitation in Naples, FL
• Riverside Health & Rehabilitation in Missoula, MT
• The Peaks Health & Rehabilitation in Flagstaff, AZ
• West Hills Health & Rehabilitation in Portland, OR

Communities earning a High Performance designation for Long-Term Care:

• Riverside Health & Rehabilitation in Missoula, MT
• Sabal Palms Health & Rehabilitation in Largo, FL

• Westchester Gardens Health & Rehabilitation in Clearwater, FL

"We are incredibly proud of our managed communities and the dedicated teams who pour their hearts into serving residents and patients every day," said Kim Te Brugge, vice president of senior living and health care at The Goodman Group. "This award is a meaningful recognition of their commitment to delivering exceptional care."

If you're looking for short-term rehabilitation after a hospital stay or long-term care options, knowing how quality is measured can help you ask better questions and make more informed decisions.