Worst Nursing Homes in D.C.
Nursing homes in Washington, DC, are responsible for caring for elderly patients and providing safe environments. However, many of these facilities fail to achieve professional standards, putting lives at risk.
If you or a loved one are considering nursing home care in this city, you must research the different facilities to find the right fit. This article has identified multiple nursing homes with very poor ratings, so you can avoid them and protect yourself or your loved one.
Identifying Poorly Performing Nursing Homes in Washington D.C.
To identify nursing homes in Washington D.C. that may not be performing well, it’s essential to examine government resources, inspection reports, and ratings. These materials reveal significant deficiencies and assist in ensuring that loved ones are not placed in inadequate care facilities.
Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare Website
One of the simplest tools for comparing nursing homes in Washington, DC, is the Medicare website. You can search for a specific area and filter the results by star ratings to find high-quality locations. Each nursing home also includes reports from health inspections.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Star Rating System
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has a five-star rating system for all nursing homes in the country. Each facility has an overall score and three individual scores for quality measures, health inspections, and staffing. The worst nursing homes included in the list below all have a one-star overall rating.
DC Health
If you want to view more reports on DC nursing homes, visit the DC Health website. This site publishes reports on every long-term care facility in the area, including inspections and complaints.
Special Focus Facilities and Candidates
If a nursing home scores poorly on a consistent basis, it may be designated under the CMS Special Focus Facility and Candidate programs. However, not all troublesome facilities will be on this list, so you should do your research.
List of Worst Nursing Homes in DC
- Capitol City Rehab and Healthcare Center – This long-term care facility has a one-star rating due to 118 total deficiencies discovered in the last three years. There have also been roughly $531,000 in fines. The facility failed to protect residents from abuse on numerous occasions and failed to respond to allegations of abuse [1].
- White Oak Rehabilitation and Nursing Center – 77 total deficiencies have been found in the last three years at this nursing home. Some of the most egregious offenses include failing to keep the premises free of accident hazards, providing insufficient supervision to prevent falls, and not protecting residents from physical punishment and abuse [2].
- Bridgepoint Sub-Acute and Rehab National Harborside – Bridgepoint has had 92 total deficiencies in the last three years, which includes eight infection-related issues. The facility has failed to protect residents from sexual abuse, physical abuse, exploitation, and neglect on several occasions. A failure to provide appropriate ulcer care has also occurred numerous times [3].
- Carlin Springs Health and Rehabilitation – While fewer total deficiencies (44) have been observed in recent years than other comparable facilities, Carlin Springs received a hefty fine of $175,221 for failing to procure and serve healthy food from approved sources. The staff also failed to ensure a hazard-free environment and implement an infection control program to prevent outbreaks [4].
- Fox Chase Healthcare – Fox Chase has a poor rating because of 53 deficiencies in the last 36 months. The most severe discoveries were accident hazards that caused multiple resident falls and failure to provide enough food and fluids to maintain a patient’s health. There were also concerns about the staff receiving training on dementia care and protecting residents from abuse or neglect [5].
- Adelphi Nursing and Rehabilitation Center – Adelphi Nursing has numerous reports totaling 56 deficiencies in recent years. Providing adequate nutrition and dietary plans for each resident has been a concern. The staff also violated resident rights on multiple occasions, failing to provide clean and safe environments [6].
- Autumn Lake Healthcare at Arcola – Autumn Lake Healthcare has had several severe violations. A resident’s right to self-determination, dignity, and a dignified existence was not protected. Some residents were also victims of abuse, neglect, and physical punishment while staying there [7].
- Largo Nursing and Rehabilitation Center – One of the facilities with the most deficiencies on this list is Largo Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, with 89 deficiencies in three years. The facility was not kept free of accident hazards, putting residents at risk of injuries. Additionally, some residents were subjected to physical, sexual, or mental abuse [8].
- Clinton Healthcare Center – Three reports since January of 2022 have revealed very severe deficiencies at this facility, contributing to 64 deficiencies in the last three years. The primary issues were the presence of accident hazards, insufficient supervision to prevent accidents, and residents not being protected from abuse or neglect [9].
- Restore Health Rehabilitation Center – The biggest concerns at this nursing home care institution were properly labeled and locked medications. The facility failed to prevent access to drugs on numerous occasions. Four infection-related deficiencies in three years also demonstrate the staff’s lack of preparedness for prevention and outbreak control [10].
Common Problems Found in Poorly Rated D.C. Nursing Homes
Many of the quality issues at DC nursing homes are common in long-term care institutions.
- Inadequate staffing
- Abuse of residents
- Negligent staff
- Unsupervised patients
- Preventable injuries
- Administrative failures
- Improper monitoring of patient conditions
- Unsafe or unclean premises
Legal Options for Residents of Poorly Performing Nursing Homes
You have several legal options if you suspect abuse or low-quality care. You can report the issues to the Nursing Home Administration, file a complaint with DC Health, file a lawsuit for nursing home abuse, or transfer the resident to a better institution.
Compensation in Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Cases
When suing for abuse or neglect, you could pursue compensation for numerous legal damages. Medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life could all apply to your case.
Why You Need an Experienced Nursing Home Neglect Attorney
An experienced nursing home abuse lawyer can make all the difference in your legal claim. The right attorney will investigate your claim, gather evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and even represent you in court if necessary.
Contact Our Washington D.C. Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you or a family member has been mistreated at a DC facility, the Nursing Home Law Center team can help you build a strong case. Call us today at 800-926-7565 or complete the online form to request a free consultation.
Resources: [1] ProPublica – Capitol City Rehab, [2] ProPublica – White Oak Rehabilitation, [3] ProPublica – Bridgepoint Sub-Acute, [4] ProPublica – Carlin Springs Health, [5] ProPublica – Fox Chase, [6] ProPublica – Adelphi Nursing, [7] ProPublica – Autumn Lake, [8] ProPublica – Largo Nursing, [9] ProPublica – Clinton Healthcare, [10] ProPublica – Restore Health