In Part 1 of the special report, we visited Medicare.gov and learned about the Five Star Quality Rating system used on nursing homes. Five stars is the best, one star is the worst. We looked at what makes a one star nursing home "much below average," according to Medicare.
In Part 2, let's examine the other end of the spectrum.
The state rates Hancock's PortagePointe five stars.
"We definitely feel like we work very hard to maintain a very high quality care and standards for our elders who live here," says Vicki Usitalo, who's an Assistant Coach at PortagePointe, basically an Assistant Manager.
Their back story: In 2000, Portage Health moved to a new facility in Hancock on Quincy Hill. That's when PortagePointe was established as a 30-bed nursing home. It was well-received, and in 2002 became affiliated with what's called the Eden Alternative, an international organization that nursing homes can subscribe to that strives to make facilities feel like home.
"They truly believe that the three plagues of the elderly living in facilities are loneliness, helplessness and boredom," Usitalo says, "and so we really seek to relieve those three plagues with the elders."
PortagePointe now has 60 beds divided into five houses, 10 residents to a house. Residents eat home-cooked meals in their house in small dining rooms at a table, much like a family would. There are pets that roam the hallways, some even share rooms with the elders. The state is impressed with nursing homes that offer this feeling of home.
"Nursing homes that are able to do more smaller living areas, as well as have things such as private rooms, are always ideal for residents," says Doni Young, the U.P.'s Long Term Care Ombudsman, "and as the Ombudsman program, we always try to strive to get facilities to try and provide more home-like care and more individualized care."
Still, PortagePointe isn't perfect. Its last state inspection found five deficiencies. According to Medicare.gov, two were "Resident Rights" deficiencies, one was a "Nutrition and Dietary" deficiency, one was "Environmental" and one was "Administrative." But remember, the overall rating is a combination of the state inspection as well as staffing and quality measures. Overall, PortagePointe is a five star facility.
"We would love to give you a tour and show you what we're all about," Usitalo says.
Most nursing homes, including the two I visited, do offer tours. The Medicare Five Star Quality Rating is really only there as a guide.
"The Five Star Rating System was developed to give customers and family members, as well as caregivers, an easier way to compare nursing homes and an idea on what questions they should ask when they're pursuing long-term care for a loved one," Young explains.
So give them a call and be your own nursing home inspector.
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Overall U.P. nursing home ratings, based on latest Medicare reports on Medicare.gov:
One Star Overall:
Mackinac Straits Long Term Care Unit, St. Ignace
Tendercare, Sault Ste. Marie
Cypress Manor Health and Rehab, Hancock
Two Stars Overall:
Tendercare Health Center, Munising
Manorcare Nursing and Rehab Center, Kingsford
Mather Nursing Center, Ishpeming
Menominee Care Center, Menominee
Three Stars Overall:
Helen Newberry Joy Hospital Long Term Care Unit, Newberry
Our Lady of Mercy Health and Rehab, Hubbell
Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital, Inc., Ontonagon
Josephson Nursing Home, Ironwood
Chippewa County War Memorial Hospital Long Term Care Unit, Sault Ste. Marie
Four Stars Overall:
Schoolcraft Medical Care Facility, Manistique
Pinecrest Medical Care Facility, Powers
Hyland Nursing Home, Iron Mountain
Iron County Medical Care Facility, Crystal Falls
Iron River Care Center, Iron River
Norlite Nursing Home, Marquette
Eastwood Nursing Center, Negaunee
Marquette County Medical Care Facility, Ishpeming
Bayside Village, L'Anse
Houghton County Medical Care Facility, Hancock
Gogebic Medical Care Facility, Wakefield
Westgate Nursing and Rehab, Ironwood
Christian Park Health Care Center, Escanaba
Five Stars Overall:
Christian Park Village, Escanaba
Roubal Care and Rehab Center, Stephenson
Freeman Nursing and Rehab Community, Kingsford
PortagePointe, Hancock
No Rating Available:
Bishop Noa Home for Senior Citizens, Escanaba
DJ Jacobetti Home for Veterans, Marquette
For more information, visit Medicare's Website.
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