Worst Nursing Homes in the U.S. for Abuse & Neglect

Nursing homes are supposed to protect vulnerable residents during some of the hardest years of their lives. Instead, some facilities became revolving doors of understaffing, neglect, ignored complaints, and inspection failures.

And somehow the industry still acts shocked every time another investigation uncovers residents left dehydrated, unattended, overmedicated, or sitting in soiled beds for hours.

The lawsuits, inspection reports, and federal investigations involving some nursing homes paint a grim picture: facilities cutting corners while families trusted them to care for loved ones safely.

What Earns a Nursing Home a Spot on the Worst List?

Not every nursing home with a single complaint, bad review, or isolated inspection issue belongs on a “worst nursing homes” list. Caring for elderly and medically fragile residents is complicated, and even well-run facilities can make mistakes.

But some nursing homes don’t just have bad days — they have bad patterns.

• Chronic understaffing
• Failed health inspections
• Poor infection control
• Medication errors
• Neglect complaints
• Preventable injuries
• Repeated abuse allegations
• Unsafe living conditions

And many of these problems are not isolated mistakes. They are symptoms of companies behaving badly by prioritizing profits, cost-cutting, and occupancy rates over the safety and dignity of vulnerable residents.

How We Evaluate the Worst Nursing Homes

Every nursing home has glossy brochures, smiling stock photos, and promises of compassionate care. That’s the marketing. We’re more interested in what inspectors, regulators, courts, and public records reveal after the sales pitch ends.

To identify facilities with troubling histories, we look beyond sales pitches and examine publicly available records, government data, and legal filings that reveal how residents are actually treated. Our research includes:

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Care Compare data, including overall star ratings, staffing levels, and quality measures
• CMS health inspection reports documenting deficiencies and violations of federal nursing home standards
• CMS Special Focus Facility (SFF) designation for nursing homes with a history of repeated serious deficiencies
• Federal fines and penalties imposed for regulatory violations
• Lawsuits alleging abuse, neglect, wrongful death, or other serious misconduct
• Patterns of repeat deficiencies and safety violations that suggest ongoing problems rather than isolated incidents
• Resident and family complaints filed with state and federal agencies
• Staffing records that show whether facilities have enough nurses and caregivers to safely care for residents
• Whistleblower allegations from current or former employees

A single inspection — or even a single lawsuit — doesn’t necessarily define a nursing home. That’s why we look for recurring patterns across inspections, staffing records, complaints, lawsuits, and government enforcement actions. When the same problems appear year after year, they deserve a closer look.

Because “basic dignity for elderly residents” shouldn’t be an aspirational goal. It should be the bare minimum.

The Top 10 Worst Nursing Home Chains: When Bad Care Becomes a Business Model

One poorly performing nursing home can be an isolated failure. But when the same company repeatedly appears in lawsuits, government investigations, inspection reports, and staffing complaints across multiple facilities, it may point to a larger corporate problem.

The Top 10 worst nursing home chains below have been linked to recurring allegations of substandard care, chronic understaffing, inspection failures, government penalties, and other documented concerns across their networks.

Here are the top 10 worst nursing home corporations:

1. Golden Living Centers
2. Consulate Health Care
3. Life Care Centers of America
4. SavaSeniorCare
5. Genesis Healthcare
6. Aspire Health Group
7. HCR ManorCare
8. Signature HealthCARE
9. CommuniCare Health Services
10. The Ensign Group

A bad day is one thing. A pattern of staffing shortages, inspection failures, government penalties, and resident harm is another. These chains have repeatedly found themselves under scrutiny, and for good reason.

1. Golden Living Centers

Once one of the nation’s largest nursing home chains, Golden Living Centers operated roughly 300 facilities across the U.S. Unfortunately, many became known for the same problems showing up over and over again.

“Golden Living facilities were so understaffed that residents were left thirsty, hungry, dirty, and sometimes were unable to summon anyone for help using the bathroom, according to one ABC affiliate.

Common allegations and deficiencies included:

• Chronic understaffing
• Delayed or missed care
• Preventable falls
• Untreated pressure ulcers
• Poor hygiene and sanitation
• Resident neglect

The Pennsylvania Attorney General sued the company, alleging Pennsylvania nursing homes were so understaffed that residents routinely waited for help with basic needs like eating, bathing, and using the bathroom. Golden Living paid $6 million to make the claims go away.

The company also paid more than $613,000 to resolve federal allegations involving substandard and “worthless” wound care at two Georgia facilities, without admitting liability. Golden Living has since rebranded to Brickyard Healthcare, but it takes more than a name change to fix deep-rooted problems.

Golden Living makes our list because the complaints weren’t isolated — they reflected years of recurring allegations that residents weren’t receiving the care they were promised. Apparently, “quality care” was considered more of a marketing slogan than an operating standard.

2. Consulate Health Care

Consulate Health Care has operated hundreds of nursing homes across the Southeast and has faced lawsuits, regulatory actions, and inspection concerns in states including Florida, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.

Individual Consulate facilities in Florida have also paid federal civil monetary penalties related to billing for services performed by unlicensed nurses.

Why it makes our worst nursing homes list:

• Falls
• Infection control failures
• Poor supervision
• Preventable injuries
• Understaffing

State and federal inspection reports have repeatedly cited some Consulate facilities for deficiencies involving resident care and safety, while lawsuits have alleged neglect contributed to serious injuries and deaths.

In one case, the nursing home chain was fined $33,000 for submitting claims for services provided by an unlicensed nurse.

Consulate earns a spot on our list because too many facilities saw the same problems repeat themselves. When complaints pile up faster than improvements, it’s a sign the system, not just the staff, is failing residents.

3. Life Care Centers of America

Life Care Centers of America came under intense national scrutiny during the COVID-19 pandemic after one of the country’s first and deadliest nursing home outbreaks occurred at one of its facilities.

While the pandemic magnified the problems, many critics argued it also exposed longstanding weaknesses in long-term care: chronic understaffing, lax infection control, and underfunding, to name a few.

Why it landed on our worst nursing homes list:

• Delayed responses to health risks
• Infection control failures
• Overcrowding
• Staffing shortages

The company faced lawsuits and federal investigations following the outbreak, and inspection reports at some facilities documented recurring concerns related to resident safety and infection prevention.

COVID-19 didn’t create every problem facing nursing homes, but it did reveal what happens when years of staffing and infection-control issues collide with a public health crisis. Unfortunately, residents were the ones who paid the price.

Additionally, Life Care agreed to pay $145 million in 2016 to resolve federal allegations that it billed Medicare and TRICARE for medically unnecessary rehabilitation therapy — the largest settlement of its kind involving a skilled nursing facility chain.

4. SavaSeniorCare

SavaSeniorCare has operated more than 160 skilled nursing facilities nationwide and has faced years of regulatory scrutiny, lawsuits, and government investigations over the quality of care provided at some of its facilities.

Why it makes our worst nursing homes list:

• Accident prevention failures
• Medication errors
• Poor sanitation
• Resident supervision failures

In 2021, Sava agreed to pay $11.2 million to resolve federal False Claims Act allegations that it billed Medicare for unnecessary rehabilitation therapy while also providing grossly substandard skilled nursing services.

The government alleged the company’s practices contributed to preventable pressure ulcers, falls, and medication errors. Sava denied the allegations but entered into a 5-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Sava makes our list because the allegations went beyond paperwork — they involved claims that vulnerable residents suffered while corporate policies prioritized financial goals over quality care. Apparently, “standard of care” was treated as more of a suggestion than a requirement.

5. Genesis Healthcare

As one of the nation’s largest nursing home operators, Genesis HealthCare has managed hundreds of skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities. Along the way, it has faced lawsuits, government enforcement actions, and repeated questions about resident care.

Government investigations and lawsuits have alleged:

• Delayed medical treatment
• Poor quality of care
• Resident neglect
• Understaffing

In 2022, Genesis agreed to pay $53.6 million to resolve federal allegations involving medically unnecessary rehabilitation therapy, hospice services, and grossly substandard nursing care

Genesis earns a place on our list because inspection reports, lawsuits, and government investigations have repeatedly raised concerns about whether some facilities had enough staff and oversight to safely care for vulnerable residents.

Growing into one of the country’s biggest nursing home chains is impressive. Making sure every resident receives quality care is the part that actually matters.

6. Aspire Health Group

Aspire Health Group operates dozens of nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, primarily in Florida. Multiple facilities have faced inspection deficiencies, resident complaints, and lawsuits alleging failures in resident care.

State and federal inspectors have cited issues including:

• Infection control failures
• Medication errors
• Resident neglect allegations
• Staffing shortages
• Unsafe conditions

Several Aspire-operated facilities have received federal fines and poor inspection ratings after regulators identified deficiencies affecting resident health and safety. Individual lawsuits have also alleged preventable injuries and neglect.

7. HCR ManorCare (now part of ProMedica Senior Care)

Once one of the nation’s largest nursing home operators, HCR ManorCare spent years under scrutiny over the quality of care provided at many of its facilities before being acquired by ProMedica.

In 2025, the Justice Department sued ProMedica over substandard care, showing that rebranding isn’t enough to rid a chain of problems.

Recurring deficiencies cited by regulators included:

• Delayed resident care
• Infection control failures
• Pressure ulcer prevention failures
• Resident supervision problems
• Staffing shortages

The company has faced numerous lawsuits and regulatory actions over the years, including one case in which the U.S. Department of Justice alleged that the company had provided medically unnecessary therapy to patients to boost their profits.

8. Signature HealthCARE

Signature HealthCARE operates nursing homes and rehabilitation centers throughout the Southeast and has faced repeated lawsuits and inspection deficiencies involving resident care.

Among the issues reported at various facilities were:

• Falls and accident prevention failures
• Infection control concerns
• Medication errors
• Resident neglect allegations
• Staffing shortages

Multiple Signature facilities have been cited by state and federal inspectors for deficiencies affecting resident health and safety, while families have filed lawsuits alleging preventable injuries and neglect.

When the same concerns appear across multiple facilities, they’re harder to dismiss as isolated incidents.

9. CommuniCare Health Services

CommuniCare operates skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers across several states and has repeatedly come under scrutiny through inspections, lawsuits, and resident complaints.

Reported concerns have included:

• Delayed medical care
• Inadequate supervision
• Infection prevention failures
• Pressure ulcer care deficiencies
• Understaffing

Individual CommuniCare facilities have been cited for serious health and safety violations, with some receiving substantial civil monetary penalties and poor CMS inspection ratings.

Residents shouldn’t have to rely on inspectors to make sure basic standards of care are being met.

10. Ensign Group

Ensign Group owns or operates hundreds of skilled nursing and senior living facilities across the country through affiliated companies.

While many facilities perform well, others have faced significant enforcement actions and inspection deficiencies.

Government inspections have identified issues, including:

• Infection control violations
• Resident abuse or neglect allegations
• Resident supervision failures
• Sanitation deficiencies
• Staffing concerns

Several Ensign-affiliated facilities have received federal fines, poor inspection results, and lawsuits alleging preventable harm to residents. Because Ensign operates through affiliated local entities, care quality can vary substantially from one facility to another.

A familiar corporate name doesn’t guarantee consistent care. That’s why it’s important to look at the inspection history of the specific nursing home — not just the company behind it.

The Worst Nursing Homes by State

Star ratings only tell part of the story. We dug through lawsuits, jury verdicts, criminal charges, news reports, and CMS inspection records to identify the nursing homes that have caused documented harm — not just the ones with a few bad online reviews.

Some of the facilities below are currently on CMS’s Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program, the federal government’s watchlist for nursing homes with a persistent pattern of serious deficiencies.

Others earned their place through court records, criminal cases, or repeated inspection failures that never resulted in an SFF designation.

Either way, they’re facilities families should research carefully. Before choosing any nursing home, review its current inspection history and ratings using Medicare’s Care Compare tool.

If your loved one has been harmed in a nursing home, check your case now. There’s no cost to find out whether you have a claim.

Worst Nursing Homes in Alabama

Alabama has 224 nursing homes, and Alabama Medicaid covers long-term care for most residents once they meet the state’s level-of-care requirements. Many families don’t get much say in which facility has an opening when the time comes.

That makes it worth knowing which homes have a track record to avoid.

The worst nursing homes in Alabama include:

• Atmore Nursing Center was cited for failing to meet professional standards of quality, failing to properly label and store medications, and failing to provide a safe, clean, homelike environment.
• Arabella Health and Wellness of Grand Bay is facing a lawsuit alleging staff knew for months that a male resident was repeatedly entering the room of a nonverbal woman to sexually abuse her, failed to intervene or notify authorities, and later tried to downplay the incident rather than report it, according to the family’s attorney and local news coverage.
• Cypress Cove Care Center (Muscle Shoals) was cited for violating federal standards meant to protect residents from the spread of infection.
• Henry County Health and Rehabilitation Facility (Abbeville) was cited for violating federal infection-control standards and failing to properly assess safety risks before using a bed rail on a resident.
• Knollwood Healthcare (Mobile) is currently in CMS’s Special Focus Facility program. A March 2025 inspection found the facility failed to notify residents, their doctors, and family members about changes in a resident’s condition, failed to protect residents from abuse, and failed to prevent significant medication errors — violations serious enough to be classified as immediate jeopardy to resident safety.
• Magnolia Ridge (Gardendale) has been cited for 19 serious deficiencies — more than any other facility in the entire country.

About 84% of Alabama nursing homes are behind schedule on inspections — the highest rate of any state in the country — meaning many facilities haven’t had a standard inspection in 2 years or longer.

Worst Nursing Homes in Alaska

Alaska keeps things small with just 20 nursing homes statewide — small enough that you’d think every resident would get some individual attention. Instead, inspectors have flagged several of them for the same basic failures you’d expect in a much bigger, more chaotic system.

The worst nursing homes in Alaska include:

• Maple Springs (Palmer) was cited for leaving its facility riddled with accident hazards and for not supervising residents closely enough to prevent harm.
• Polaris Transitional Care (Anchorage) was cited for letting residents suffer medication mix-ups and for failing to provide proper pharmacy oversight.
• Prestige Care & Rehabilitation Center (Anchorage) got so bad that the state actually took direct control of the facility to address the problems, according to Alaska Public Media reporting.

Even in a state with more moose than nursing homes, Alaska somehow posts the second-highest average fine per violation in the country.

Worst Nursing Homes in Arizona

Arizona has 141 nursing homes, and the state has a knack for producing eye-watering verdicts once a case actually makes it to trial.

The worst nursing homes in Arizona include:

• A jury awarded $19.2 million to the family of an 86-year-old resident at The Forum at Desert Harbor who died from an infected bedsore, after evidence showed staff falsified records and ignored procedures meant to prevent abuse and neglect.
• Acacia Health Center (Phoenix) was cited for failing to accurately assess residents and failing to safely source and store food.
• Caring Hand Assisted Living (Phoenix) was shut down entirely after investigators found unpaid staff, wandering residents, and almost no food in the building.
• Desert Blossom Health & Rehab Center (Mesa) was cited for improperly labeling and storing medications, failing to provide enough food and fluids to maintain a resident’s health, and failing to secure pharmacy services for residents who needed them.
• Sandstone of Tucson Rehab Centre (Tucson) has a documented history of serious quality issues and hasn’t had a standard inspection in over two years — the kind of double red flag that should worry anyone touring the place.
• Brookhaven Assisted Living (Scottsdale) let an 85-year-old man with Alzheimer’s walk out an unalarmed front door; he was later found dead. The facility’s fine: $500, thanks to a state penalty cap at the time.

A $500 fine for a resident’s death is the kind of math that should make any regulator uncomfortable.

Worst Nursing Homes in Arkansas

Arkansas has 220 nursing homes, and at least 57 of them have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents in immediate jeopardy.

The worst nursing homes in Arkansas include:

• Alcoa Pines Health and Rehabilitation (Benton) racked up 25 deficiencies, a fine of more than $10,000, and a nurse turnover rate of 72% — the kind of number that should make any family touring the place turn right back around.
• Arkansas Health Center (Benton) was cited for failing to safely source food, failing to honor residents’ right to dignity and self-determination, and failing to help residents with daily living activities they couldn’t manage alone.
• Concordia Nursing & Rehab (Bella Vista) carries a documented history of serious quality issues — just short of a formal special focus facility designation.
• A caregiver at Woodland Heights Senior Living was convicted of elder abuse after striking an 82-year-old dementia patient hard enough to leave visible bruising on her face and arm.

When inspection reports, criminal convictions, and chronic staffing problems start piling up, families deserve to know before they trust a loved one’s care to the wrong facility.

Worst Nursing Homes in California

California has more nursing home residents than any other state, and some of the largest jury verdicts in the country to match.

The worst nursing homes in California include:

• A Sacramento jury awarded $110 million after a 100-year-old woman with Alzheimer’s wandered outside Greenhaven Estates in 38-degree weather and died of hypothermia.
• A separate Sacramento jury awarded more than $30 million after an 86-year-old retired professor and civil rights activist died from pressure ulcers he developed during a two-week stay at Pine Creek Care Center.
• California’s attorney general sued Sweetwater Care, which operates 19 homes statewide, alleging more than 14,000 staffing-law violations while the company diverted over $31 million into profit instead of resident care.
• The state moved to suspend licenses for seven Los Angeles-area facilities, including Ararat Nursing Facility in Mission Hills, following violations tied to resident deaths.

Running the most nursing homes in the country apparently also means running up the most nine-figure verdicts.

Worst Nursing Homes in Colorado

Colorado has 211 nursing homes, and 56 of them have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk.

The worst nursing homes in Colorado include:

• Accel at Longmont Health and Rehab piled up 37 deficiencies, a fine of nearly $100,000, and an 82% nurse turnover rate — turnover so high it’s basically a revolving door.
• Juniper Village – The Spearly Center (Denver), currently in CMS’s Special Focus Facility program, was cited for failing to keep its facility free of accident hazards and failing to adequately supervise residents.
• Oakwood Care and Rehabilitation (Lakewood) has a documented history of serious quality issues and was cited for failing to properly train and supervise nurse aides and failing to promptly report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft.

Not every Colorado nursing home has these kinds of problems, but repeated deficiencies, steep fines, and chronic staffing turnover are red flags families shouldn’t ignore. A few minutes reviewing a facility’s inspection history today could spare your loved one from becoming tomorrow’s headline.

Worst Nursing Homes in Connecticut

Connecticut has 194 nursing homes, and one company keeps showing up in the headlines for the wrong reasons.

The worst nursing homes in Connecticut include:

• Bickford Health Care Center (Windsor Locks) carries a documented history of serious quality issues, just short of a formal special focus facility designation.
• At Crescent Point (Niantic), a nursing aide was caught on video striking an 87-year-old dementia patient — footage that later surfaced publicly.
• Athena Health Care Systems, which runs 21 facilities across the state, paid a $1.75 million fine after multiple resident overdoses at facilities it operates.

Nothing says “trust us with your grandmother” like a seven-figure fine over overdoses.

Worst Nursing Homes in Delaware

Delaware only has 44 nursing homes, but 19 of them — nearly half — have been cited for serious deficiencies, one of the highest rates of any state.

The worst nursing homes in Delaware include:

• Brinton Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center was ordered to pay $19 million to the estate of a 70-year-old woman who died after receiving improper care.
• Cadia Rehabilitation Silverside (Wilmington) was cited for failing to promptly report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft to the proper authorities.
• Newark Manor Nursing Home (Newark) hasn’t had a standard inspection in over 2 years and was cited for failing to properly label and store medications and failing to provide a safe, clean, homelike environment.

Delaware may be small, but the consequences of poor nursing home care can be enormous.

Multimillion-dollar verdicts and serious inspection deficiencies are reminders that families should look beyond appearances and dig into a facility’s history before making one of life’s biggest decisions.

Worst Nursing Homes in Florida

Florida’s 695 nursing homes make it home to one of the largest long-term care systems in the country, and 195 of those homes have been cited for serious deficiencies.

The worst nursing homes in Florida include:

• A former records coordinator says she was fired from Boca Raton Rehabilitation Center after flagging that a patient had live maggots in his wounds before he died.
• Coral Reef Operating LLC was ordered to pay over $11 million after failing to catch and treat an infection that progressed to septic shock and permanent brain damage.
• Indian Beach Nursing and Rehab Center was cited for failing to provide residents a safe, clean, comfortable environment.
• Jupiter Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center (Jupiter) was cited for violating federal infection-control standards and failing to provide enough food and fluids to maintain residents’ health.
• A Miami-Dade jury awarded $14.7 million after an 82-year-old resident at Krystal Bay Nursing and Rehabilitation (North Miami Beach) died from complications tied to severe pressure wounds.
• Menorah House (Boca Raton) was cited for violating federal infection-control standards and improperly storing medications.

Florida’s sunshine apparently doesn’t brighten up the inside of some of these buildings.

Worst Nursing Homes in Georgia

Georgia has 356 nursing homes, and 62 of them have been cited for serious deficiencies.

The worst nursing homes in Georgia include:

• Magnolia Manor of Columbus Nursing Center-West carries a one-star inspection rating and a red warning flag on Medicare’s site after allegations that it mishandled sexual abuse reports.
• Park Place Nursing Facility (Monroe) was cited for failing to develop a complete care plan addressing all of a resident’s needs.
• Riverview Health and Rehabilitation Center (Savannah) was cited 9 times in a single month, including an incident where a nurse reportedly threw equipment at a resident, and for failing to protect cognitively impaired residents from abuse.

A Columbus family won $500,000 after a nursing home falsely claimed their mother was a do-not-resuscitate patient and withheld care as she went into cardiac arrest.

Worst Nursing Homes in Hawaii

Hawaii has 42 nursing homes, and paradise apparently isn’t immune to basic inspection failures.

The worst nursing homes in Hawaii include:

• The Care Center of Honolulu was cited for a stack of failures: unsafe food sourcing, failing to maintain a safe and homelike environment, skipping complete care plans, and failing to properly treat pressure ulcers.
• Hale Malamalama (Honolulu) is a special focus facility candidate with a nurse turnover rate of nearly 42%, well above the state average.
• Kuakini Geriatric Care (Honolulu) was cited for failing to properly source and store food, a real risk factor for foodborne illness among residents.
• Liliha Healthcare Center (Honolulu) never bothered appointing a qualified infection preventionist, leaving its infection-control program effectively unsupervised.

Whether it’s unsafe food handling or inadequate infection control, these are the kinds of problems that can put vulnerable residents at serious risk. Before choosing a Hawaii nursing home, take a close look at its inspection history, not just the view.

Worst Nursing Homes in Idaho

Idaho has 80 nursing homes, and 14 of them have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk. While many facilities provide quality care, some have repeatedly drawn the attention of state and federal regulators for failing to meet basic safety standards.

The worst nursing homes in Idaho include:

• Advanced Health Care of Coeur d’Alene was cited for failing to keep enough nursing staff on duty, including a licensed nurse in charge on every shift.
• Oak Creek Rehabilitation Center (Kimberly) was cited for failing to protect residents from abuse, neglect, and mistreatment.
• Sunterra Springs Riverview (Boise) failed to prevent significant medication errors — the kind that can turn into real medical emergencies fast.
• Timber Springs Transitional Care (Boise) is a special focus facility candidate cited for failing to let residents participate in their own care planning and failing to properly handle grievances.

Protecting residents from abuse and administering medications correctly aren’t optional; they’re Nursing Home 101. If a facility struggles with the basics, families should think twice before trusting it with someone they love.

Worst Nursing Homes in Illinois

Illinois has 674 nursing homes, and 260 of them — nearly 4 in 10 — have been cited for serious deficiencies.

The worst nursing homes in Illinois include:

• Chicago Ridge SNF has been fined $883,000 in the past 3 years, more than any other facility in the country. Next on the list is Nexus Pavilion at Belleville, which was hit with $822,000 in fines during the same period.
• Fondulac Rehabilitation and Health Care Center (East Peoria) is a special focus facility candidate cited for failing to provide necessary behavioral health care and failing to keep its facility free of accident hazards.
• Landmark of Richton Park was ordered to pay $5.5 million after a resident died having missed 13 days of dialysis, tying the largest nursing home neglect verdict in Cook County history.
• Well Care Home of Maryville shut down entirely after complaints piled up: a preventable death, a sewage backup, and a rodent infestation.
• West Chicago Living and Rehab Center was cited for violating federal infection-control standards and failing to maintain a safe, clean, homelike environment.

Illinois nursing homes have paid more than $78 million in federal penalties, one of the highest totals in the country.

Worst Nursing Homes in Indiana

Indiana has 509 nursing homes, and 78 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk. While many facilities provide quality care, others have faced criminal cases, regulatory citations, and repeated safety concerns that families shouldn’t ignore.

The worst nursing homes in Indiana include:

• Beech Grove Meadows was cited for failing to keep its facility free of accident hazards and for not supervising residents closely enough to prevent falls.
• Community Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (Indianapolis) was cited for failing to keep its facility free of accident hazards and failing to provide adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
• Gentle Care Strategies (Vincennes) was cited for violating federal standards meant to protect residents from the spread of infection.

When medications meant for vulnerable residents disappear and preventable hazards go unaddressed, it’s more than a paperwork problem. It’s a breakdown in basic care. Families deserve better than finding out about these issues after a loved one has already moved in.

Worst Nursing Homes in Iowa

Iowa has 397 nursing homes, and a striking 141 of them — more than a third — have been cited for serious deficiencies.

The worst nursing homes in Iowa include:

• Berry Ridge House was fined $10,000 after a 49-year-old resident with intellectual disabilities died when staff allegedly failed to provide medical care despite visible lethargy.
• Creston Specialty Care (Creston) was cited for violating federal infection-control standards and failing to provide enough nursing staff, including a licensed nurse in charge on every shift.
• A nurse aide at Grundy Care Center allegedly accepted money and sent nude photos while pursuing a relationship with a resident before resigning.
• Ivy at Davenport (Davenport) is a special focus facility candidate with a documented history of serious quality issues.
• Northgate Care Center gave a resident someone else’s medications; the resident then fell, broke a leg, and later died. Investigators also found residents waiting more than 2 hours for help.
• Staff at Tripoli Nursing & Rehab Center were reportedly verbally abusive and physically rough with residents.

In one 6-month period, at least 33 Iowa nursing homes were cited for resident abuse or for failing to screen staff with abuse histories.

Worst Nursing Homes in Kansas

Kansas has 303 nursing homes, and nearly half have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk. That’s a statistic no one in the nursing home industry would frame and hang in the lobby.

The worst nursing homes in Kansas include:

• Medicalodges Arkansas City was cited for failing to promptly report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft to the proper authorities.
• The Healthcare Resort of Kansas City was cited for violating federal infection-control standards, failing to provide enough food and fluids to maintain residents’ health, and failing to properly train nurse aides in dementia care and abuse prevention.

When nearly half of a state’s nursing homes have been cited for serious deficiencies, families can’t afford to assume every facility is created equal.

Worst Nursing Homes in Kentucky

Kentucky has 268 nursing homes, and 75 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk. Most families expect nursing homes to prevent medical crises — not become the reason one starts.

The worst nursing homes in Kentucky include:

• At least 11 lawsuits have been filed against Salyersville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center alleging residents developed pressure ulcers that progressed to sepsis and, in some cases, death; The state fined the facility nearly $450,000 in 2025.
• Madonna Manor (Villa Hills) failed to promptly tell residents, doctors, or families about changes in a resident’s condition.
• Signature Healthcare of East Louisville was cited for failing to build or follow care plans tailored to residents’ actual needs.
• Barkley Center (Paducah) has been cited for 20 serious deficiencies over the last 3 years — among the highest of any nursing home in the country.
• Pioneer Trace Group (Flemingsburg) racked up 14 serious deficiencies in the same period.
• Twin Rivers Nursing and Rehab Center (Owensboro) has a documented history of serious quality issues, just short of a formal special focus facility designation.

Pressure ulcers don’t develop overnight, and families shouldn’t have to fight for basic communication about a loved one’s health. If a nursing home can’t keep its care plans or its promises straight, that’s a problem worth paying attention to.

Worst Nursing Homes in Louisiana

Louisiana has 266 nursing homes, and 101 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk. Collectively, nursing homes across the state have paid more than $16 million in federal penalties, a sign that regulators have found more than a few problems worth writing up.

The worst nursing homes in Louisiana include:

• Lake Charles Care Center was cited for failing to conduct a facility-wide assessment of resources needed to safely care for residents and failing to ensure residents receive accurate assessments.
• Town & Country Health & Rehab (Minden) failed to keep its facility free of accident hazards and didn’t adequately supervise residents.
• Wynhoven Community Care Center (Marrero) failed to provide basic CPR before emergency responders arrived.

CPR isn’t an advanced medical procedure — it’s a basic emergency response. When nursing homes struggle with fundamentals like emergency care and resident safety, families have every reason to ask what else might be slipping through the cracks.

Worst Nursing Homes in Maine

Maine has 78 nursing homes, and 12 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk. It may be one of the smaller states, but regulators have still found some very big problems.

The worst nursing homes in Maine include:

• High View Rehabilitation and Living Center (Madawaska) failed to regularly inspect bed frames, mattresses, and rails — a lapse that can lead to dangerous entrapment or falls.
• Springbrook Center (Westbrook) was cited for failing to treat residents with respect and dignity and failing to ensure nurses and nurse aides had the skills needed to properly care for residents.
• Waterville Center for Health and Rehab improperly used physical restraints on residents.

A nursing home shouldn’t need a federal citation to remember that residents deserve safe beds and freedom from unnecessary restraints. These are the kinds of basic care standards families have every right to expect.

Worst Nursing Homes in Maryland

Maryland is home to 220 nursing homes, but 65 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk. In some cases, regulators found unsafe conditions. In others, criminal charges made the headlines.

The worst nursing homes in Maryland include:

• Clinton Healthcare Center failed to provide a safe, clean, homelike environment — about as basic a requirement as long-term care gets.
• A worker at Taylor Farms Assisted Living (Bushwood) was arrested on charges of drug distribution, elder abuse, and financial exploitation after allegedly stealing residents’ medications.
• Turtle Creek Rehabilitation and Wellness Center (Kensington) was cited for failing to have staff with the skills needed to meet residents’ behavioral health needs and failing to provide appropriate care for residents with trauma histories or mental health conditions.

Residents shouldn’t have to worry about unsafe living conditions or whether the people caring for them can be trusted. When nursing homes make headlines for the wrong reasons, families owe it to themselves to dig deeper before making a placement decision.

Worst Nursing Homes in Massachusetts

Massachusetts is home to 342 nursing homes, and 38 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk. Some of the state’s biggest cases didn’t end with inspection reports — they ended in court.

The worst nursing homes in Massachusetts include:

• Bear Mountain Healthcare agreed to pay $2.75 million to settle claims that chronic understaffing across its facilities led to dehydration, malnutrition, and preventable falls.
• A jury awarded $2 million to an 87-year-old Kindred Healthcare resident found with injuries from a sexual assault.
• Norwood Healthcare (Norwood) has a documented history of serious quality issues and was cited for failing to develop complete care plans and failing to keep its facility free of accident hazards.
• Regalcare at Taunton was cited for letting untrained staff provide care they weren’t qualified to give.
• Regalcare at Lowell failed to properly treat residents with mental health conditions or trauma histories.

Understaffing, unqualified caregivers, and failures to protect vulnerable residents aren’t isolated mishaps — they’re warning signs. If a nursing home can’t provide safe, competent care, families shouldn’t have to learn that fact from a lawsuit or a jury verdict.

Worst Nursing Homes in Michigan

Michigan’s nursing home industry has drawn plenty of attention from regulators — and for good reason. The state’s 425 nursing homes have racked up 111 serious deficiency citations and more than $21.5 million in federal penalties.

The worst nursing homes in Michigan include:

• Six Detroit-area facilities owned by Villa Financial Services and Villa Olympia Investment agreed to a $4.5 million settlement after investigators found grossly substandard care.
• Gogebic Medical Care Facility (Wakefield) improperly used feeding tubes without confirming medical necessity or resident consent.
• Hillcrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Community (North Muskegon) had a resident wander away during a blizzard and was cited for deficiencies on 3 other occasions around the same time.
• Iosco County Medical Care Facility (Tawas City) had a resident with dementia climb out a window before staff added alarms to every door and window.

A multimillion-dollar settlement and millions more in federal penalties don’t happen because someone forgot to dot an “i.” They happen when regulators find problems serious enough to demand accountability, and that’s exactly the kind of history families deserve to know before making a nursing home decision.

Worst Nursing Homes in Minnesota

Minnesota’s nursing homes have faced their share of scrutiny. Of the state’s 340 facilities, 135 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk.

The worst nursing homes in Minnesota include:

• Hope Springs at Minnetonka was cited for violating federal infection-control standards and failing to properly assess a resident’s safety risk before using a bed rail.
• Littlefork Care Center had no functioning infection prevention and control program at all, leaving residents exposed to sepsis and other risks.
• Rochester Rehabilitation and Living Center failed to provide care consistent with doctors’ orders and residents’ own goals.

A nursing home shouldn’t need to be reminded to follow doctors’ orders or maintain an infection control program. Those aren’t lofty goals — they’re the foundation of safe resident care.

Worst Nursing Homes in Mississippi

Mississippi’s nursing homes have been cited for a troubling number of safety concerns, with 53 facilities flagged for major deficiencies and 149 cited for infection-related violations.

The worst nursing homes in Mississippi include:

• George Regional Health & Rehab Center was cited for failing to develop complete care plans, failing to properly label and store medications, and failing to notify residents before a transfer or discharge.
• Two workers at a Pittsboro nursing home were arrested after one allegedly assaulted an 89-year-old resident while the other filmed it and posted the footage on social media.
• Woodlands Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center (Clinton) failed to protect residents from physical, mental, and sexual abuse.

No family expects to worry that a loved one will become the victim of abuse — let alone that someone would record it for social media. When nursing homes fail to protect their most vulnerable residents, they’ve lost sight of the job they were entrusted to do.

Worst Nursing Homes in Missouri

With 487 nursing homes, Missouri has no shortage of options. Unfortunately, 159 have also been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk.

The worst nursing homes in Missouri include:

• Country View Nursing (Bowling Green) has a documented history of serious quality issues and was cited for failing to protect residents from abuse and failing to provide appropriate catheter care.
• Gregory Ridge Health Care Center (Kansas City) failed to provide residents with necessary behavioral health care.
• A wrongful death lawsuit alleges staff at Heisinger Bluffs Senior Living Community let a high-risk pressure injury progress from stage 3 to stage 4 before the resident died.
• Springfield Skilled Care Center failed to properly treat and prevent pressure ulcers.

Pressure ulcers don’t become Stage 4 overnight. When nursing homes miss warning signs, ignore care plans, or fail to provide essential treatment, the consequences can be devastating — and, in some cases, fatal.

Worst Nursing Homes in Montana

Montana may have fewer nursing homes than most states, but regulators have still identified serious problems. Of the state’s 60 facilities, 14 have been cited for deficiencies that put residents at risk.

The worst nursing homes in Montana include:

• Whitefish Care and Rehabilitation failed to provide basic CPR before emergency responders arrived.
• Ivy at Deer Lodge failed to properly treat and prevent pressure ulcers.

Providing emergency care and preventing pressure ulcers aren’t extras — they’re fundamental responsibilities of every nursing home. If a facility can’t consistently handle the basics, families have every reason to ask what else is being overlooked.

Worst Nursing Homes in Nebraska

Some stories go far beyond inspection reports. In Nebraska, 25 of the state’s 180 nursing homes have been cited for serious deficiencies, while other facilities have made headlines because of shocking criminal allegations involving vulnerable residents.

The worst nursing homes in Nebraska include:

• The Banyan at Montclair (Omaha), currently in CMS’s Special Focus Facility program, was cited for failing to provide enough food and fluids to maintain a resident’s health and failing to notify residents, doctors, and families about changes in a resident’s condition.
• A janitor at Emerald Nursing Home (Lincoln) was arrested after allegedly sexually assaulting a 78-year-old dementia patient in her room.
• Emerald Nursing & Rehab Omaha was cited for violating federal infection-control standards and failing to promptly report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft.

Families place enormous trust in the people caring for their loved ones. When that trust ends in criminal charges instead of compassionate care, it’s a reminder that researching a facility’s history is every bit as important as touring its lobby.

Worst Nursing Homes in Nevada

Nevada doesn’t have many nursing homes compared to other states, but even a small number of serious deficiencies can have life-changing consequences. Of the state’s 67 facilities, 9 have been cited for violations that put residents at risk.

The worst nursing homes in Nevada include:

• Silver Ridge Healthcare Center (Las Vegas) was cited for food safety violations, including improper meal storage.
• TLC Care Center (Henderson) has a documented history of serious quality issues and was cited for failing to keep residents’ medical records confidential and failing to promptly report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft.
• White Pine Care Center (Ely) failed to provide care consistent with residents’ medical orders.

Safe meals and following medical orders aren’t exactly cutting-edge health care — they’re the basics. If a nursing home can’t consistently get those right, families should take a much closer look before trusting it with a loved one’s care.

Worst Nursing Homes in New Hampshire

Some inspection reports are concerning. Others end with a criminal investigation. In New Hampshire, 12 of the state’s 74 nursing homes have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk.

The worst nursing homes in New Hampshire include:

• Hanover Terrace Health and Rehabilitation Center repeatedly failed to prevent, investigate, or address abuse — lapses that inspectors linked to a resident’s death; the facility is now under criminal investigation.
• Mountain View Community (Ossipee) had no functioning infection prevention and control program.
• Pleasant View Center (Concord), currently in CMS’s Special Focus Facility program, was cited for violating federal infection-control standards and failing to let residents participate in their own care planning.
• Rochester Manor racked up a long list of citations, including failing to develop timely care plans, provide trauma-informed care, or maintain an infection prevention program.

A nursing home should never become the subject of a criminal investigation over resident care. When abuse allegations go unaddressed and basic infection control breaks down, families deserve to know exactly what they’re walking into before making one of the hardest decisions they’ll ever face.

Worst Nursing Homes in New Jersey

New Jersey has 348 nursing homes, and 101 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk. That’s a lot of inspection reports reminding facilities to do the things they should have been doing all along.

The worst nursing homes in New Jersey include:

• Fountainview Care Center (Lakewood) failed to protect residents from abuse and neglect.
• Livia Health and Senior Living (East Hanover) failed to keep its facility free of accident hazards or adequately supervise residents.
• Morris View Healthcare Center (Morristown) was cited for violating federal infection-control standards and failing to keep its facility free of accident hazards.

Protecting residents from abuse and preventing avoidable accidents aren’t aspirational goals — they’re the minimum standard of care. When regulators have to step in and point that out, families should pay attention.

Worst Nursing Homes in New Mexico

Nearly half of New Mexico’s nursing homes have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk.

The worst nursing homes in Mew Mexico include:

• Bloomfield Nursing and Rehabilitation Center was cited for serious medication errors.
• Casa Maria Healthcare (Roswell) has a documented history of serious quality issues and was cited for violating federal infection-control standards and failing to regularly inspect bed frames and rails for safety.
• Las Palomas Center (Albuquerque) failed to promptly tell residents, doctors, or families about changes in a resident’s health.

Giving the right medication and keeping families informed shouldn’t be groundbreaking health care — it’s the bare minimum. When nearly half the state’s nursing homes have serious deficiencies, it’s a reminder that choosing a facility requires more than a quick tour and a handshake.

Worst Nursing Homes in New York

New York operates one of the largest nursing home systems in the country, with 601 facilities statewide. Of those, 91 have been cited for serious deficiencies — and some cases have involved far more than regulatory paperwork.

The worst nursing homes in New York include:

• A federal jury ordered Shaker Place Rehabilitation Center (Albany County) to pay $2 million after finding it failed to provide adequate food, hygiene, and medical care to a 73-year-old resident.
• Waterview Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center (Rochester) was cited for not keeping enough nursing staff on duty. Separately, a resident with dementia was hospitalized after being sexually assaulted by another resident, with family members saying supervision failures left her vulnerable.

Adequate food, basic hygiene, medical care, staffing, and supervision aren’t luxury amenities — they’re the foundation of nursing home care. When facilities fall short on nearly every one of them, families deserve more than excuses.

Worst Nursing Homes in North Carolina

With 420 nursing homes, North Carolina has one of the largest long-term care systems in the country. Yet, more than 4 in 10 have been cited for serious deficiencies, raising concerns about whether some residents are receiving even the most basic standard of care.

The worst nursing homes in North Carolina include:

• Premier Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (Jacksonville) was cited for failing to meet professional standards of quality and failing to help residents with daily living activities they couldn’t manage alone.
• PruittHealth Raleigh failed to provide treatment consistent with residents’ medical orders and personal goals.
• Somerset Court of Cherryville left residents without a working call bell system for an entire week and refused to readmit a resident who had filed complaints.

Residents shouldn’t have to wonder whether anyone will answer a call for help — or worry about retaliation for speaking up. When a nursing home ignores both resident safety and resident rights, it’s worth taking a much closer look before entrusting a loved one to its care.

Worst Nursing Homes in North Dakota

North Dakota has 73 nursing homes, and 23 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to jeopardize resident health or safety. In some cases, the allegations have gone far beyond regulatory violations and into criminal conduct.

The worst nursing homes in North Dakota include:

• Dakota Alpha (Mandan) was cited for violating federal infection-control standards and failing to provide appropriate care for a resident with a history of trauma or mental health needs.
• Hill Top Home of Comfort (Killdeer) failed to promptly report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft.
• A former nursing assistant at Minot Health and Rehab Center is accused of sexually assaulting two cognitively impaired residents and recording video to share with her husband.

When residents are among society’s most vulnerable, silence isn’t just unacceptable — it can be dangerous. Nursing homes have a legal and ethical duty to report suspected abuse immediately, not after the damage is done.

Worst Nursing Homes in Ohio

Ohio has one of the largest nursing home systems in the country, with 924 facilities. Nearly 1 in 5 have been cited for serious deficiencies, and facilities across the state have paid more than $25 million in federal penalties.

The worst nursing homes in Ohio include:

• A Bedford family is suing Diplomat Healthcare (North Royalton), alleging their bedridden mother with Alzheimer’s died from injuries caused by abuse.
• Highland Square Nursing and Rehabilitation (Akron) failed to provide CPR before emergency responders arrived.
• Signature HealthCARE of Warren was ordered to pay $26 million after a 69-year-old resident with disabilities choked to death while left unsupervised during a meal, blamed on understaffing.
• Welcome Nursing Home (Oberlin) was cited for failing to keep its facility free of accident hazards.

When multimillion-dollar verdicts, abuse allegations, and failures to perform basic emergency care all appear in the same state’s nursing home records, families have every reason to look beyond glossy brochures.

Worst Nursing Homes in Oklahoma

Some of the state’s most troubling cases involve documented abuse, repeated regulatory violations, and facilities requiring heightened federal oversight.

The worst nursing homes in Oklahoma include:

• Perry Green Valley Nursing Center (Perry) was cited for failing to regularly inspect bed rails and mattresses for safety and for a medication error rate above the federal 5% threshold.
• A hidden camera at Quail Creek Nursing and Rehabilitation Center caught an aide slapping a resident with latex gloves and stuffing them in the resident’s mouth while a second aide stood by; a federal appeals court upheld a $1.21 million award.
• Wewoka Healthcare Center, currently in CMS’s Special Focus Facility program, was cited for failing to protect residents from physical, mental, and sexual abuse.
• Windsor Hills Nursing Center (Oklahoma City) failed to keep its facility free of accident hazards.

No family expects to install a hidden camera to find out how a loved one is being treated. When abuse is caught on video and facilities continue to rack up serious deficiencies, it’s a reminder that inspection reports can reveal far more than marketing materials ever will.

Worst Nursing Homes in Oregon

Oregon has 128 nursing homes, and 45 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to put residents at risk. Many of these citations involve failures to provide the fundamental systems and oversight that residents depend on every day.

The worst nursing homes in Oregon include:

• French Prairie Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (Woodburn) had no functioning infection prevention and control program.
• Rose City Nursing and Rehabilitation (Portland) was cited for failing to keep a registered nurse on duty eight hours a day, as federal rules require.
• Royale Gardens Health & Rehabilitation Center failed to employ or secure a licensed pharmacist for residents who needed one.

Infection control and medication oversight aren’t optional services — they’re core responsibilities of every nursing home. When those systems break down, families should ask hard questions before placing a loved one in the facility.

Worst Nursing Homes in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has 661 nursing homes, and 139 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to jeopardize resident health or safety. While many citations involve lapses in care, some facilities have made headlines for allegations far more disturbing.

The worst nursing homes in Pennsylvania include:

• Burgh Care Center (Pittsburgh) failed to provide safe, appropriate respiratory care to a resident who needed it.
• Champion City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (Pittsburgh) was cited for failing to operate in compliance with state and federal regulations and accepted professional standards.
• Meadowview Rehabilitation and Nursing Center has racked up 42 documented deficiencies and has been the subject of more than a dozen lawsuits against its ownership, according to attorneys who have represented multiple affected families.
• A maintenance worker at Westminster Woods (Huntingdon County) was charged with sexually assaulting a 96-year-old resident with dementia.

Residents who rely on nursing homes for skilled medical care and protection deserve both. When facilities fail to provide essential treatment or can’t keep vulnerable residents safe from abuse, they’re in the wrong business.

Worst Nursing Homes in Rhode Island

More than half of Rhode Island’s nursing homes have been cited for serious deficiencies. Of the state’s 73 facilities, 41 have been flagged by regulators for problems that could compromise resident health, safety, or dignity.

The worst nursing homes in Rhode Island include:

• Grace Barker Nursing Center (Warren) was cited for failing to keep its facility free of accident hazards and failing to properly treat and prevent pressure ulcers.
• Antoine Residence (North Smithfield) failed to have a licensed pharmacist conduct required monthly drug regimen reviews.
• West View Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (West Warwick) failed to keep residents free from unnecessary physical restraints.

Medication oversight and respecting residents’ rights aren’t optional parts of quality care. When facilities fall short on both, it’s a sign families should take a closer look at a nursing home’s inspection history before making such an important decision.

Worst Nursing Homes in South Carolina

Nearly half of South Carolina’s nursing homes have been cited for serious deficiencies, putting residents’ health and safety at risk.

The worst nursing homes in South Carolina include:

• NHC Healthcare Laurens failed to keep resident areas free of accident hazards or provide enough supervision to prevent injuries.
• Three former staff members at Park Circle were arrested on allegations of neglecting vulnerable residents — allegations tied to 2 deaths.
• Prince George Healthcare Center (Georgetown) was cited for violating federal infection-control standards and failing to develop complete care plans within the required timeframe.
• Retreat at Wellmore of Lexington failed to protect residents from significant medication errors.

Preventing falls, administering medications correctly, and providing basic care aren’t extraordinary expectations — they’re the foundation of a safe nursing home. When those responsibilities end in arrests and preventable tragedies, families deserve better.

Worst Nursing Homes in South Dakota

Even seemingly routine safety failures can have serious consequences for older adults and people with disabilities.

The worst nursing homes in South Dakota include:

• Avera Bormann Manor (Parkston) failed to keep resident areas free of accident hazards.
• Good Samaritan Society Sioux Falls Village skipped required safety checks and consent before using a bed rail on a resident.
• Riverview Healthcare Center (Flandreau) has a documented history of serious quality issues and was cited for failing to properly treat and prevent pressure ulcers.
• Scotchman Living Center (Philip) was cited — twice — for failing to protect residents from abuse and failing to promptly report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft.

Resident safety isn’t just about responding when something goes wrong — it’s about preventing injuries in the first place. Skipping required assessments or leaving hazards unaddressed is exactly the kind of history families should know before choosing a nursing home.

Worst Nursing Homes in Tennessee

Tennessee has 304 nursing homes, and 89 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to jeopardize resident health or safety. Some facilities have accumulated an alarming record of violations, while others have been linked to disturbing allegations of abuse.

The worst nursing homes in Tennessee include:

• At Ascension Living Valley Residence (Chattanooga), a nursing assistant was accused of throwing a 90-year-old Alzheimer’s patient from a shower chair and beating him while reportedly telling him he couldn’t wait for him to die.
• Graceland Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center has racked up 17 serious deficiencies causing immediate jeopardy in the last 3 years — more than any other nursing home in the country.
• Midtown Center for Health and Rehabilitation (Memphis), currently in CMS’s Special Focus Facility program, was cited for failing to properly treat and prevent pressure ulcers, failing to provide enough food and fluids, and failing to treat residents with dignity and respect.

One bad inspection can be a warning sign. Seventeen immediate jeopardy citations — the most serious level of deficiency CMS issues — are a pattern that’s impossible to ignore.

When that kind of record is paired with allegations of horrific abuse elsewhere in the state, families should look carefully at a facility’s history before entrusting it with a loved one’s care.

Worst Nursing Homes in Texas

Texas has 1,177 nursing homes — more than any other state. It also has the highest rate of serious deficiencies in the nation, with 60% of facilities cited for at least 1 violation that jeopardized resident health or safety during the past 3 years.

Texas nursing homes have also paid more than $62 million in federal penalties.

The worst nursing homes in Texas include:

• Arbor Grace of Kilgore racked up 46 total deficiencies and 5 serious deficiencies between January 2020 and February 2023, carries a one-star rating, and was fined $208,000 for failing to provide treatment consistent with residents’ care orders.
• Azalea Heights was fined more than $15,000 after inspectors found it failed to serve food according to professional standards and failed to maintain an infection prevention and control program.
• A certified nursing assistant at Whispering Pines Lodge (Longview) was arrested after allegedly tying a 55-year-old resident with Huntington’s disease to her bed with leggings and leaving her restrained for roughly five hours.
• Whispering Pines (Winnsboro, Wood County) was cited for failing to honor residents’ right to a safe, clean, comfortable, homelike environment — and when a local news crew asked the administrator for comment, police were called to remove the reporters from the property.
• Woodway Nursing and Rehab (Houston) has been cited for 18 serious deficiencies, tying it for second place in the entire country along with Coral Rehabilitation and Nursing of Austin.

When the state with the nation’s largest nursing home system also leads the country in serious deficiencies, that’s more than a troubling statistic.

And when allegations include residents being tied to their beds, it’s clear that families should dig well beyond marketing materials before choosing where a loved one will receive care they deserve.

Worst Nursing Homes in Utah

Utah has 98 nursing homes, and 23 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to jeopardize resident health or safety. Many of these violations involve failures to prevent avoidable harm or respond appropriately when residents may be at risk.

The worst nursing homes in Utah include:

• Monument Healthcare North Park (Bountiful) failed to keep resident areas free of accident hazards.
• Orem Rehabilitation and Nursing Center was cited for failing to protect residents from abuse and failing to promptly report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft.
• Sandstone Canyon Rim (Millcreek) failed to promptly report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft.

Preventing accidents and reporting suspected abuse aren’t optional responsibilities — they’re among the most basic obligations of every nursing home. When facilities fall short on either, families should take a closer look at their inspection history.

Worst Nursing Homes in Vermont

Vermont has just 34 nursing homes, but even with its relatively small system, 5 facilities have been cited for serious deficiencies. The state also imposes the highest average fine per citation in the country, with penalties averaging about $71,000.

The worst nursing homes in Vermont include:

• Burlington Health & Rehab failed to properly treat and prevent pressure ulcers.
• A licensed nursing assistant at The Manor (Morrisville) was accused of sexually assaulting a 95-year-old resident.
• Vermont Veterans’ Home (Bennington) was cited for violating federal infection-control standards.

Small doesn’t automatically mean safer. When a state leads the nation in average fines per citation and facilities face allegations ranging from abuse to failures in basic wound care, it’s a reminder that every nursing home’s history deserves a careful review.

Worst Nursing Homes in Virginia

Virginia has 290 nursing homes, and 43 have been cited for major deficiencies that put resident health or safety at risk. While some citations involve lapses in basic care, others have led to criminal charges against staff members.

The worst nursing homes in Virginia include:

• Alleghany Health and Rehab (Clifton Forge) failed to provide appropriate care for a resident with mental health needs.
• Three former employees of Cardinal Senior Living (Bedford) were charged with abuse and neglect of an elderly resident.
• Dulles Health & Rehab Center (Herndon) was cited for failing to meet professional standards of quality and failing to immediately notify residents, doctors, or families about changes in a resident’s condition.
• Kings Daughters Community Health & Rehab (Staunton) failed to provide residents with sufficient food and fluids.

No resident should go without adequate nutrition, appropriate care, or protection from abuse. When facilities struggle with all three, they should consider another line of work.

Worst Nursing Homes in Washington

Washington has 194 nursing homes, and 62 have been cited for deficiencies serious enough to jeopardize resident health or safety. Many of these violations involve failures to prevent avoidable injuries or follow individualized care plans.

The worst nursing homes in Washington include:

• Columbia Lutheran Home was cited for failing to develop and implement complete care plans and failing to ensure residents receive accurate assessments.
• Colville of Cascadia failed to keep resident areas free of accident hazards or provide adequate supervision.
• Life Care Center of Mount Vernon failed to provide treatment consistent with physicians’ orders and residents’ own goals.

A safe environment and care that follows a resident’s medical plan shouldn’t be too much to ask. When nursing homes fall short on those basics, families have good reason to dig deeper into a facility’s inspection history.

Worst Nursing Homes in West Virginia

Several of the state’s most troubling cases involve failures to provide critical medical care when residents needed it most.

The worst nursing homes in West Virginia include:

• Brightwood Center (Follansbee) has a documented history of serious quality issues and was cited for failing to protect residents from abuse and failing to develop policies to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft.
• Cedar Ridge Center (Sissonville), currently in CMS’s Special Focus Facility program, failed to provide appropriate respiratory care to a resident.
• Hillcrest Healthcare Center failed to provide basic CPR before emergency responders arrived, despite physician orders already in place.
• A Morgantown family recovered $1.37 million after a resident died from a MRSA infection staff failed to properly manage at her surgical site.

When nursing homes fail to perform CPR, provide essential respiratory care, or properly treat a serious infection, the consequences can be fatal. Those aren’t minor oversights — they’re major red flags.

Worst Nursing Homes in Wisconsin

Nearly 4 in 10 Wisconsin nursing homes have been cited for serious deficiencies — violations that put resident health, safety, or dignity at risk.

The worst nursing homes in Wisconsin include:

• Avina of Milwaukee was cited for violating federal infection-control standards.
• Hope Health and Rehab (Lomira) failed to provide treatment consistent with physicians’ orders and residents’ personal goals.
• The Pines Post Acute and Memory Care (Clintonville) failed to keep residents free from unnecessary physical restraints.

Residents have the right to receive individualized care without unnecessary restraints. When nursing homes ignore physicians’ orders or limit residents’ freedom without justification, it’s a sign that something is seriously wrong.

Worst Nursing Homes in Wyoming

Wyoming has just 36 nursing homes, but even in one of the nation’s smallest long-term care systems, 3 facilities have been cited for serious deficiencies. A small number of facilities doesn’t guarantee small problems.

The worst nursing homes in Wyoming include:

• The Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center (Gillette), currently in CMS’s Special Focus Facility program, was cited for failing to protect residents from physical, mental, and sexual abuse.
• Thermopolis Rehabilitation and Wellness failed to properly respond to reported violations.

Wyoming may have more cattle than nursing homes, but that’s no excuse for cutting corners on resident safety. Whether a state has 36 facilities or 1,177, families should expect the same thing: safe care, accountability, and nursing homes that get the basics right.

Why More Families Are Taking Legal Action

Families don’t usually sue nursing homes because of a single mistake. They take legal action because they believe warning signs were ignored, care standards were repeatedly violated, and a preventable injury or death followed.

Across the country, recent lawsuits against nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and assisted living facilities allege neglect, chronic understaffing, abuse, and wrongful death. Many of these allegations mirror the same problems documented by state inspectors and federal regulators.

Families pursue nursing home lawsuits for many reasons, including:

• Seeking compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, wrongful death, and other losses.
• Holding negligent facilities accountable when they fail to provide the level of care residents deserve.
• Exposing unsafe practices such as chronic understaffing, inadequate training, poor supervision, or repeated regulatory violations.
• Protecting other residents by bringing dangerous conditions into the public eye and encouraging facilities to improve care.
• Forcing meaningful change through court orders, settlements, increased oversight, or corporate policy changes.
• Finding answers when a loved one suffers an unexplained injury, sudden decline, or suspicious death.

Meanwhile, CMS continues monitoring many of the nation’s worst nursing homes through its Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program, which targets facilities with long histories of serious deficiencies and repeated inspection failures.

While not every allegation results in liability, the lawsuits and inspection reports often point to the same recurring issues. Different facility. Different state. Same preventable problems — and families increasingly aren’t willing to accept “that’s just what happens” as an explanation.

Nursing Home Lawsuits and Settlements: Recent Verdicts Families Should Know About

Behind every verdict is a family that believed a loved one’s injuries or death could have been prevented. While every case is different, recent nursing home lawsuits have resulted in significant jury awards and settlements involving allegations of neglect, abuse, and failures to provide basic care.

Some notable nursing home settlements and verdicts include:

• Ohio: A jury ordered Signature HealthCARE of Warren to pay $26 million after a 69-year-old resident with disabilities choked to death while left unsupervised during a meal. The family alleged chronic understaffing contributed to the tragedy.
• New York: A federal jury awarded $2 million against Shaker Place Rehabilitation Center after finding the facility failed to provide adequate food, hygiene, and medical care to a 73-year-old resident.
• West Virginia: A Morgantown family recovered $1.37 million after alleging a nursing home’s failure to properly treat a surgical wound led to a fatal MRSA infection.
• Oklahoma: A federal appeals court upheld a $1.21 million award after hidden-camera footage showed an aide abusing a resident at Quail Creek Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
• Pennsylvania: A jury awarded $19 million to the family of a resident who died after staff at Brinton Manor allegedly failed to recognize and treat sepsis.
• Massachusetts: Bear Mountain at Worcester agreed to pay $2.75 million to settle allegations that chronic understaffing and neglect contributed to multiple residents’ injuries.

These cases don’t mean every nursing home provides poor care, and a verdict in one case doesn’t predict the outcome of another.

But together, they illustrate a troubling pattern: when facilities cut corners on staffing, ignore residents’ medical needs, or fail to protect vulnerable people, the consequences can be devastating — and increasingly, juries and courts are holding them accountable.

The Nursing Home Problems That Keep Happening

Visit almost any nursing home’s website and you’ll find promises of compassionate care, dignity, safety, and around-the-clock support. Then read the inspection reports.

Across the country, the same problems keep showing up in CMS investigations, state inspections, and nursing home lawsuits. While every facility is different, some of the most common issues include:

• Chronic understaffing
• Delayed or inadequate emergency responses
• Medication errors
• Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse allegations
• Poor infection prevention and control
• Repeat inspection violations and government citations
• Resident neglect
• Unsafe living conditions

Nursing home residents depend on staff for nearly every aspect of daily life — from meals and medications to hygiene, mobility, and emergency care. When those basic responsibilities are neglected, the consequences can be devastating.

The troubling part isn’t that these problems happen once; it’s how often the same failures appear at different facilities, in different states, year after year.

Filing a Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit: What Evidence Is Needed

Nursing homes rarely admit they failed a resident. That’s why successful nursing home abuse and neglect lawsuits are often built on documents, records, and evidence that tell the story the facility won’t.

To pursue a claim, nursing home attorneys generally need to show that the nursing home failed to provide safe, appropriate care and that the failure contributed to a resident’s injury, illness, or death.

Depending on the case, important evidence may include:

• Medical records documenting injuries, infections, pressure ulcers, malnutrition, dehydration, or other signs of neglect
• Government inspection reports showing prior citations, serious deficiencies, or repeated regulatory violations
• Photographs and videos of injuries, unsafe conditions, or changes in a resident’s physical condition
• Staffing records that may reveal chronic understaffing, missed shifts, or inadequate supervision
• Witness statements from family members, employees, residents, or other visitors who observed poor care or abuse
• Incident reports describing falls, medication errors, abuse allegations, or other significant events
• Evidence of neglect or abuse, including unexplained bruises, fractures, bedsores, weight loss, or changes in behavior

An experienced nursing home abuse attorney can also dig deeper by investigating whether the facility had a history of similar problems before your loved one was harmed.

That may include reviewing prior lawsuits, CMS inspection reports, state enforcement actions, staffing data, and other public records.

After all, if a nursing home has been cited for the same problems five times before, it’s a lot harder to argue the sixth time was just an unfortunate accident.

If your loved one has been neglected or abused in a nursing home, check your case now.

Common Mistakes Families Make After Discovering Nursing Home Abuse

Finding out that a loved one may have been abused or neglected is overwhelming. Many families are in shock, and it’s understandable to focus first on getting immediate medical care. But what happens in the days and weeks afterward can also affect your loved one’s safety — and any future legal claim.

Here are some of the most common mistakes families make:

• Waiting too long to act. Delaying action can make it harder to preserve evidence, interview witnesses, or document what happened. If your loved one is in immediate danger, prioritize getting them to safety.
• Accepting the nursing home’s explanation without asking questions. Facilities don’t always volunteer the full story. If explanations don’t match your loved one’s injuries or the medical records, ask for documentation and consider getting an independent opinion.
• Failing to document evidence. Take photographs of injuries, pressure ulcers, unsafe conditions, or poor hygiene. Keep copies of medical records, emails, incident reports, and notes from conversations with staff.
• Not reporting suspected abuse or neglect. Depending on the situation, families may wish to report concerns to the nursing home administrator, the state long-term care ombudsman, adult protective services, or state health regulators.
• Overlooking a facility’s history. One incident may not be an isolated event. Review CMS inspection reports, staffing data, and prior violations to see whether the nursing home has a pattern of similar problems.
• Assuming a loved one’s condition is simply “part of getting older.” Frequent falls, unexplained bruises, dehydration, malnutrition, rapid weight loss, untreated infections, or worsening pressure ulcers aren’t normal signs of aging and may indicate neglect.
• Waiting too long to speak with a lawyer. An attorney can help preserve evidence, obtain records, identify responsible parties, and explain your legal options before important information disappears.
• Feeling guilty about asking for help. Nursing homes have a legal duty to provide safe, appropriate care. Holding a facility accountable isn’t about assigning blame to yourself—it’s about protecting your loved one and helping prevent similar harm to others.

The hardest part is often realizing something is wrong. The next hardest is deciding what to do about it. Acting quickly can help protect your loved one, preserve important evidence, and give your family the best chance to uncover what really happened.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Help Families Demand Accountability

For many families, filing a lawsuit isn’t just about recovering compensation. It’s about making sure what happened to their loved one doesn’t happen to someone else’s.

Too often, lawsuits uncover problems that had been building for years — repeated inspection violations, chronic understaffing, ignored complaints, or a pattern of poor care that regulators had already documented. Legal action can bring those failures into the open and force facilities to answer for them.

A nursing home abuse attorney may be able to help by:

• Investigating the facility’s history of complaints, lawsuits, inspection reports, and regulatory violations
• Reviewing medical records and care plans to identify signs of neglect, abuse, or substandard treatment
• Gathering evidence from witnesses, photographs, staffing records, and internal facility documents
• Explaining your legal options and whether your family may have grounds for a nursing home abuse or wrongful death claim
• Pursuing compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, wrongful death, and other losses
• Holding negligent nursing homes accountable when they fail to meet basic standards of care

Every lawsuit won’t change the industry overnight. But when enough families refuse to accept neglect as “just part of aging,” nursing homes have a much harder time treating government citations like suggestions instead of warnings.

Get Help If a Loved One Was Harmed in a Nursing Home

Choosing a nursing home is one of the most important decisions a family can make. No one expects that trust to be met with neglect, abuse, or preventable harm.

If your loved one suffered unexplained injuries, repeated falls, pressure ulcers, malnutrition, dehydration, medication errors, abuse, or a sudden decline that doesn’t seem right, you don’t have to accept the facility’s explanation at face value.

An experienced nursing home abuse lawyer can investigate what happened, review the facility’s history, and determine whether it may be held legally accountable.

The residents in the stories above trusted someone else to keep them safe. If your family is facing a similar situation, we may be able to help you take action. Get a free case review and see how you can fight back against the worst nursing homes in America.

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