WANT TO KNOW THE BEST AND WORST NURSING HOMES WITHIN 50 MILES OF COVINGTON, VIRGINIA?

The information might be important if you are trying to decide where to place a loved one who can no longer care for himself/herself at home. But how can you determine which nursing home is the best? If this issue is important to you, you job just got a lot easier.

The answer is provided by a new "5-Star Quality Rating System" provided by Medicare. The Five-Star System was created to help consumers, their families, and caregivers compare nursing homes more easily and help identify areas about which you may want to ask questions.

The nursing homes receiving the best ratings include:

The Woodlands - Clifton Forge, Virginia

Pocahontas Center - Marlington, West Virginia


The nursing homes receiving some of the worst ratings include:

Brian Center Nursing Care - Low Moor, Virginia

White Sulphur Springs Center - White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

The Springs Nursing Center - Hot Springs, Virginia

Brian Center Health and Rehabilitation - Fincastle, Virginia

Greenbrier Manor - Lewisburg, West Virginia

The Brier - Ronceverte, West Virginia

Carrington Place at Botetourt Commons - Daleville, Virginia

Heritage Hall - Lexington, Virginia

Salem Health and Rehabilitation - Salem, Virginia

Berkshire Health and Rehabilitation Center - Vinton, Virginia

Avante at Roanoke - Roanoke, Virginia

Pheasant Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center - Roanoke, Virginia

My Take: Be an informed consumer of health care and do your loved one a favor....check out the nursing home BEFORE you decide what is best for a family member.