North Carolina Unveils Nursing Home Rating System

Increasingly plagued by reports of nursing home negligence, nursing home abuse, and nursing home deaths, North Carolina is combating the problem with a new four-star adult care center rating system that should keep families aware and nursing homes on their toes.

Almost half of the 1,300 nursing homes across the state have been rated so far - on criteria that includes building safety, personal care, nutrition, and supervision.

A number of adult care facilities have earned perfect marks, though seven of the adult care homes have received zero stars. One nursing home, the Floyd McKissick Assisted Living Center in Warren County, was so deficient that state inspectors pulled the home's license and removed the homes 30 residents. Another adult care center, Wake Forest Care Center in Wake County, got zero stars for a preventable building fire and a high number of medication mistakes.

The new North Carolina nursing home star rating system follows the structure of the state's day care rating system.