Blog
Original reporting and analysis from the Nursing Home Match editorial team — staffing rule changes, costs that don't appear on tours, and the cues experienced families use to read a building in ten minutes.
Nursing home antipsychotic drugs: spot off-label use
How to spot off-label antipsychotic use in a nursing home in 2026, what CMS now requires, and the exact questions to ask before the next quarterly med review.
Nursing home wildfire smoke safety: a 2026 family guide
Wildfire smoke drives PM2.5 into every corner of a nursing home. Here is how a well-run facility protects residents in 2026, and what to ask before smoke season peaks.
New Aged Care Act 2026: fees, rights and what changed
Eight months after Australia's new Aged Care Act commenced, here is what families actually pay in a residential aged care home in 2026, and the rights the Act now guarantees.
Nursing home ombudsman: file a complaint that gets action
How the long-term care ombudsman program works in 2026, exactly what to say when you call, and the paper trail that turns a complaint into an actual investigation and fix.
PACE program vs nursing home: keep a parent at home in 2026
How the PACE program for seniors works in 2026, who qualifies, what it actually costs, and when it beats a nursing home placement for a frail older adult living at home.
Summer respite care in a nursing home: a 2026 guide
How a short-term respite stay in a US nursing home works in summer 2026: who pays, what to pack, how long stays last and how to book before the August rush.
Hurricane season 2026: nursing home evacuation checklist
How to check your parent's nursing home hurricane plan before August. Federal evacuation rules, resident rights and six questions to ask this week.
Nursing home summer heat safety: a 2026 family checklist
How summer heat waves are killing more nursing home residents in 2026, the federal temperature rules to ask about, and a checklist families can run in one visit.
VA Aid and Attendance for nursing home care: 2026 guide
How the 2026 VA Aid and Attendance benefit pays toward nursing home costs, who qualifies, current monthly rates, and the paperwork that gets approved.
Involuntary nursing home discharge: how to fight a 30-day notice
Most US nursing home discharge notices are issued for one of six reasons, and a large share of them are appealed successfully. Here is the 2026 rulebook, the appeal clock, and the first 72 hours of action.
CMS Special Focus Facility list 2026: how to check the watch list
CMS publishes a monthly list of the worst-performing nursing homes in the country. Here is what the Special Focus Facility program actually is, how to check it in two minutes, and what an SFF flag should change about your decision in 2026.
How to get someone into a nursing home: the 2026 admission playbook
How to get a parent or relative into a nursing home in 2026: the assessment, paperwork, payment proof and bed-finding steps families actually use, in order.
How to pay for a nursing home without Medicaid
How to pay for a nursing home without Medicaid in 2026: LTC insurance, VA Aid and Attendance, life settlements, reverse mortgages and bridge options compared.
Signs of elder abuse in nursing homes families miss
Signs of elder abuse in nursing homes: 7 categories, the physical and behavioural cues families miss, and how to report safely in 2026. Read the guide.
Memory care vs nursing home: which one fits dementia?
Memory care vs nursing home for dementia: how the two settings differ on safety, staffing, cost and Medicaid. A 2026 family guide. Compare facilities.
Skilled nursing facility vs nursing home: the same building, two very different stays
SNF and nursing home often describe the same licensed building — but the type of stay, who pays, and how long you can stay are completely different. Here's how to tell which one your family actually needs.
Assisted living vs nursing home: the real differences in care, cost, and who pays in 2026
Assisted living and nursing homes look similar from the outside but they are regulated, staffed and paid for very differently. Here's how to tell which level of care your parent actually needs — and what it will cost.
Can Medicaid take your house? Nursing home rules, exemptions, and how to protect the family home
Medicaid won't seize your house while you're alive, but estate recovery after death is a different story. Here's how the home exemption, spousal protections, and the 5-year look-back actually work in 2026.
How long does Medicare pay for nursing home care? The 100-day rule, explained
Medicare covers up to 100 days of skilled nursing care per benefit period — but only if you meet four conditions, and most stays end well before day 100. Here is how the rule actually works in 2026.
When is it time for a nursing home? 10 signs your parent needs more care than home allows
The decision rarely arrives on a single day. Here are 10 evidence-based signs that home care is no longer enough, the conversations to have first, and how to act without guilt when the answer is yes.
Touring a nursing home: 12 red flags you can spot in the first 10 minutes
Star ratings and inspection reports tell you a lot, but a 10-minute walk through a building tells you the rest. Here are the smell, sound and behavioural cues experienced families and ombudsmen look for.
The 2026 nursing home staffing crisis: what families actually need to know
CMS's new minimum staffing rule, why one in three US nursing homes still can't meet it, and the three numbers families should check before signing any admission paperwork.
The hidden costs of nursing home care: 9 fees nobody mentions on the tour
Beyond the headline daily rate, nursing home bills include level-of-care surcharges, ancillary fees, and Medicare co-pays that catch most families off guard. Here's what to look for in the admission agreement.