
About 1.1 million Americans reside in nursing homes. And while the search may be challenging, it is possible to find a high quality facility.
Researchers and advocates agree that most nursing homes are understaffed to the point of endangering patient care. The situation has been described as a crisis, exacerbated by a patchwork system for paying for long-term residential care that forces many older Americans to become impoverished to be eligible for Medicaid.