Charlestown Continuing Care Named U.S. News Best Nursing Home

Catonsville, Md. – November 12, 2019 – Charlestown’s continuing care neighborhood is among the 19% of U.S. skilled nursing facilities that have been recognized as a Best Nursing Home for 2019-20 by U.S. News & World Report.

The neighborhood earned the Best Nursing Homes status by achieving a rating of “High Performing,” the highest possible rating, for both short-term rehabilitation and long-term care U.S. News gives the designation of Best Nursing Home only to those homes that satisfy U.S. News’s assessment of the appropriate use of key services and consistent performance in quality measures.

“We are honored that U.S. News & World Report recognized Charlestown in its 2019-20 rankings. It is a strong reflection of the clinical expertise and compassionate care that our dedicated employees provide to residents on a daily basis,” stated Clara Parker, Executive Director at Charlestown. “Our holistic approach, which includes personalized care plans, comfortable accomodations and state-of-the-art amenities, is distinctive in the marketplace. Especially with the recent opening of our newest continuing care residences at Wilton Overlook, Charlestown is proud to serve as a leader in person-centered care.”

Now in its 10th year, the U.S. News Best Nursing Homes ratings and profiles offer comprehensive information about care, safety, health inspections, staffing and more for nearly all of the nation’s 15,000-plus nursing homes. The Best Nursing Homes ratings reflect U.S. News’ exclusive analysis of publicly available data using a methodology defined by U.S. News that evaluates factors that it has determined most greatly impact patient and resident care, safety, and outcomes.

“For the aging population in America, a nursing home should meet the specific level of care based on the needs of each patient or resident,” said Kim Castro, editor and chief content officer of U.S. News.

"The U.S. News Best Nursing Home ratings hone in on measurements like emergency room visits, quality of staff and proper distribution of medical and physical therapy to help families make an informed decision,” she said. “These ratings help individuals and their families begin their search for senior care and should be used in consultation with a medical professional and in-depth on-site visits.”

This year, U.S. News introduced a new rating focused on long-term care. The Long-Term Care Rating aims to provide prospective residents who need help with daily activities, and their families, with analysis and information regarding the quality of care provided by nursing homes. The rating includes data on staffing, success in preventing emergency room visits, and pneumonia vaccination rates, among other metrics.

"The inclusion of the new Long-Term Care Rating in this year’s Best Nursing Homes guide expands the quality of data-driven decision support for patients, residents and families choosing a nursing facility." said Zach Adams, senior health data analyst at U.S. News. “Here at U.S. News we understand that every person researching a nursing home is looking for qualities specific to their needs. We have updated our methodology to reflect multiple dimensions of care that matter when making this important decision."

U.S. News also expanded the factors included in the Short-Term Rehabilitation rating that assesses the performance of nursing homes in the care they provide to patients staying at the facility for fewer than 100 days. The quality measures included in this year’s ratings include consistency of registered nurse staffing, use of antipsychotic drugs, and success in preventing falls.

For more information behind both U.S. News ratings please refer to the FAQ.

Charlestown, one of 20 continuing care retirement communities managed by Erickson Living®, is situated on a scenic 110-acre campus in Catonsville, Maryland. The community is located in Baltimore County and is home to more than 2,000 residents who are supported by a team of more than 1,200 employees. Additional information about Charlestown can be found at CharlestownCommunity.com.

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A digital news and information company focused on Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, and Civic, USNews.com provides consumer advice, rankings, and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.