Consumer Guide: Finding and Choosing a Nursing Home
In Wisconsin, the state licenses and regulates certain nursing homes and swing bed hospitals. There's a directory with details about each regulated nursing home and swing bed hospital. View the directories in Excel or as a PDF.
What is a nursing home and swing bed hospital?
A nursing home is a facility that provides 24-hour nursing services. This includes room and board for five or more people who aren't related. Often, people who live in nursing homes need constant care because of their physical or mental condition. Some people get the care they would get at a nursing home at the hospital. These hospitals are called swing bed hospitals.
When looking for the right nursing home, it's important to find one that you like and trust. It should meet your needs. We have resources to help you find and choose a nursing home that works for you.
Nursing home resources
Expand the section that applies to you to view a list of resources. Select a link to learn more.
Along with the directories, these resources can help you learn more about nursing home options. Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) doesn't refer people to specific nursing homes. We do offer many state and national resources, though, that can help you choose.
- Aging and disability resource centers (ADRCs) - Learn how ADRCs serve the public and how to contact your local ADRC. ADRCs help with issues that affect older adults, people with disabilities, and their families. Your ADRC makes it easy to learn about options near you and apply for programs and benefits. Their services are free if you live in Wisconsin.
- Assisted Living Facility Trends and Statistics - View data about each type of assisted living facility. Includes who they serve, how many they serve, the number of staff, and more.
- Choosing Care
Providers - Know what questions to ask and steps to take when finding a new provider. This resource is from the Alzheimer's Association. - Consumer
Voice - Find information on topics that help you advocate for quality care. This resource is from The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care. - Medicare.gov Resources &
Information - Expand the nursing homes section to find helpful tools, including a checklist of what to look for when visiting a nursing home. - Provider Search - Use the Provider Search tool to find health and residential care providers in Wisconsin. You can filter results to show only certain types of facilities, such as nursing homes.
- Residential Care Options by County - Access details about residential care options based on where you live. Use a map or county listing to select your county and learn more.
These resources show how consumers rate certain nursing homes. They also show which nursing homes have gotten citations for not meeting state requirements.
- Assisted Living Facility Survey Guide - Learn more about the state survey process.
- Bureau of Assisted Living Provider Search Monthly Additions, P-02567 (Excel) - See which assisted living facilities have had survey documents added to the Provider Search in the past month.
- Consumer Information Reports for Nursing Homes and Facilities for People with Developmental Disabilities - Find reports with details about each Wisconsin nursing home. Reports mention any federal violations and staff information.
- Find & Compare Nursing Homes, Hospitals & Other Providers Near
You - Search for nursing homes that accept Medicare. See how well the nursing home follows Medicare and Medicaid requirements. Each nursing home also has a quality rating and patient survey rating of one to five stars. - Nursing Homes - Learn more about how nursing homes are regulated in Wisconsin.
- Provider Search - Use the Provider Search tool to find health and residential care providers in Wisconsin. View any survey results and citations from the past three years.
These resources can help you understand laws that protect you and your care.
- Client Rights Office - Find out how to get advice about your rights from a team of experts. This office helps people who get services for a disability, mental health, or substance use. They'll tell you more about your rights under the law, Wis. Stat. §§ 51.30 and
51.61 , and what they mean. - Complaints or Problems with Your Health Care - Find out how to file a complaint about your health care. Includes issues with health and residential care facilities, providers, insurance, and medical bills.
- End-of-Life Planning - Learn about how to plan for the end of life. Includes details on advance directives, do-not-resuscitate orders, privacy rights, and more.
- Board on Aging & Long Term
Care - Work with this group to learn more about your rights, health care systems, and long-term care. Their job is to advocate for your interests. They have several programs that can help you: