What Is a CMS Rating?

Getting the care you need is important for your health and overall well-being. However, the healthcare system can be incredibly confusing, especially when it comes to what type of insurance you have and what it covers. Depending on your situation, that coverage may be Medicare or Medicaid.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). CMS exists to provide resources and support for all individuals on Medicare or Medicaid plans. One of the things that CMS provides is ratings for healthcare institutions. But what exactly is a CMS rating?

CMS created the Five-Star Quality Rating System in order to help patients and their families/caretakers compare nursing homes and other medical facilities more easily. The CMS star rating system rates facilities and the services they provide on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best rating, where significantly above average quality care is offered, and 1 is the lowest rating, where significantly below average quality care is offered. This helps patients and their loved ones find quality care and determine any questions they may have about what is offered at a certain facility.

At Celebrate Senior Living, we have a CMS rating of 5 and are JCAHO accredited, so you can trust that our assisted living and retirement communities offer superior services that elevate the standard of assisted living and redefine the principle of retirement communities. We are committed to celebrating the moments, victories, and memories that will last a lifetime for our residents and their loved ones. 

We are a Midwest-based foundation that serves Illinois and Indiana residents by offering Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Skilled Nursing living options. We also provide three delicious, healthy meals a day to ensure our residents get the nutrients they need!

If you or a loved one are interested in senior living options, schedule a tour with us today! You can also learn more by exploring our communities, which include South Holland, Niles, and Fort Wayne, or by contacting us with any other questions!

What Is JCAHO Accreditation and Why Is It Important?

The time may come someday when your living needs shift and you consider making a change. Perhaps you or a loved one have too much space and need to downsize, want to be part of a community more, or need a little extra assistance with certain daily tasks. These changing needs often lead to senior living communities that provide many different services and types of care. But how do you ensure you choose the right community? One thing to look for is a community that has JCAHO accreditation.

What Is JCAHO?

JCAHO stands for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations—also referred to simply as “the Joint Commission.” The Joint Commission was created in 1951 to evaluate health care organizations and motivate them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. Organizations that live up to these standards are awarded “accreditation,” which signifies that they have met certain criteria with the level of care and services they offer.

The Joint Commission is the oldest and largest accrediting body in the healthcare sector, and it has continued to set standards in the industry since its inception. The JCAHO standards are measures that are used to evaluate how well a certain department or health system is performing in regards to the overall goal of patient safety and improved health outcomes. These JCAHO guidelines are used by healthcare organizations in order to implement policies and processes for their various departments within their health system.

The JCAHO standards are multi-faceted and include many essential steps that are vital to achieving positive health outcomes. Each individual standard is made up of a combination of certain elements and processes, such as:

  • Staffing
  • Care plans
  • Equipment maintenance
  • Procedures
  • Cleaning
  • Uniforms

At Celebrate Senior Living, we are JCAHO accredited, and our assisted living and retirement communities offer superior services that elevate the standard of assisted living and redefine the principle of retirement communities. We are committed to celebrating the moments, victories, and memories that will last a lifetime for our residents and their loved ones. 

We are a Midwest-based foundation that serves Illinois and Indiana residents by offering Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Skilled Nursing living options. We also provide three delicious, healthy meals a day to ensure our residents get the nutrients they need!
If you or a loved one are interested in senior living options, schedule a tour with us today! You can also learn more by exploring our communities, which include South Holland, Niles, and Fort Wayne, or by contacting us with any other questions!