The 10 Worst Nursing Homes in Ohio

Compare the Worst Nursing Homes in Ohio

Every year, thousands of seniors, their families, and friends are faced with the difficult decision of choosing a skilled nursing facility, either because someone is recuperating after a hospital visit or for end-of-life care. This is usually an issue that arises suddenly, and the decision makers are not equipped with the right knowledge and information to make a good decision. Not knowing how to decide, they turn to others for recommendations. Word of mouth, along with geography, are constantly cited as the most important factors in choosing a skilled nursing facility. Choosing a facility with such limited information can lead to significant problems. Not all skilled nursing facilities are the same and the people that you trust to recommend a facility may not know enough about the facility and the alternatives to be a competent guide.

Providing the type of care that residents of skilled nursing facilities require is very difficult. The range of issues that are being treated is vast and the needs cover both people recuperating and recovering as well as those facing end-of-life issues. Residents require significant help with basic daily activities as well as supplemental needs like oxygen and 24/7 monitoring.

To help people who are facing this difficult situation, we have compiled a list of the worst Ohio skilled nursing facilities and the the best skilled nursing facilities. (We have also compiled the best and worst nursing homes by city for most cities in the United States, links are shown at the bottom on this page.) The lists are based on data provided by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (“CMS”) and include information gathered from detailed annual inspections, monthly reporting, complaint histories, deficiency reports and much more.

The list below calls out the worst skilled nursing facilities in Ohio. For the most part these facilities should be avoided. All the facilities have issues with cleanliness and safety and a large number of the facilities have been flagged by CMS as locations where abuse has either occurred or is highly likely.

Avoiding these facilities may not always be an option either because of geographic, monetary, or occupancy constraints. However, being in a bad nursing home does not mean that the resident will not improve. If you have a loved one in one of these facilities, we encourage you to visit often and to ask that friends and other family visit too. It is well documented that positive outcomes for skilled nursing residents is highly correlated with the number and diversity of people visiting the resident. Being there, getting to know the staff, showing the staff that the resident has people that care about him or her is critical. There may not always be a better option, but your direct involvement can make a difference.

To see a more detailed analysis of the performance on skilled nursing facilities in Ohio, including staffing, COVID-19 infections, historical occupancy levels and recent trends, look at our detailed analysis page.

Nursing Home	Rating
East Ohio Regional Hospital Long Term Care 90 NORTH FOURTH STREET MARTINS FERRY, OH	479.83
Continuing Healthcare of Cuyahoga Falls 300 EAST BATH ROAD CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH	437.50 Rating Not Available /
Legacy Marietta 5001 STATE ROUTE 60 MARIETTA, OH	433.50
Crestwood Care Center 225 W MAIN STREET SHELBY, OH	413.00
Continuing Healthcare of Gahanna 167 NORTH STYGLER ROAD GAHANNA, OH	398.17
Willow Park Convalescent Home 18810 HARVARD AVE CLEVELAND, OH	344.83
Ridgewood Manor 3231 MANLEY ROAD MAUMEE, OH	327.33 Rating Not Available
Muskingum Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation 501 PINECREST DRIVE BEVERLY, OH	325.17 /
Hospitality Center For Rehabilitation and Healing 1301 NORTH MONROE DRIVE XENIA, OH	324.83 Rating Not Available
Astoria Place of Cincinnati 3627 HARVEY AVENUE CINCINNATI, OH	324.33 Rating Not Available /

Nursing Homes with the warning icon () have been flagged by CMS for abuse.

How We Compile Nursing Home Ratings in Ohio

Every month, we rank all of the skilled nursing facilities in Ohio. These rankings are based on data provided by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid measures ("CMS"), including the CMS 5-Star Rating System and the Health Inspection Scores. The list of the Worst Skilled Nursing Facilities in Ohio is based on the weighted overall health inspection score which is a composite of CMS's three most recent skilled nursing home inspection scores weighted to give the most recent inspection more importance.

The CMS 5-Star Rating System rates skilled nursing facilities from one to five stars, with one star being the lowest and five stars being the highest. The rating system also rates Ohio nursing homes across five different dimensions including overall rating, health inspection rating, quality measures rating, overall staffing rating, and RN staffing rating (RN is an acronym for Registered Nurse).

In addition to the 5-Star Rating System, CMS provides numerical metrics that summarize:

Health Inspection Domain. The health inspection rating is based on the three most recent standard surveys for each nursing home, results from any complaint investigations during the most recent three-year period, and any repeat revisits needed to verify that required corrections have brought the facility back into compliance. CMS calculates a weighted deficiency score based on points assigned to health deficiencies identified in each active provider’s current health inspection survey and the two prior surveys (including revisits), as well as deficiency findings from the most recent three years of complaint investigations. More recent surveys are weighted more heavily than older surveys: the most recent period (cycle 1) is assigned a weighting factor of 1/2, the previous period (cycle 2) has a weighting factor of 1/3, and the second prior survey (cycle 3) has a weighting factor of 1/6. The weighted time period scores are then summed to create the survey score for each facility.
Staffing Domain. Using multiple reporting methods, CMS calculates the amount of time that the nursing staff spends with residents. This is measured across multiple dimensions, one each for three different levels of nursing, including Registered Nurses (“RNs”), Licensed Practical Nurses (“LPNs”), and Certified Nursing Assistants (“CNAs”), plus one metric that totals all contributions. These metrics are expressed in hours per resident per day. CMS also provides state-level and national averages for the metrics to allow for additional comparisons.
Quality Measures Domain. A set of quality measures (QMs) has been developed from MDS-based indicators to describe the quality of care provided in nursing homes. These measures address a broad range of functioning and health status in multiple care areas. The facility rating for the QM domain is based on performance on a subset of 11 (out of 18) of the QMs. Ratings for the QM domain are calculated using the three most recent quarters for which data are available. This time period specification was selected to increase the number of assessments available for calculating the QM rating, increasing the stability of estimates and reducing the number of facilities that do not have enough data to report QM ratings.
Abuse Flag. Abuse is always a concern in skilled nursing facilities. To highlight the issue, CMS has extracted this feature as its own flag. Facilities with an actual abuse event or where the potential for abuse has been shown for the past two years are flagged. The Health Inspection Score is capped at 2-stars for nursing homes that have been flagged for abuse.

Skilled nursing facilities that are new and do not have at least two surveys completed are not rated by CMS. These facilities may have health inspection scores that can be used to evaluate the facility.

One complication in Ohio nursing home inspections is the COVID-19 pandemic. Although inspections should be performed every 12 months, COVID has decreased this frequency. While CMS admits that only in “rare cases” do these inspections increase to 15 months, our analysis suggests that this time frame may be even longer. This report shows that the time between inspections is now just under 500 days (more than sixteen months). There are now hundreds of skilled nursing homes in the United States that have not been inspected in more than 24 months. This list shows the skilled nursing homes with the longest period since being inspected. According to the CMS data, these homes have not been inspected since 2018!

Skilled Nursing Home Abuse in Ohio

Abuse is always going to be an issue with skilled nursing facilities. Skilled nursing facility residents need help with so many basic things and they are suffering, confused, and frustrated. If you are the friend or relative of a nursing home resident, we guarantee that you will be constantly fretting about whether your loved one is receiving proper and timely care. Abuse feels like a violation of your trust, but it happens. CMS actively monitors nursing homes not just for actual abuse but also for indicators that suggest that abuse might be occurring. Homes where abuse has either occurred or might be occurring are flagged. A very high percentage of the worst skilled nursing facilities in Ohio have been flagged for abuse. We have marked these facilities both on the list of the worst skilled nursing facilities and on the detailed page for each of the facilities.

How to Report a Nursing Homes in Ohio

If you run into an issue at a Ohio nursing home, there are a few steps you can take to make sure the issue is reported. First, speak with the immediate staff. If the problem is not solved, speak with a director or administrator, doctor, or any other employee of a high level.

As required by Medicare and Medicaid, reports and complaints must go through a grievance procedure. Per the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a grievance is “an expression of dissatisfaction (other than an organization determination) with any aspect of the operations, activities, or behavior of a Medicare health plan, or its providers, regardless of whether remedial action is requested”. All grievances must be filed in writing or verbally within 60 days of the event prompting the grievance.

To report a Ohio nursing home for quality of care, go through a grievance procedure through your Medicare or Medicaid plan. You can also go through the Beneficiary and Family Centered Care-Quality Improvement Organizations (BFCC-QIO). These groups serve to help with complaints made regarding the quality of care by Medicare providers. You can also choose to go through both Medicare and a BFCC-QIO.

Worst Nursing Homes in the Largest Ohio Cities

All of the following nursing homes have been given a Weighted Health Inspection Score by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Every year, nursing homes in Ohio go through an unannounced inspection performed by independent state examiners. These examiners look at factors such as cleanliness, hazards, and safety to perform the inspection. Points are given to nursing homes based on their deficiency in a certain category. Thus, a higher Weighted All Cycles Score means more problems and lower quality of care.

The list below ranks the homes with the highest (worst) weighted scores. The score is shown next to the facility name. The list also shows the two most recent deficiencies for each of the nursing homes.

Worst Nursing Homes in Cleveland

Willow Park Convalescent Home (344.833)

Ensure each resident receives and the facility provides food that accommodates resident allergies, intolerances, and preferences, as well as appealing options. (2024-03-08)
Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely. (2024-03-08)

Eastbrook Healthcare Center (261.167)

Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. (2023-11-03)
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident?s preferences and goals. (2023-11-03)

Cleveland Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (218.667)

Assure that each resident?s assessment is updated at least once every 3 months. (2024-03-20)
Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely. (2024-03-20)

Cityview Healthcare and Rehabilitation (204.167)

Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody. (2024-03-19)
Prepare residents for a safe transfer or discharge from the nursing home. (2024-03-04)

Fairfax Health Care Center (195.5)

Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. (2024-04-23)
Respond appropriately to all alleged violations. (2024-04-23)

University Manor Health and Reha (155.5)

Ensure each resident must receive and the facility must provide necessary behavioral health care and services. (2024-05-10)
Observe each nurse aide's job performance and give regular training. (2024-05-10)

Gardens of Euclid Beach (146.667)

Observe each nurse aide's job performance and give regular training. (2024-02-08)
Post nurse staffing information every day. (2024-02-08)

Crawford Manor Healthcare Center (122.667)

Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature. (2024-04-18)
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. (2024-04-18)

Cleveland Care and Rehab Center (90)

Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited. (2024-05-08)
Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. (2024-05-08)

Slovene Home For The Aged (88)

Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (2023-08-11)
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (2023-08-11)

Worst Nursing Homes in Cincinnati

Astoria Place of Cincinnati (324.333)

Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident?s preferences and goals. (2024-04-01)
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. (2024-04-01)

Carecore at The Meadows (224)

Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities. (2024-04-05)
Respond appropriately to all alleged violations. (2024-04-05)

The Chateau at Mountain Crest Nursing and Rehab Ctr (207.667)

Follow proper procedures when the fire alarm was out of service for more than 4 hours. (2024-01-30)
Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely. (2024-01-30)

Harmony Court Rehab and Nursing (205.5)

Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely. (2024-02-08)
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (2024-02-08)

Harrison Pavilion Care Center (205.333)

Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody. (2024-03-01)
Provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services. (2024-03-01)

Liberty Nursing Center of Colerain Inc (198)

Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (2023-10-24)
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. (2023-07-24)

Astoria Place of Silverton (184.333)

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (2024-05-17)
Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely. (2024-04-22)

Ayden Healthcare of Madeira (184)

Ensure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident. (2024-02-14)
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. (2024-02-14)

Pleasant Ridge Healthcare Center (181.667)

Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs. (2024-05-03)
Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident. (2024-01-12)

Mt Airy Gardens Rehabilitation and Nursing Center (163.333)

Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public. (2024-02-23)
Prepare residents for a safe transfer or discharge from the nursing home. (2023-12-01)

Worst Nursing Homes in Columbus

Majestic Care of Columbus LLC (274.833)

Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely. (2024-04-30)
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. (2024-04-18)

Vineyard Court Nursing Center (269.667)

Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. (2024-02-23)
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. (2024-02-23)

Bella Terrace Rehabilitation and Nursing Center (231.833)

Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable. (2024-04-18)
Provide timely, approved x-ray services, or have an agreement with an approved provider to obtain them. (2023-12-28)

Scioto Community (207.5)

Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment. (2024-02-28)
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing. (2024-02-28)

Eastland Rehabilitation and Nursing Center (194.833)

Assess the resident completely in a timely manner when first admitted, and then periodically, at least every 12 months. (2024-05-08)
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident?s preferences and goals. (2024-05-08)

Capital City Gardens Rehabilitation and Nursing Ce (163.333)

Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors. (2024-04-12)
Not transfer or discharge a resident without an adequate reason; and must provide documentation and convey specific information when a resident is transferred or discharged. (2024-03-29)

The Laurels of Gahanna (154)

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (2024-03-01)
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. (2023-11-20)

Columbus Healthcare Center (149)

Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights. (2024-04-10)
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (2024-04-10)

Embassy of Woodview (147)

Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights. (2024-02-23)
Notify the resident or the resident?s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident?s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave. (2024-02-23)

Arlington Court Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (146.5)

Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights. (2024-02-22)
Honor the resident's right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal and the facility must establish a grievance policy and make prompt efforts to resolve grievances. (2024-02-22)

Worst Nursing Homes in Dayton

Village at The Greene (196.5)

Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable. (2024-04-22)
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. (2024-04-12)

Friendship Village (183.333)

Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (2024-04-08)
Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public. (2024-04-08)

Laurelbrook Nursing Home (179.4)

Ensure that each resident is free from the use of physical restraints, unless needed for medical treatment. (2024-01-23)
Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed. (2024-01-23)

Garden Court Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (173.333)

Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely. (2024-05-08)
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. (2024-05-08)

Dayton Nursing and Rehabilitation (152.667)

Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. (2024-04-08)
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. (2024-04-08)

Carecore at Mary Scott (152.333)

Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. (2023-12-11)
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (2023-05-31)

Grandview Health Care Center (150)

Assess the resident completely in a timely manner when first admitted, and then periodically, at least every 12 months. (2023-10-10)
Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed. (2023-10-10)

Widows Home of Dayton (141)

Ensure that nurse aides who have worked more than 4 months, are trained and competent; and nurse aides who have worked less than 4 months are enrolled in appropriate training. (2024-02-07)
Verify that a nurse aide has been trained; and if they haven't worked as a nurse aide for 2 years, receive retraining. (2024-02-07)

Sanctuary at Wilmington Place (123.667)

Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident?s preferences and goals. (2024-05-10)
Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities. (2023-12-11)

Centerville Health and Rehab (115.333)

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (2022-12-27)
Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident. (2022-09-20)

Worst Nursing Homes in Akron

Highland Square Nursing and Rehabilitation (200.167)

Ensure residents have reasonable access to and privacy in their use of communication methods. (2024-03-18)
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody. (2024-03-18)

The Merriman (149.333)

Honor the resident's right to choose his or her attending physician. (2024-04-30)
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. (2024-04-30)

Windsong Nursing and Rehab (116.167)

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (2024-05-10)
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. (2023-12-01)

Wyant Woods Healthcare Center (110)

Provide the appropriate treatment and services to a resident who displays or is diagnosed with mental disorder or psychosocial adjustment difficulty, or who has a history of trauma and/or post-traumatic stress disorder. (2024-05-10)
Keep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential. (2024-03-29)

Divine Rehabilitation and Nursing at Canal Pointe (93.333)

Protect each resident from the wrongful use of the resident's belongings or money. (2024-03-15)
Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely. (2024-01-18)

Bath Manor Special Care Centre (86.667)

Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident?s preferences and goals. (2024-04-23)
Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections. (2024-04-23)

Regency Care of Copley (73.333)

Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (2024-04-29)
Have proper power supply for life support equipment. (2023-10-03)

Washington County Nursing Home (52.667)

Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating. (2023-07-09)
Have properly located and lighted "Exit" signs. (2023-07-09)

St Luke Lutheran Community-Portage Lakes (50)

Ensure that each resident is free from the use of physical restraints, unless needed for medical treatment. (2023-11-16)
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing. (2023-11-16)

Hickory Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (32)

Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities. (2023-08-17)
Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature. (2023-03-11)

Worst Skilled Nursing Homes in Other States

See the worst skilled nursing homes in other states: