Internet Resources and Searching for a Residential Care Setting: What Information Is Available for Consumers?

By making information about long-term-care facilities readily available, consumers in need of services are able to compare facilities and select one that is best for the elder. However, it is unclear how much information is available for residential care settings. In this investigation, an Internet search was performed to determine what information is available in each state. It was found that most states had a number of descriptive indicators. The way in which the information was displayed varied substantially among states, and very little quality-of-care information was available. Although the authors found a variety of useful information, they offer some suggestions to standardize the way in which the information could be presented, thus allowing a direct comparison between residential care settings to be made more easily.