Americans give nursing homes an average D+ grade for quality of care, and few say they would be comfortable living in a nursing home if they could no longer care for themselves, according to a new survey from West Health and Gallup.

The survey, which was conducted by web July 5-24 via the nationally representative Gallup Panel, also found most U.S. adults would be reluctant to admit a relative to a nursing home. Quality of care, cost, and the potential emotional and mental toll of nursing-home living are Americans’ top concerns. Perceived safety is mentioned by a smaller, but still sizable, segment.

Nursing Homes Graded Poorly for Overall Quality of Care

More than four in 10 U.S. adults grade nursing homes negatively for overall quality of care — 36% give them a “D” (poor) and 6% an “F” (fail). Another 33% grade nursing homes as satisfactory, a “C,” while few rate them positively with an excellent “A” (1%) or good “B” (8%) grade. These ratings average out to a D+ grade […]