When the elderly make the decision to enter a nursing home in New York, they and their families have the right to expect competent, respectful treatment. But not all nursing homes are equal in the quality of services they provide. A recently released compilation of nursing home data shows some progress, but also reveals persistent problems that can raise the possibility of nursing home neglect.

In 2008, the federal government created a ratings system so that people could become better informed about the quality of a particular nursing home. The ratings system uses a five-star grading basis like those used in other industries. States conduct annual inspections of nursing homes to measure how well they are performing. At least 15,700 nursing homes have been graded under the ratings system.

Comparing the data from 2009 and 2011 shows that the overall quality is improving. The number of nursing homes receiving four or five stars went up, while those receiving one or two stars went down. But inspectors still gave a rating of one or two stars to 35 percent of nursing homes in 2011. The awarding of one star is reserved for homes "much below average" relative to others in the state. They are often plagued with problems including unclean conditions, employees who lack licenses and, most importantly, mistreatment.

According to the data, 564 homes earned a single star rating for seven consecutive reporting intervals from 2009 to 2011. A large number of those are chain-operated for-profit nursing homes, and some are located in New York.

Programs aimed at improving struggling nursing homes show that by hiring a more steady and dependable staff, nursing homes can reduce the number of falls and injuries suffered by residents.

Source: USA Today, "As nursing home care improves, some problems slow to mend," Paul Monies, Feb. 10, 2012.