18 North Carolina Nursing Homes Receive Improvement Grants

Lately, nursing homes in North Carolina have been in the news for disturbing reasons – cases of nursing home neglect, lawsuits regarding nursing home abuse, and even a mass nursing home killing. This week, however, there is good news for the elderly in assisted living facilities: 18 different NC nursing home are receiving two-year grants to improve their grounds – and the quality of life of their residents.

Made possible by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, these federal grants are financed by fees collected for nursing home citations. The nursing homes picked for these grants will embark on a number of exciting enhancements, including community gardens, aviaries, computer areas, theaters, activity rooms, bistros, patios, courtyards, and even an ice cream parlor.

In exchange for the grant money, the nursing homes are asked to monitor the success of their project and to continue the projects after the two-year time period. The grants were picked by the Division of Health Service Regulation's Nursing Home Licensure and Certification Section and the N.C. Coalition for Long-Term Care Enhancement.