U.S. News & World Report has included Willow Ridge, Bluffton, in its selection of “Best Nursing Homes” for 2017-18. 

Willow Ridge, a 20-bed facility, is part of Mennonite Home Communities of Ohio (MHCO).  With an overall rating of “Top Performing,” Willow Ridge joins 2,300 nursing homes across the country in earning the Best Nursing Homes distinction. 

U.S. News evaluated more than 15,000 homes in every state and nearly 100 major metropolitan areas to compile the list.
 
“We’re proud that Willow Ridge, featuring the first Greenhouse Homes in Ohio, has received this recognition,” said Laura Voth, MHCO chief executive officer. 

Greenhouse Homes keep the resident in the role of decision-maker and emulate family living while respecting the privacy of the individual.  Greenhouse Homes are designed to provide opportunities to engage and live purposefully.
 
With roughly 1.4 million individuals age 85 and above living in U.S. nursing homes, U.S. News felt that a rating system was needed to help families find a good and caring facility. 

Its nursing home ratings rely on data from Nursing Home Compare, a program run by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) the federal agency that sets and enforces standards for nursing homes.
 
For its 2017-18 Nursing Home Finder, U.S. News created a five-level rating scale for nursing homes, ranging from “Top Performing” to “Poor.”  Areas evaluated include health inspections, nurse staffing and quality measures.  Nursing homes that earned an overall rating of four and a half and above qualified as a U.S. News Best Nursing Home.

Serving Bluffton, Pandora and surrounding communities in northwest Ohio, Mennonite Home Communities of Ohio is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive services for older adults in a Christian environment.  For more information call 419-358-1015, or visit Mennonite Home Communities of Ohio.