Unlock the Power of Transparency
Screening Care Providers with Ease
Elder Care IQ is a quick and easy tool that helps you check if a care provider has a history of problems like abuse or neglect. It shows trusted government reports so you can make informed decisions based on governmental investigative history, not marketing gloss. Start by going to: ElderCareIQ, then enter the provider’s name, zip code or city. Push search.
You will be taken to the map with the providers in that zip code. Screen this further to identify the ‘Community Type’ of provider you are seeking (nursing home, assisted living, memory care, boarding homes, home care, hospice, hospitals, and intermediate care facilities). You can further refine your search by choosing ‘Investigations’ of substantiated, unsubstantiated or inconclusive investigation findings. Finally, select the ‘Facility Size’ by small, medium and large.
How to Read and Use Elder Care IQ Results
Basic Information:
Provides the name, address, phone number, size, manager and ownership type of very licensed provider. Note: Research finds that for-profit providers often provide poorer care.
Fines:
The state issues fines for many violations. This is an important indicator of quality of care. Note: Keep in mind that the maximum MN fine is $3,000 even if it results in death.
Number of Investigations:
Each substantiated (preponderance of evidence), unsubstantiated and inconclusive investigation is provided. Note: Providers with a lot of investigations should be given close scrutiny by looking at the investigation details. Note: Minnesota only investigates about 10% of the complaints.
Investigation Details:
One click, and you will go to the Department of Health’s actual report. Alternatively, selecting 'View Summary' allows you to see the AI generated summary, which is a very helpful so you don’t need to go through numerous pages of the report.
Government Survey Report:
Both the state and federal government conducts annual surveys, which make sure the provider is meeting all the regulatory standards and codes.
AI Generated Summaries:
These summaries highlight key findings related to abuse, neglect, or safety concerns, helping families quickly assess potential risks when choosing care for a loved one.
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Severity of the Findings:
This refers to how serious and frequent the confirmed issues (abuse, neglect, exploitation) are for a given for each provider. You can visually judge the severity of the issues:
A low count (1-4) might suggest isolated incidents
Mid-range (5-15) indicate repeated or systemic issues
High counts (15+) signal extreme concern
How You Can Interpret Findings
| Severity Level | Description | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Low (1-4 Findings) | Likely isolated incidents | Request more detail on the nature of the cases |
| Medium (5-15 Findings) | Potential pattern of issues | Talk to management or onsite staff |
| High (15+ Findings) | Likely significant ongoing problems | Consider alternative providers |
Report Summaries
These complaint investigations are summarized to help the user quickly and accurately understand the issues. These reports can be very complex and difficult to decipher. See the example below.
ProPublica - Nursing Home Inspect
ProPublica’s ‘Nursing Home Inspect’ takes federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid and aggregates their inspection reports and records deficiencies and ranks them by severity with A (least serious) to L (most serious – immediate jeopardy).
ProPublica Rating System
Understanding Deficiencies
Nursing homes receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding are subject to inspections to determine whether they are meeting resident care requirements. A nursing home's failure to meet any care requirements is called a deficiency. An inspection report contains one or more deficiencies.
Each deficiency is given a letter rating of A through L based on its severity and scope. Severity is the level of harm caused by the deficiency, and scope is how widespread that harm was. Deficiencies L, K, and J are the most serious and indicate immediate jeopardy to resident health and safety, meaning residents affected are at risk of serious injury, harm, impairment, or death.
In the example above, staffing and capacity does not meet the state averages for nurse hours/resident/day and the nurse turnover is much higher that state averages. Ample nurses is critically important to providing quality care. In this example, they have many sitings that are “more than minimal harm” potential.
| Scope | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Severity | Isolated
Few people affected |
Pattern
Some people affected |
Widespread
Many people affected |
| Level 1
No actual harm, with potential for minimal harm |
A — least serious
0%
|
B
1.28%
|
C
1.14%
|
| Level 2
No actual harm, with a potential for more than minimal harm |
D
62.05%
|
E
22.99%
|
F
6.84%
|
| Level 3
Actual harm that is not immediate jeopardy |
G
3.23%
|
H
0.13%
|
I
0.00%
|
| Level 4
Immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety |
J
1.58%
|
K
0.57%
|
L — most serious
0.18% of all deficiencies are of seriousness L
|
Uniform Disclosure of Amenities and Services (UDALSA)
Every assisted living facility must complete the uniform disclosure (UDALSA) giving the licensing type, what payment sources are accepted, services and amenities offered, and importantly, the staffing levels. Many places have chronic understaffing, which leads to poor care and even severe harm. This data is only provided for Assisted Living Providers.
Why it Matters
Staffing is a critical factor for resident safety, timely care, and overall well-being.
Definitions
Elder Care IQ site search tools and provider information relies on the following data:
Investigation Types
Substantiated means a preponderance of the evidence shows that an act that meets the definition of maltreatment occurred.
Unsubstantiated means a preponderance of the evidence shows that an act that meets the definition of maltreatment did not occur.
Inconclusive means there is less than a preponderance of evidence to show that maltreatment did or did not occur.
Safety Violation Terms
Isolated refers to the number of residents affected. An 'Isolated' incident affected a single or limited number of residents.
Pattern refers to the number of residents affected. A 'Pattern' incident affected multiple residents or it recures repeatedly.
Widespread refers to the number of residents affected. A 'Widespread' incident affected all residents in the facility or constitutes systemic failure impacting a large number of residents.
Facility Sizes
Small: Up to 10 residents. A home-like environment with shared common areas and family-style dining, equipped and staffed to support daily care.
Medium Between 20-50 residents. A boutique-like environment with communal area and dining, services, activities, and amenities.
Large 50+ residents. A hotel-like environment with a dining room, concierge services, and wide range of activities and amenities.
Facility Types
Conclusion
Elder Care IQ is a vital tool in our mission to protect and empower older adults and their families. By providing easy access to government investigation reports and highlighting long-term care providers with patterns of abuse, neglect, or substandard care, Elder Care IQ brings much-needed transparency and accountability to a system that too often operates in the shadows. It equips families with the information they need to make informed, safer choices and serves as a catalyst for systemic change. At Elder Voice Advocates, we believe every older adult deserves dignity, safety, and respect—and Elder Care IQ is a powerful step toward making that vision a reality.
