Data Methodology and Editorial Standards
NationalSeniorDirectory turns public senior care datasets into searchable facility pages, local comparison lists, and plain-language guides. This page explains what we publish, how we review it, and where the data has limits.
How Facility Data Becomes a Page
Source collection
We start with public regulatory data, primarily CMS Care Compare and state licensing records. These sources include facility identifiers, addresses, ownership fields, certified bed counts, inspection measures, staffing ratings, and selected service details.
Normalization
Public datasets use different formats, naming conventions, and update schedules. We normalize state names, city names, care type labels, ratings, provider identifiers, and URLs so families can browse the same way across states.
Page selection
Not every database row becomes a detailed public page. We prioritize active facilities and pages with enough public data to support a useful profile, then use noindex rules on route families that do not yet have enough listings.
Editorial context
Directory data alone rarely answers a family question. Our guides explain how to read CMS ratings, inspection reports, Medicare and Medicaid coverage, care levels, and facility visit checklists.
Primary Data Sources
CMS Care Compare is the main source for nursing home ratings, inspection measures, staffing ratings, provider identifiers, and certified bed counts. For assisted living and memory care, we use available state licensing data where records can be matched into the directory.
CMS and state agencies publish on their own schedules. NSD checks for new source data nightly, but a facility may change ownership, services, capacity, contact details, or inspection status before public records are updated.
We encourage families to use NSD as a research starting point, then confirm current licensing, services, availability, pricing, and care fit directly with the facility and appropriate state agencies.
Editorial Review
- ✓Pages are written for families researching care, not for facility promotion.
- ✓Commercial relationships do not decide whether a facility is listed or how public ratings are shown.
- ✓Guide topics are chosen around recurring senior care decisions, public benefit questions, and data interpretation needs.
- ✓Correction requests are checked against public source records when possible before changes are made.
Corrections and Feedback
If a facility profile looks outdated or a guide needs clarification, send the details through the contact page. Include the facility name, city, state, and the specific field or passage that needs review.
We compare correction requests with public records where possible. Some requests cannot be reflected until CMS or the relevant state agency updates its own public dataset.