The federal Medicare program, which funds health care for those over age 65, rates nursing homes according to health inspections, staffing and quality measures to arrive at an overall rating.

The health inspections rating is based on the three most recent annual inspections, and inspections due to complaints over the past three years.The quality measures rating is based on nine quality measures, including whether residents are getting their flu shots, losing weight or in pain. The staffing rating is based on the number of registered nurse hours per resident day, and total staffing hours per resident day.To learn more, or to find ratings for particular nursing homes, access

www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare.Here are the ratings for the county owned nursing homes in our region:Schuylkill County:Rest Haven, Schuylkill Haven: 142 bedsOverall rating: AverageHealth inspection: Above averageStaffing: Much below averageQuality measures: Above averageLehigh County:Cedarbrook, Allentown: two homes, one with 197 beds and another with 473Overall rating: Above averageHealth inspection: Above averageStaffing: Above averageQuality measures: Above averageNorthampton County:Gracedale, Nazareth: 725 bedsOverall rating: Below averageHealth inspection: Below averageStaffing: AverageQuality measures: Above averageMonroe County:Pleasant Valley Manor, Stroudsburg: 174 bedsOverall rating: Much below averageHealth inspection: Much below averageStaffing: AverageQuality measures: Average