North Panhandle Times

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Guardian Elder Care at Wheeling stood out as the second largest nursing home in Ohio County, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Data shows that the nursing center had a total of 150 beds available, 12 less than the average in Ohio County as of the fourth quarter of 2023. They aided an average of 130 residents during that period.

Guardian Elder Care at Wheeling had an overall rating of 1 from the CMS, which lags behind the average of 2.5 recorded for nursing homes in West Virginia.

During the quarter, Good Shepherd Nursing Home stood out as the largest nursing home in Ohio County, with 192 beds available. Continuous Care Center Wheeling Hospital came in third place, with 144 beds available.

As of the fourth quarter of 2023, Guardian Elder Care at Wheeling has spent a total of $4,893 in two fines and suffered two penalties.

In total, there was one for-profit nursing home in Ohio County, West Virginia.

According to US Census data, in 2020, nearly 1 in 6 Americans were aged 65 years or older. Since 1920, the older population skyrocketed from 4.9 million to 55.8 million, reflecting a growth rate of roughly 1,000%, five times higher than the average growth for the overall U.S. population.

A 2021 study suggests that nearly half of this age group, roughly 28 million individuals, may require long-term services and support. Additionally, the study projects that over a third of them may eventually need nursing home care.

“Living a long life is something that many of us want and could get,” said Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, an insurance education group. “But when we live a long life, the chances of us needing long-term care increase exponentially. But when you need that type of care, there are limited options.”

Rank	Nursing Home	Overall Rating
1	Good Shepherd Nursing Home	5
2	Guardian Elder Care at Wheeling	1
3	Continuous Care Center Wheeling Hospital	3