Casa Arena Blanca Nursing Center
205 Moonglow, Alamogordo NM 88310 · (575) 434-4510 · 79.23% estimated occupancy 1Updated: Aug 1, 2020 · By Nick Lata
Casa Arena Blanca Nursing Center is an average-sized nursing home located in Alamogordo, New Mexico. With an overall rating of B, this facility is a fine option. Based on our analysis, you could do much worse than this nursing home. Keep reading to find this facility's category grades, which are also impressive. It is hard to find any major flaws in this place's profile.
Additional Details:
Accepts Medicare 1 :
Accepts Medicaid 1 : 117 Beds
CCRC :
For profit - Corporation
Resident Council:
Family Council:
Medical Staff Hours Per Patient (2019)
Long-term Care Quality
Part of the reason this facility performed so well overall is that it fared well in long-term care, with a B+ in that area. It outpaced most facilities in this area. Facilities that receive this kind of score in this category typically provide consistent around the clock care to ensure residents are kept in good health. Once we looked at the quantity of care provided by aids and other staff, we next considered the nursing home's vaccination records. This facility vaccinated 92.85714 percent of its patients for pneumonia, which is slightly lower than we were hoping for but still a reasonably acceptable percentage. Lastly, this place was able to limit hospitalizations. With only 1.35 hospitalizations per 1,000 long-term resident days, this facility has fewer hospitalizations than many nursing homes.
Short-term Care Quality
This nursing home received a strong short-term care score as well. We awarded it one of our better grades in that area with a score of B+. In calculating these short-term care scores, we quantify the facility's skilled nursing services, including those performed by registered nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists and other types of therapists. Our objective is to formulate a scale for sizing up the rehabilitation services of different facilities. One reason for this facility's strong score in this category is that it provides more care with registered nurses to its residents than the average nursing home. Lastly, we considered the percentage of residents who returned to the community from this nursing home. It outperformed the majority of facilities in the nation with 53.9 percent of its patients returning home.
Nurse Quality
In addition, this facility also received favorable nursing grades this year. In fact, we awarded them one of our better scores in that area, with a grade of B. We scrutinized the skill-level of nurses working for the facility, as well as the quantity of time those nurses worked with patients, in determining our rating in this area. This nursing home averages 3.2 hours of nursing care per resident per day. Finally, our nursing grades also factor in quality-based assessments, such as avoiding major falls. This place performed well in this area. Avoiding major falls is typically a good indicator that a facility has reliable quality controls in place. Major falls can frequently be avoided if more nurses aids and better safety protocols are in place.
Facility Inspections
In the last area we looked at, we found that this facility received a solid government inspection report this year as well, with few major dings from government inspectors. As a result, it received a decent grade in inspections with a B. This facility didn't have any major weak links. Our inspection scores account for a host of factors included in a facility's inspection reports. One key criteria we weigh heavily is the quantity and severity of deficiencies. Nursing homes with better scores in this category usually have very few severe deficiencies. Fortunately, although this nursing home had some minor dings on its inspection report, it had zero severe deficiencies. Severe deficiencies are ones labeled as categories G through L. This tells you the inspectors didn't consider any of the deficiencies on this facility's report to pose an imminent threat to patient health or safety. Finally, this facility had no substantiated complaints this year from residents, which is an excellent sign.
Overall Rating Over Time
Compared to national and state averages across all facilities.
Casa Arena Blanca Nursing Center Quality Metrics
Minimizes Pressure Ulcers
This indicates the percentage of residents that suffered from a pressure ulcer. Pressure ulcers, which are also referred to as bed sores, are often the result of patients staying in one position for too long. Better nursing care reduces the number of pressure ulcers sustained by residents in a nursing home.
Percent of Patients with Pressure Ulcers
Lower is Better
Minimizes Serious Falls
This metric gauges the percentage of long-term stay residents that suffered falls resulting in serious injury. Falls can arise for a variety of reasons, but high rates of major falls could be an indicator of lower quality nursing care.
Percent of Patients with Serious Falls
Lower is Better
Minimizes Urinary Tract Infections
This indicates the percentage of patients who sustained a urinary tract infection. UTI's are considered by many in the nursing home industry to be an indicator of nursing care at a nursing home. UTI's are routinely the result of worse hygiene protocols. However, this datapoint may also be misleading for some nursing homes due to inconsistent reporting standards for urinary tract infections.
Percent of Patients with UTIs
Lower is Better
Appropriately Uses Anti-Psychotic Medication
This is the percent of patients who were prescribed antipsychotic drugs. While antipsychotic drugs may be helpful for many residents, it is important to make sure these medications are being used appropriately. In some situations, excessive reliance on these medications may mean a facility is using these medications to control patient behavior.
Percent of Patients
Lower is Better
Appropriately Uses Anti-Anxiety Medication
This indicates the percentage of patients given antianxiety drugs. Antianxiety medications are prescribed to residents suffering from anxiety and depression.
Percent of Patients
Lower is Better
Managing Depression Among Residents
This is the percentage of patients who are demonstrating depressive symptoms.
Percent of Patients
Lower is Better
Appropriate Vaccine Usage
This indicates the percent of residents who were given the pneumonia and flu vaccines. Higher vaccination rates should be demanded by residents.
Percent of Patients
Higher is Better
Residents Maintain Autonomy
This tells you the percent of residents that needed increased assistance with activities of daily living over time. High levels of needing for assistance with activities of daily living could be a sign of the decline of a patient's well-being.
Percentage of Patients
Lower is Better
Ability to Keep Residents Mobile
Measures the percent of long-term care patients that were able to retain mobility.
Percentage of Residents
Higher is Better
Hospitalizations
This metric tracks the number of hospitalizations per thousand days of patient care.
Hospitalizations per 1,000 resident days
Lower is Better
Short-term Care: Rehospitalizations
This datapoint measures the number of rehospitalizations per thousand days of short-term care.
Percentage of Residents Rehospitalized
Lower is Better
Short-term Care: ER Visits
This is the number of emergency room visits per thousand days of short-term patient care. There is generally a correlation between reduced emergency room visits and the overall quality of care.
Percentage of Patients
Lower is Better
Short-term Care: Facilitates Functional Improvement
This indicates the percentage of short-term stay residents that saw functional improvements, such as enhanced ability to perform activities of daily living.
Percentage of Resident
Higher is Better