Nursing Homes in Rhode Island

Rhode Island Nursing Home Regulations

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a federal agency that regulates and provides ratings for nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities. CMS offers guidance to state Medicaid services regarding rules for facilities that are Medicaid-certified. Medicare provides a national nursing home website to view the audit and licensing history of Medicare-approved nursing homes.

Each state regulates senior living communities differently, but you can use APFM’s guide to assisted living regulations to learn more about access to facility records in Rhode Island.

In Rhode Island, nursing homes — also called convalescent homes or skilled nursing facilities — are intended for seniors who require 24-hour monitoring and medical assistance. These communities are designed to promote independence among seniors who require constant nursing care to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), but do not require hospital-level care.

Cost of Living

Overall, the cost of living in Rhode Island is considered to be less affordable than the national average. Rhode Island is rated as more expensive than average in every index category. All index scores are based on a scale with the national average set at 100.

Price Indexes

• Cost of Living: 123
• Groceries: 106
• Housing: 129
• Utilities: 124
• Transportation: 124

Demographics

About 17% of Rhode Island's population are seniors. In the 2016 presidential election, Rhode Island leaned considerably liberal. Rhode Island is the smallest state in the nation in terms of land mass and ranked 43rd by population.

2016 Presidential Election

• Voted Democratic: 54%
• Voted Republican: 39%
• Voted third party: 7%

Population

• Median age: 40
• Over the age of 55: 31%
• 2018 population: 1,057,315
• 2020 population: 1,058,975
• Estimated 2025 population: 1,063,136

Miscellaneous

• 36% regularly attend a religious service
• 40% consider themselves atheist, agnostic, or a non-believer
• The state has a total of 677 congregations
• There are 30 Masonic lodges in the state

Climate and Weather

Rhode Island's climate ranges from oceanic in the south along the coast, to humid continental in the northern part of the state, and humid subtropical in the eastern portion. Overall, Rhode Island has hot summers and above average precipitation.

Humidity and Precipitation

• Average humidity level: 71%
• Average monthly precipitation: 4”
• Average maximum monthly precipitation: 11” (July)

Air Quality

• Average air quality index rating: 37 (Good)
• Average maximum air quality rating: 51 in May (Moderate)

Moderate air quality means that those who are sensitive to particulates in the air should limit the amount of time they spend on outdoor exertion.

Seasonal Temperatures

• Average temperature: 51°F
• Average summer temperature: 70°F
• Typical summer high: 83°F (July)
• Typical summer low: 55°F (June)
• Average winter temperature: 32°F
• Typical winter high: 44°F (December)
• Typical winter low: 17°F (January)