CareGrade™Scoring Methodology
How CareGrade™ Evaluates Communities
We don't just rank — we show how much you can trust the ranking.
The SeniorTrust™ Score uses a structured, data-driven methodology to evaluate senior living communities across six weighted categories. Every score is calculated using fixed weights, verified data sources, and conservative safeguards to ensure accuracy and fairness.
Looking for Independent Living?
Independent Living communities are not licensed care facilities, so they are evaluated with a separate CareGrade™ Independent Living Review — six different categories, different weights, and its own rating labels — rather than the SeniorTrust™ Score described below.
The Framework
The Six Categories
Every community is measured on the same six weighted categories. The weights never change.
Care Quality
Clinical outcomes, regulatory compliance, and health/safety inspection results.
- SNF: CMS Medicare health inspection ratings
- RCFE: California CDSS/CCLD deficiency records
- Clean inspections boost score; violations penalize it
Staffing & Engagement
Staffing levels, staff consistency, and resident engagement programs.
- SNF: CMS staffing ratings and turnover data
- RCFE: Complaint history and staffing patterns
- Higher staffing hours = higher scores
Environment & Comfort
Physical environment, amenities, and lifestyle factors including pet-friendliness.
- Verified amenities and photos
- Pet policy and support
- Outdoor spaces and dining quality
Reputation & Reviews
Family satisfaction scores and publicly available review ratings.
- Google Reviews and family surveys
- Real resident and family feedback
- Consistent, verified ratings
Affordability / Value
Price competitiveness and overall value relative to care quality.
- Pricing relative to local market
- Quality-adjusted cost analysis
- Transparent fee structure
Transparency & Trust
Data completeness, verified identifiers, and policy disclosures.
- License numbers and regulatory status
- Verified contact information
- Published policies and certifications
The Math
How Scores Are Calculated
- Scores are always 0–100
- Category weights never change (weights fixed)
- Missing data does NOT boost scores
- Conservative fallback logic is used for missing inputs
Missing information is never treated as a positive signal.
Absent data defaults to conservative estimates, never inflating scores.
The Result
The Grade Scale
Scored communities receive a letter grade. A D is a true failing grade — it reflects weak reviews, licensing deficiencies, or inspection violations. Communities with too little verified information to score fairly receive an L instead, which is not a judgment of quality.
Exceptional (90–100)
Earned through verified scoring across all six categories.
Outstanding (88–89)
Earned through verified scoring across all six categories.
Strong (80–87)
Earned through verified scoring across all six categories.
Established (78–79)
Earned through verified scoring across all six categories.
Emerging (70–77)
Earned through verified scoring across all six categories.
Significant Concerns (Below 70)
A true failing grade — earned through weak reviews, licensing deficiencies, or inspection violations. Only assigned to communities with enough verified data to score.
Limited Information (Not yet scored)
Not a negative rating. The community simply does not have enough verified information for a fair score yet — no numeric score is shown.
The Foundation
Data Completeness
Not all scores are built on the same foundation. A community's score may be strong, but its Data Completeness indicates how much verified information supports that score.
Full Data
Verified primary inputs available for this category
Partial Data
Mix of verified data and conservative estimates
Fallback-Only
Conservative estimate only; primary data missing
High Confidence
80–100
Primarily verified data
Moderate Confidence
50–79
Mix of verified & estimated
Limited Data
Below 50
Mostly conservative estimates
Beyond the Number
CompareWHY™
CompareWHY™ highlights where a community stands out. Tags like "Best for Complex Medical Needs" or "Highly Rated by Families" are assigned when category scores meet fixed thresholds (typically 85 or higher).
Key principle: CompareWHY™ tags are descriptive only. They do not change the score. They are rule-based, not subjective AI opinions.
- Tags are rule-based, never subjective
- They never alter the underlying SeniorTrust™ Score
- They help you see where each community truly excels
- Tags only appear when data is strong and verified
- All tags require verified data thresholds to be met
Our Commitment
Our Approach to Trust
Fixed Category Weights
Category weights are never adjusted based on missing data.
Conservative Scoring
Missing data defaults to cautious estimates, never inflating scores.
Verified Data Priority
Regulatory and official data always takes priority over estimates.
Automatic Updates
As new verified data arrives, scores and tags update immediately.
Transparent Methodology
Every score is traceable to its underlying data sources.
No Paid Influence
Community payments never influence scoring logic or tags.
