The end of the year means that pretty soon, there will be all sorts of best-of lists for the year: TV, movies, music, etc.
On Thursday, November 13, U.S. News & World Report released their own best-of list, and it was heavily populated by PACS communities.
The renowned publication released its list of the country’s best nursing homes for 2026, and PACS had 49 communities honored on the list.
See the full list of 49 facilities here.
To earn the honor, a community must have been “High Performing” in short-term rehabilitation, long-term care or both. Only 19% of almost 15,000 skilled nursing facilities rated by U.S. News met that standard, based on hospital readmission rates, staffing levels, health inspection results, and other indicators of quality.
The 49 PACS facilities honored by U.S. News & World Report is a marked increase from last year, when the company had 36 of its communities earn the award.
Improving by over 36% year-over-year is an indication of how deeply rooted the company’s core values of Accountability, Commitment, Excellence, Love, Mutual Respect and Trust are in the work being done at our facilities.
Given that the award celebrates the commitment and empathy of the people at our communities, it’s only right that we turn the blog over to them, and share reflections from just a few of the people from the buildings who have won the award for 2026:
What They’re Saying
Roman Andrus, Administrator, Pine Creek Care Center (Roseville, CA)
“Winning the U.S. News & World Report Best Nursing Home award is a meaningful recognition of our team’s daily commitment. It reflects the late shifts, the personal touches, and the genuine care every staff member brings to our residents. We’re deeply honored and inspired to keep earning that trust every day.”
Andrew Coons, Administrator, Trellis Paradise (Las Vegas, NV)
“For the second-year running, Trellis Paradise was named one of the best nursing homes in the country by U.S. News & World Report. It is both an honor and a privilege, and we could not be prouder of our team as this recognition highlights our unwavering dedication and commitment to providing exceptional quality care. This award strengthens our purpose and motivates us to keep setting the bar for skilled nursing rehab.”
Greg Hollingsworth, Administrator, Oak River Rehab (Anderson, CA)
“I am thrilled that I will be presenting this award to the exceptional staff members, recognizing the hard work and dedication they all put into providing outstanding care for our patients. With over 200 staff members contributing to this mission, it’s important that we celebrate their efforts and commitment to excellence. This award not only highlights our achievements but also reinforces our facility’s focus on patient care in the community. We aim to ensure that when community members face the need for care for their loved ones, they think of Oak River Rehab as their trusted choice.”
Curtis Hunter, Administrator, Hayward Gardens Post Acute (Hayward, CA)
“We are humbled to be recognized by U.S. News and World Report. It means the world to our team, who pour their hearts into making this community special for the residents and their families. This award just pushes us to keep doing what we love— creating a caring, lively community every day.”
Kurt Hunter, Executive Director, Coal Creek Post Acute (Lafayette, CO)
“We are incredibly proud to be named one of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Skilled Nursing Homes for 2026. This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence — not only in the care we provide to our residents, but also in the trusted relationships we’ve built with our hospitals, medical professionals, and the greater community. Over the past year, we’ve strengthened our quality measures, achieved our highest-ever star rating, and completed our best annual survey to date. We recently were also recognized as the only Preferred Optum Skilled Nursing Facility in the entire county. We’re honored to set the standard for compassionate, reliable, and high-quality care.”
Shannon Kellogg, Administrator, Presidential Post Acute (Marion, Ohio)
“We are deeply honored to be recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top nursing homes in the nation. This award is a testament to the compassion, dedication, and unwavering commitment of our entire team. Every day, we strive to provide exceptional care, dignity, and comfort to our residents—while having a whole lot of fun! Being honored in this way reaffirms our mission and inspires us to continue raising the standard of excellence in senior care.”
Christopher McClain, Administrator, Columbia Post Acute (Columbia, MO)
“I’m humbled to be a part of the amazing team, here at Columbia Post Acute. Day in and day out, I see employees from each department giving everything they have for the care of these residents. I’m grateful that the team can be recognized and awarded for all that they do for this community.”
Laura Santos, Marketing Director, Westgate Gardens Care Center, (Visalia, CA)
“Excellence isn’t achieved by one person, it’s built every day by our nurses, CNAs, admissions, marketing, therapy, activities, housekeeping, dietary, billing, and medical records teams. That’s what makes us one of the Best Nursing Homes of 2026! Thank you to every department that pours their hearts into our residents each and every day. Congratulations, Westgate Team!”