Newsweek’s 2026 best nursing homes out. Who made the grade?
Lee Health holds groundbreaking for new Fort Myers hospital
Lee Health holds groundbreaking for new hospital campus in Fort Myers. It will replace Lee Memorial,
- Two Southwest Florida nursing homes were named to Newsweek’s “best nursing homes for 2026” list.
- The recognized facilities are HealthPark Care Center in Fort Myers and Life Care Center in Estero.
- Newsweek and Statista analyzed over 14,000 nursing homes nationwide, naming a top 1,200.
Two Southwest Florida nursing homes made Newsweek’s “best nursing homes for 2026,” according to the news publication.
They are HealthPark Care Center south of Fort Myers and Life Care Center in Estero.
HealthPark Care Center, with 112 beds and located at 16131 Roserush Court, is operated by the nonprofit Lee Health hospital system.
Life Care Center of Estero, at 3850 Williams Road, has 155 beds and is run by Life Care Centers of America.
Jennifer Higgins, Lee Health’s chief nursing officer, said the hospital system is proud the nursing home has been named by Newsweek to the best nursing home list.
“HealthPark Care Center has long been a trusted part of our community, offering skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and long-term care services that help patients recover and thrive close to home,” she said. “This honor reflects the dedication of our caregivers and the strong standards of clinical excellence across Lee Health.”
Newsweek and global data intelligence firm Statista recently announced the 2026 list of best nursing homes.
In Florida, more than 100 nursing homes made the list.
No nursing home in Collier County was included.
The 2026 highlights the nation’s top 1,200 nursing homes out of 14,752 analyzed, according to Newsweek.
“One of the most important decisions families face is choosing a trusted nursing home for themselves or a loved one,” Alexis Kayser, healthcare editor, said on Newsweek’s website.
“Whether the need is for day-to-day support, medical care or long-term recovery, finding the right facility can make a profound difference in health outcomes and overall quality of life,” Kayser said.
There are more than 15,000 Medicare or Medicaid certified nursing homes in the U.S., serving roughly 1.2 million residents, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
HealthPark Care Center is near the campus of the hospital, HealthPark Medical Center, south of Fort Myers.
“We are committed to providing the highest level of patient care through personalized rehabilitation,” according to HealthPark Care Center’s website. “(It) offers a comfortable, homelike environment, and features private and semi-private rooms.”
Life Care Centers of America, which runs the 155-bed Life Care of Estero, operates or manages more than 200 skilled nursing, rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s and senior living campuses in 27 states.
The company is committed to being a premier provider of long-term health care, according to its website.
“It is our desire to be the facility of choice in any community in which we operate,” according to the website. “Our programs, services and facilities must be designed and operated with superior quality in order to satisfy the needs of our customers.”
How did Newsweek do the analysis?
Nursing homes were evaluated in four areas that include performance data, peer recommendations, accreditations and resident satisfaction.
Performance data carried an increased weight in 2026 to reflect the growing emphasis on clinical quality metrics.
Nursing homes were categorized based on bed count, starting with 50 to 99 beds and the second category is 100 to 149 beds. The third is 150 beds and more.
Statista used data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to determine the performance of nursing home
To see the complete Newsweek list, go to rankings.newsweek.com/americas-best-nursing-homes-2026.
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