Choosing a nursing home near Fort Smith

A plain-English guide for families, whichever nursing home you choose.

Published October 23, 2026 by Riverside Health Services, Arkoma, Oklahoma. This guide is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your loved one’s physician about their needs.

Signs it may be time for skilled nursing

  • A hospital or physician recommends skilled nursing or rehab after a stay.
  • Falls are happening, or getting around safely at home has become hard.
  • Your loved one needs more help with bathing, dressing, eating or toileting than family can safely give.
  • Medical needs have grown, such as wound care, complex medications, oxygen, a tracheostomy or a ventilator.
  • Medications are being missed or mixed up.
  • The family caregiver is exhausted, or their own health is suffering.

Short-term rehab is often the first step: a few weeks of therapy and nursing care after a hospital stay, with the goal of going home.

Check the public record

Every Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing home has a profile on Medicare Care Compare, with ratings, staffing and inspection results. In Oklahoma, inspection reports are also available from the Oklahoma State Department of Health. In Arkansas, ask the Arkansas Department of Human Services. Look at any nursing home you are considering, including ours: Riverside on Care Compare.

Plan how care will be paid for

Medicare can cover short-term skilled nursing and rehab for qualifying stays, but not long-term care when that is the only care needed. Medicaid is run by each state, which matters near the state line. See our guide to paying for care.

Printable checklist: questions to ask on any tour

  1. How are care plans built, and how often are families included?
  2. Who do we call with questions, day or night?
  3. How many nurses and aides are on each shift?
  4. What therapy is available, and how are rehab goals tracked?
  5. Can you care for a ventilator or tracheostomy if needs change?
  6. How do Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid apply to our situation?
  7. What are the visiting hours and rules?
  8. What does a typical day look like for residents?
  9. Can we see a resident room, the dining room and the therapy area?
  10. Can we read your most recent inspection report?

What to have ready

Bring these to your first call

Having these handy helps us answer your questions faster.

  1. Your loved one’s current location (home, hospital or another facility)
  2. Insurance cards, including the red, white and blue Medicare card (with the Medicare number), any Medicare Advantage card, and Medicaid (SoonerCare) information
  3. A photo ID
  4. A list of current medications and diagnoses
  5. Respiratory equipment details, if a ventilator or trach is involved
  6. Power of attorney or guardianship papers, if someone acts for your loved one
  7. Advance directives, such as a living will or do-not-resuscitate order, if any
  8. The physician and hospital discharge planner’s contact information

Questions?

Call Riverside at (918) 875-3107. We’re glad to help, even if you are still comparing.