Data Sources
We believe you deserve to know exactly where our data comes from. Here is a complete breakdown of every data source CuraCare uses, how it is verified, and how often it is updated. Last updated March 15, 2026.
1. Overview
CuraCare aggregates facility information from multiple trusted sources to provide families with a comprehensive view of senior living options. We do not fabricate data, and we do not allow facilities to pay for better placement or ratings in our free directory.
Every data point on a facility listing comes from one of four sources: government data (CMS.gov), Google Places, AI-generated summaries, or user-submitted reviews. We identify the source of data wherever possible so you can evaluate it accordingly.
2. CMS.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
The majority of facility data on CuraCare comes from publicly available datasets published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
What we get from CMS
- Provider name, address, and contact information
- Facility type and care categories
- Licensed bed counts and certified bed counts
- CMS quality star ratings (overall, health inspection, staffing, quality measures)
- Inspection and survey results
- Penalty and enforcement history
- Staffing levels and turnover rates
- Medicare and Medicaid certification status
How often it updates
CMS updates its public datasets monthly. CuraCare refreshes CMS data within our system on a regular basis, typically within two weeks of a CMS release.
You can access the original CMS data directly at data.cms.gov.
3. Google Places API
To supplement government data with visual information and community ratings, CuraCare integrates with the Google Places API.
What we get from Google
- Facility photos (exterior and interior, uploaded by visitors and facility staff)
- Google Maps ratings and review counts
- Business hours (when available)
- Geographic coordinates for map display
How often it updates
Google Places data is fetched in real-time or cached for short periods. Photo and rating data reflects what is currently available on Google Maps.
Google ratings and photos are provided by Google and its users, not by CuraCare. They are subject to Google's Terms of Service.
4. AI-Generated Content (Claude by Anthropic)
CuraCare uses Claude, an AI model developed by Anthropic, to generate certain content on our platform. This helps us provide plain-language facility descriptions and power our AI care guide, Amica.
What AI generates
- Facility summary descriptions
- Plain-language explanations of care types
- Conversational responses from Amica (our AI care guide)
- Comparative overviews when users compare facilities
Important notes about AI content
- AI-generated content may contain errors, omissions, or inaccuracies. It is provided for convenience and should not be the sole basis for any care decision.
- AI summaries are based on the structured data we have for each facility. They do not reflect firsthand experience or personal inspection.
- AI content is labeled where applicable so users can distinguish it from verified data.
- Amica does not have access to your personal health information and cannot provide medical advice.
How often it updates
AI summaries are generated when facility data changes or when a summary has not been refreshed recently. Amica responses are generated in real-time based on current data in our system.
5. User-Submitted Reviews
CuraCare allows family members, residents, and visitors to submit reviews of facilities. These reviews provide valuable firsthand perspectives that complement official data sources.
What users contribute
- Written reviews from family members and residents
- Star ratings on specific dimensions (e.g., staff quality, cleanliness, value)
- Reviewer relationship to facility (family member, resident, visitor)
Moderation process
- All reviews are moderated before publication to check for spam, abusive language, and content that violates our community guidelines.
- Reviews are not edited for sentiment — we publish honest feedback, whether positive or negative.
- CuraCare does not pay for reviews, incentivize positive reviews, or suppress negative reviews.
- Facility owners can respond to reviews but cannot have them removed unless they violate our guidelines.
- We comply with FTC Endorsement Guidelines regarding the authenticity and disclosure of reviews.
6. Update Schedule
| Data Source | Source Updates | CuraCare Refresh |
|---|---|---|
| CMS.gov | Monthly | Within 2 weeks of release |
| Google Places | Real-time | Real-time / short cache |
| AI Summaries | On data change | When underlying data updates |
| User Reviews | Ongoing | After moderation (1-3 business days) |
7. Report Inaccurate Data
Accuracy matters. If you find information on CuraCare that is incorrect, outdated, or misleading, we want to know about it. We take data accuracy seriously and will investigate all reports promptly.
How to report
- On a facility page: Use the "Report an Issue" link on any facility listing to flag specific inaccuracies.
- By email: Send details to data@curacare.us with the facility name, the incorrect information, and the correct information if known.
- Contact form: Use our contact page and select "Data Accuracy" as the topic.
We aim to review all data accuracy reports within 5 business days and will update information as quickly as possible once verified.