Long Island State Veterans Home In Stony Brook Recognized As A 'Best Nursing Home For 2026'

STONY BROOK, NY — U.S. News & World Report has recognized the Long Island State Veterans Home at Stony Brook University has been recognized as a Best Nursing Home for 2026, Stony Brook Medicine officials said Monday.

The home has been designated a "High Performance" facility, which is the highest level of recognition offered by U.S. News. It was awarded to the Long Island State Veterans Home at Stony Brook University for outstanding quality in Short-Term Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care.

The home is a 350-bed skilled nursing facility, which is operated under Stony Brook Medicine, also has a 40-registrant medical model Adult Day Health Care program to care for honorably discharged veterans. It has provided care to more than 15,000 veterans since opening in 1991.

U.S. News’ annual evaluation of nursing homes recognizes fewer than 19 percent of the evaluated U.S. nursing homes as “Best Nursing Homes” as part of the 2026 ratings. The designation is reserved only for facilities that satisfy U.S. News’ rigorous, proprietary assessment criteria demonstrating a consistent and superior commitment to quality patient and resident care.

For the 2026 edition, U.S. News evaluated nearly 15,000 nursing homes on patient and resident outcomes, such as hospital readmission rates, staffing levels, health inspection results, and other indicators of quality.

Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News, said that the publication's ratings are designed to place the needs of patients and residents at the center of the selection process, equipping families with reliable, fact-driven metrics when making crucial care decisions."

“We are proud to spotlight the nursing homes across the country that consistently demonstrate exceptional care quality and prioritize both the safety and long-term well-being of those they serve," he said.

Dr. William Wertheim, executive vice president of Stony Brook Medicine, said that achieving high performance "in both short-term rehabilitation and long-term care reflects the skill, dedication, and compassion of our entire Long Island State Veterans Home team."

"Their commitment ensures that veterans and their families can depend on Stony Brook for exceptional, reliable care,” he said. “We are proud to support a facility that upholds the highest standards in serving those who have served our nation.”

Fred Sganga, executive director of the home, said that he is "deeply honored" that it has been recognized.

"This distinction reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering the highest quality and most compassionate care to our nation’s heroes," he said. "Every day, our dedicated team strives to ensure that the men and women who have served our country receive the dignity, respect, and support they so richly deserve. This recognition is a testament to their tireless efforts and to our mission of honoring veterans through exceptional care."