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SANTA BARBARA, Calif.: Covenant Living at the Samarkand has been recognized as a Best Nursing Home for 2026 by U.S. News & World Report. The 63-bed community received a “high performance” designation in both short-term rehabilitation and long-term care from the publication based on patient and resident outcomes, such as hospital readmission rates; staffing levels; health inspection results and other indicators of quality. Out of 1,162 nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities in California, the Samarkand is one of 210 in the state to receive this designation.
“This recognition is a validation of our team’s commitment, not only to providing the best care possible, but also our focus of putting the resident experience first,” said Linda Perez, executive director at Covenant Living at the Samarkand. “This is a clear reflection of their hard work and focus on delivering superior care and service to residents and their family members.”
A high-performance designation is the highest level of recognition offered by U.S. News and was awarded to the Samarkand for outstanding quality in long-term care and short-term rehabilitation. The annual U.S. News Best Nursing Homes analysis serves as a resource, providing data-driven insights to families when seeking the best options for either short-term rehabilitation or comprehensive long-term care.
U.S. News’ annual evaluation of nearly 15,000 nursing homes is highly selective, recognizing fewer than 19% of the evaluated U.S. nursing homes as “Best Nursing Homes” as part of the 2026 ratings. This 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.
“U.S. News’ annual Best Nursing Homes 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,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “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.”
The 2026 U.S. News Best Nursing Homes proprietary ratings feature a significant methodology update, expanding both the Short-Term Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care ratings to include 17 distinct quality measures each, offering a comprehensive assessment.
ABOUT THE SAMARKAND
Covenant Living at the Samarkand is a faith-based, not-for-profit continuing care retirement community located at 2550 Treasure Dr., Santa Barbara, Calif. It is administered by Covenant Living Communities and Services, one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit, senior services providers. Covenant Living services 6,000 residents at 20 retirement communities nationwide and is a ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church. For more information, please visit http://www.covliving.org or call 877-231-6284.
