Highland Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
Below-average Medicare ratings — review the inspection history and ask the administrator about recent corrections before visiting.
based on 55 Google reviews

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Quality Concerns Identified
Medicare inspection and quality data reveal areas that families should carefully evaluate before choosing this facility.
- Low overall rating (1/5 stars)
- Low staffing rating (2/5 stars)
- Above-median deficiencies (14 vs median 6.0)
- High staff turnover (54%)
- High RN turnover (69%)
Bottom 25% in NY · Below recommended RN staffing · Worst in PERSONAL HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT chain · No penalties on record
What this means for your family
This facility shows a significant gap between its rehabilitation success stories and reports of neglect. If you are considering this center, you must conduct an in-person tour to verify cleanliness and ask specifically about their nurse-to-patient ratios and communication protocols for family updates.
Google Reviews
Google Reviews
55 reviews on Google“Highland Rehabilitation and Nursing Center receives highly polarized feedback, with some families praising the compassionate care and successful rehab outcomes, while others report severe neglect and hygiene issues. Common criticisms include chronic understaffing, poor communication from management, and unsanitary conditions, while supporters highlight specific staff members who provided attentive care.”
Quality Themes
Tap a score for detailsStrengths
- Compassionate individual staff members
- Effective physical therapy programs
- Successful rehabilitation and recovery outcomes
- Engaging recreation and activity department
Concerns
- Chronic understaffing and slow response times (mentioned by 9 reviewers)
- Poor facility hygiene and cleanliness (mentioned by 7 reviewers)
- Lack of communication and inaccessible management (mentioned by 6 reviewers)
- Neglect of basic resident needs (hygiene, medication, hydration) (mentioned by 5 reviewers)
Rating Trends
Tap a year to see what changed
Distribution · 56 analyzed
How They Respond to Reviews
Questions for Your Tour
- 1Given the recent feedback regarding facility cleanliness, what specific protocols and schedules are currently in place to ensure resident living areas remain sanitized and well-maintained?
- 2I noticed the facility has a very active recreation department; could you walk me through a typical weekly activity calendar and how you encourage residents to participate?
- 3With staffing levels being a common point of discussion, what is your current strategy for ensuring consistent response times for call bells and daily assistance needs?
- 4How does your leadership team facilitate regular communication with families, and what is the best way for us to get updates on our loved one's care plan?
- 5Since physical therapy is a noted strength here, how do you coordinate between the therapy team and nursing staff to ensure a resident's progress is maintained throughout the day?
- 6Can you explain your internal process for medication management and how you monitor for accuracy and timely administration?
Personalized based on this facility's data
Key Review Excerpts
“The staff goes out of their way to tell you they'll be back in 5 minutes, then disappear never to be seen again. The facility itself is fine, but the housekeeping terrible. Floors, tables, surfaces are dirty and littered.”
“My mother was in her for a month or so.This place is nasty. The dirty floor and bedding. They are so understaffed. They need to be shut down. Leaving residence in dirty diapers and beds.”
“My Great Aunt was recently at this facility for rehab after a fall and was extremely impressed. The staff was very helpful and engaging, she loved the recreation department and all the programs offered during her stay.”
Staffing
Staffing Hours
per resident/day · Medicare 2026Both RN and total nursing hours are below national benchmarks. This can mean less clinical attention per resident, so ask about their staffing plan.
Quality Measures
Quality Measures
Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 17 measures
7
measures
9
measures
1
measures
Residents with depression symptoms
Highly dependent on how each facility screens and codes depressive symptoms, so it varies widely between facilities.
Residents vaccinated for pneumonia
Residents whose walking got worse
Residents who lost too much weight
Residents whose bladder or bowel control got worse
Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication
Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu
Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia
Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics
US average from Medicare published data
Inspection History
Medicare Inspection History
3-year lookback · Medicare 2026
Families have filed multiple complaint reports, triggering 8 deficiencies across recent surveys at Highland Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. The facility shows recurring problems in resident rights and care planning, dining services, and building safety systems spanning four surveys from 2018 to 2025. While all identified deficiencies have reported correction dates, the persistent nature of issues across multiple years raises concerns about sustained quality improvements.
Feb 6, 2026Complaint3
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Jul 3, 2025Routine17
Smoke Deficiencies
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
Services Deficiencies
Ensure heating and ventilation systems that have been properly installed according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies
Provide each resident with a nourishing, palatable, well-balanced diet that meets his or her daily nutritional and special dietary needs.
Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Administration Deficiencies
Conduct and document a facility-wide assessment to determine what resources are necessary to care for residents competently during both day-to-day operations (including nights and weekends) and emergencies.
Infection Control Deficiencies
Educate residents and staff on COVID-19 vaccination, offer the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible residents and staff after education, and properly document each resident and staff member's vaccination status.
Miscellaneous Deficiencies
To conduct inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors by qualified individuals.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
Infection Control Deficiencies
Develop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Construction Deficiencies
Use approved construction type or materials.
Egress Deficiencies
Have exits that are accessible at all times.
Smoke Deficiencies
Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.
Smoke Deficiencies
Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
Smoke Deficiencies
Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies
Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.
Jul 3, 2025Complaint6
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Honor the resident's right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies
Protect each resident from the wrongful use of the resident's belongings or money.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Aug 25, 2023Routine8
Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Environmental Deficiencies
Keep all essential equipment working safely.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Notify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies
Provide special eating equipment and utensils for residents who need them and appropriate assistance.
Aug 25, 2023Complaint2
Environmental Deficiencies
Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Jan 31, 2020Routine14
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Ensure residents do not lose the ability to perform activities of daily living unless there is a medical reason.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Infection Control Deficiencies
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Smoke Deficiencies
Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.
Smoke Deficiencies
Install an approved automatic sprinkler system.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Notify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.
Ownership & Operations
Who Operates This Facility
Highland Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
for profit
Chain Affiliation
Personal Healthcare Management
21 facilities nationwide
Chain avg rating: 3.0/5 · Rank 18 of 19 (Worst)
Ownership & Management
Owners
Barth, Alexander
Owner
Walden, Yehudah
Owner
Zagelbaum, Ephraim
Owner
Zalgelbaum, Pincus
Owner
Key personnel
Contact
Get in Touch
Contact this facility directly and verify the details that matter most to your family.
References & Resources
Medicare Care Compare
Official Medicare quality ratings, inspections & staffing data
Google Maps
Photos, directions & neighborhood info
Google Reviews
55 reviews from families & visitors
Official Website
Visit highlandrnc.com
Medicare data downloads
Original nursing home datasets
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