Nursing HomeMedicaid Medicare 5-star

Sacred Heart Nursing Home

Strong Medicare quality ratings; public reviewers often praise compassionate, family-like care. Still worth an in-person visit.

359 Summer Street, New Bedford, MA 02740|217 beds|Licensed & active

5/5

Medicare

Inspection

Quality

Staffing

Google rating

3.7/5

based on 18 Google reviews

(508) 996-6751 Directions Website

Street View

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What this means for your family

Sacred Heart Nursing Home has a strong overall Medicare rating. Public reviewers frequently mention: compassionate, family-like care and professional and attentive nursing staff. Review the component ratings and current source records before deciding.

Google Reviews

18 public Google reviews available

Sacred Heart Nursing Home receives highly polarized feedback, with many families praising the staff as compassionate and professional, while others report significant issues with staff attitude and communication. While some families describe the facility as a second home where residents are treated like family, others have raised serious concerns regarding unprofessional behavior by nursing staff and poor food quality. Prospective families should be aware of these inconsistencies in staff conduct and service standards.

Quality Themes

Tap a score for details

Strengths

Compassionate, family-like care
Professional and attentive nursing staff
Excellent communication with clinical teams
Engaging activities for residents

Concerns

Unprofessional and rude nursing staff (mentioned by 4 reviewers)
Poor communication and responsiveness (mentioned by 2 reviewers)

Rating Trends

Tap a year to see what changed

Distribution · 18 analyzed

How They Respond to Reviews

39%response rate

This facility responds to some reviews.

Questions for Your Tour

1With a 5-star staffing rating, how do you ensure that the high level of care remains consistent across all shifts and departments?
2I noticed some feedback regarding communication and responsiveness; what is your standard process for keeping families updated on their loved one's daily status?
3Given that some families have had mixed experiences with the nursing staff's bedside manner, how do you foster a supportive and professional environment for the team to ensure residents feel truly cared for?
4I see that you have a very active engagement program; could you walk us through a typical week of activities and how you encourage residents to participate?
5I understand that dining is an important part of daily life; what steps are you taking to improve the meal experience and variety for residents?
6Regarding the recent health inspection findings, could you share what specific changes have been implemented to address those areas and ensure the highest safety standards moving forward?

Personalized based on this facility's data

Key Review Excerpts

“We couldn’t ask for better people to be like a second family to our loved one. She has been a resident at Sacred Heart since summer 2019. We had the pleasure of personally seeing the interactions the staff, at all levels, have with the residents.”

Long-term resident's family · 2020★★★★★

“The staff was absolutely incredible! They took such good care of her and did everything possible to get her to eat or drink something even when she didn't want to. When she was put on hospice, the last two weeks of her life we were there day & night. The staff was absolutely amazing.”

Hospice family member · 2020★★★★★

“Our Mother has been at Sacred Heart going on one year and she is very happy with the Professional care and the " Love " that is given to her by all the nurses and Staff !”

Resident's child · 2020★★★★★

Source: 18 Google reviews in the current analysis set

Staffing

Staffing Hours

per resident/day · Medicare public data

RN Hours

0.66hrs

89%

Registered nurses for medical care

Total Nursing

3.87hrs

94%

All nurses + aides combined

Staff Turnover

29%

Lower is better (< 30% = good)

RN Turnover

18%

Lower is better (< 30% = good)

Both RN and total nursing hours are below the EveryPlace reference benchmarks. Ask the facility how it staffs each shift for current resident needs.

Reference benchmarks (0.75 RN and 4.1 total nursing hours per resident/day) are comparison targets, not current federal minimum requirements.

Quality Measures

Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 17 measures

Medicare Rating

3/ 5

Better Than Avg

measures

Worse Than Avg

measures

Mixed Results

measures

Long-Stay Residents

Residents with depression symptoms

↓ Lower is better

This Facility0.6%

Better than Avg

Here

0.6%

12.1%

13.7%

Bristol

12.2%

Highly dependent on how each facility screens and codes depressive symptoms, so it varies widely between facilities.

Residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better

This Facility98.9%

Better than Avg

Here

98.9%

93.4%

92.4%

Bristol

91.3%

Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication

↓ Lower is better

This Facility12.8%

Better than Avg

Here

12.8%

19.5%

19.4%

Bristol

20.1%

Residents needing more daily help over time

↓ Lower is better

This Facility21.3%

Worse than Avg

Here

21.3%

14.4%

16.9%

Bristol

21.1%

Residents whose walking got worse

↓ Lower is better

This Facility14.4%

Better than Avg

Here

14.4%

15.3%

16.4%

Bristol

19.9%

Residents whose bladder or bowel control got worse

↓ Lower is better

This Facility21.0%

Mixed vs Avgs

Here

21.0%

19.4%

21.4%

Bristol

26.1%

Short-Stay Residents (Rehab / Post-Acute)

Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu

↑ Higher is better

This Facility88.0%

Better than Avg

Here

88.0%

79.8%

77.7%

Bristol

71.0%

Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better

This Facility78.6%

Mixed vs Avgs

Here

78.6%

81.8%

77.6%

Bristol

77.3%

Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics

↓ Lower is better

This Facility0.0%

Better than Avg

Here

0.0%

1.6%

1.3%

Bristol

1.0%

Source: Medicare quality measures

US average from Medicare published data

Inspection History

Medicare Inspection History

Detailed Medicare record · up to 3-year lookback

19findings in history

Latest survey: 3 · well below MA avg (8.9)

2 complaint-triggered findings

Sacred Heart Nursing Home has faced recurring issues across multiple areas, with families filing complaints that led to citations for resident dignity and abuse prevention policies. The facility shows persistent problems with food service safety appearing in both 2024 and 2025 surveys, alongside repeated deficiencies in pressure ulcer prevention and care planning. While all violations have correction dates, the pattern of recurring food safety and wound care issues suggests ongoing operational challenges.

Aug 13, 2025Routine3 findings

0812Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies

Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.

0880Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

0686Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.

Jun 25, 2024Routine7 findings

0812Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies

Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.

0881Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Implement a program that monitors antibiotic use.

0921Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Environmental Deficiencies

Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.

0656Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

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.

0658Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.

0686Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.

0699Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide care or services that was trauma informed and/or culturally competent.

Apr 16, 2024Complaint2 findings

0557Potential for harm · IsolatedResolved (past non-compliance)

Resident Rights Deficiencies

Honor the resident's right to be treated with respect and dignity and to retain and use personal possessions.

0607Potential for harm · IsolatedResolved (past non-compliance)

Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies

Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft.

Mar 31, 2023Routine7 findings

0584Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

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.

0712Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies

Ensure that the resident and his/her doctor meet face-to-face at all required visits.

0804Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies

Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.

0656Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

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.

0679Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.

0757Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Pharmacy Service Deficiencies

Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.

0760Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Pharmacy Service Deficiencies

Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.

Ownership & Operations

Who Operates This Facility

Owner / Operator

Sacred Heart Nursing Home

Organization Type

nonprofit

Chain Affiliation

Chain Name

Diocesan Health Facilities

Chain Size

5 facilities nationwide

Chain avg rating: 3.6/5 · Rank 1 of 5 (Highest rating)

Ownership & Management

Key personnel

Mello, CurtisContracted Managing EmployeeDavis, JenniferW-2 Managing EmployeeKiley, KevinOfficer / DirectorLong, JoanneOfficer / DirectorOliveira, JohnOfficer / Director

Source: Medicare provider data

Contact

Get in Touch

Contact this facility directly and verify the details that matter most to your family.

(508) 996-6751

dhfo.org

359 Summer Street

New Bedford, MA 02740

Get Directions View on Google Maps

References & Resources

Medicare Care Compare

Official Medicare quality ratings, inspections & staffing data

Google Maps

Photos, directions & neighborhood info

Google Reviews

18 reviews from families & visitors

Official Website

Visit dhfo.org

Medicare data downloads

Original nursing home datasets

EveryPlace is a research directory. Facility information is compiled from public sources — Medicare.gov, state licensing portals, Google Places, and publicly available street-level imagery. Some summaries, interpretations, suggested questions, and pricing research are AI-generated or AI-assisted and may contain errors or omit important context. Listings do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or advertisement, and we do not accept payment for placement. Families should verify all details directly with the facility and the original sources linked above before making any care decisions. See our Research Policy for our editorial standards, correction process, and image-removal policy.