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Below-average Medicare ratings — review the inspection history and ask the administrator about recent corrections before visiting.
based on 20 Google reviews
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These current public-data fields deserve follow-up with the facility and the official Medicare record. They are not a clinical risk score or a substitute for an in-person assessment.
This facility has areas of concern that warrant careful consideration. Registered Nurse hours are 88% of the EveryPlace reference benchmark; ask how RN coverage is allocated across shifts. The latest standard survey recorded 14 findings, above the MA average of 8.9. We recommend asking the administrator directly: "How are you addressing recent staffing shortfalls?" These are not reasons to panic, but they are reasons to ask tough questions and visit in person.
West Newton Healthcare receives polarized feedback, with recent reviews highlighting significant improvements under new management since 2025. While some families praise the compassionate staff and responsive leadership, others report serious concerns regarding facility cleanliness, hygiene standards, and inconsistent communication from the administration.
Quality Themes
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Concerns
Rating Trends
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Distribution · 20 analyzed
Personalized based on this facility's data
Key Review Excerpts
“Since 2024, and especially after new management and a new Nurse Director came on board in 2025, the improvement has been remarkable. The staff are now caring, friendly, and attentive, providing more personalized care.”
“The nurses provide medications to the patients on their own schedule. The social work team does not return calls or engage in any minimal version of safe discharge planning.”
“It's smells, it sticks, it's dirty and not one resident looks clean or very groomed at all.”
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.
Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 17 measures
6
measures
10
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 needing more daily help over time
Residents whose walking got worse
Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication
Residents vaccinated for pneumonia
Residents whose bladder or bowel control got worse
Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia
Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu
Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics
US average from Medicare published data
Detailed Medicare record · up to 3-year lookback
West Newton Healthcare has 92 deficiencies across four surveys, including one complaint from a family regarding medical records management. The facility shows persistent problems with care planning, pressure ulcer prevention, and medication management appearing repeatedly across multiple inspections. Issues with fire safety, infection control, and resident rights also recur frequently. While all deficiencies have reported correction dates, the recurring nature of problems across surveys suggests ongoing challenges with maintaining consistent care standards.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide routine and 24-hour emergency dental care for each resident.
Infection Control Deficiencies
Develop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
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
Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Assist a resident in gaining access to vision and hearing services.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Infection Control Deficiencies
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Smoke Deficiencies
Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.
Smoke Deficiencies
Install an approved automatic sprinkler system.
Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Post nurse staffing information every day.
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
Provide properly protected cooking facilities.
Smoke Deficiencies
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
Miscellaneous Deficiencies
Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
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
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
Administration Deficiencies
Provide timely, quality laboratory services/tests to meet the needs of residents.
Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Infection Control Deficiencies
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Environmental Deficiencies
Regularly inspect all bed frames, mattresses, and bed rails (if any) for safety; and all bed rails and mattresses must attach safely to the bed frame.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Honor the resident's right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal and the facility must establish a grievance policy and make prompt efforts to resolve grievances.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies
Ensure that each resident is free from the use of physical restraints, unless needed for medical treatment.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
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
Assist a resident in gaining access to vision and hearing services.
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 enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide care or services that was trauma informed and/or culturally competent.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Try different approaches before using a bed rail. If a bed rail is needed, the facility must (1) assess a resident for safety risk; (2) review these risks and benefits with the resident/representative; (3) get informed consent; and (4) Correctly install and maintain the bed rail.
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.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide or obtain dental services for each resident.
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.
Smoke Deficiencies
Install smoke barrier doors that can resist smoke for at least 20 minutes.
Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Post nurse staffing information every day.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Emergency Preparedness Deficiencies
Address patient/client population and determine types of services needed.
Miscellaneous Deficiencies
Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Honor the resident's right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice.
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
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
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 safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being.
Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Observe each nurse aide's job performance and give regular training.
Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
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.
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.
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.
Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.
Smoke Deficiencies
Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Allow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate.
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.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Honor the resident's right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal and the facility must establish a grievance policy and make prompt efforts to resolve grievances.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
PASARR screening for Mental disorders or Intellectual Disabilities
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Ensure that feeding tubes are not used unless there is a medical reason and the resident agrees; and provide appropriate care for a resident with a feeding tube.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide care or services that was trauma informed and/or culturally competent.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Ensure each resident must receive and the facility must provide necessary behavioral health care and services.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide medically-related social services to help each resident achieve the highest possible quality of life.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide or obtain dental services for each resident.
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
Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently.
Administration Deficiencies
Establish a governing body that is legally responsible for establishing and implementing policies for managing and operating the facility and appoints a properly licensed administrator responsible for managing the facility.
Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Designate a physician to serve as medical director responsible for implementation of resident care policies and coordination of medical care in the facility.
Administration Deficiencies
Have a plan that describes the process for conducting QAPI and QAA activities.
Administration Deficiencies
Have the Quality Assessment and Assurance group have the required members and meet at least quarterly
Infection Control Deficiencies
Develop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
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.
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
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Federal Penalties
Fine
Feb 2, 2024
$184,166
West Newton Healthcare
for profit
Next Step Healthcare
14 facilities nationwide
Chain avg rating: 1.9/5 · Rank 5 of 14
Key personnel
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