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Assisted Living

Where the Heart is

Families consistently rate this highly — reviewers highlight warm, compassionate, and friendly staff. Schedule a visit to confirm the fit.

410 S Norris St, Burlington, WA 9823384 bedsLicensed & Active
Source: WA DSHS — view official record
Google rating
4.1/5

based on 41 Google reviews

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Where the Heart is Assisted Living in Burlington, WA — Street View
Street View

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What this means for your family

While many families have historically praised the compassionate staff and welcoming atmosphere, recent reviews from 2025 indicate a concerning decline in care standards and communication. We strongly recommend that you conduct an unannounced visit and specifically ask management how they track personal belongings and ensure hygiene standards are met, given recent reports of missing items and cleanliness issues.

Google Reviews

Google Reviews

41 reviews on Google
Where The Heart Is receives high praise for its warm, compassionate staff and welcoming environment, particularly from families of long-term residents. However, recent reviews highlight significant concerns regarding inconsistent care, missing personal items, poor communication, and lapses in hygiene and facility maintenance.

Quality Themes

Tap a score for details
Food4.0Staff7.0Clean4.0Activities8.0Meds3.0Memory7.0Comms3.0Value4.0

Strengths

  • Warm, compassionate, and friendly staff
  • Welcoming and home-like atmosphere
  • Effective and supportive transition process for new residents
  • Strong community engagement and activities

Concerns

  • Missing personal belongings, clothing, and medical equipment (mentioned by 3 reviewers)
  • Poor communication regarding resident health and facility issues (mentioned by 2 reviewers)
  • Inconsistent hygiene and cleanliness (e.g., food on clothes, odor in rooms) (mentioned by 2 reviewers)
  • Understaffing and lack of responsiveness to resident needs (mentioned by 2 reviewers)

Rating Trends

Tap a year to see what changed

234'14(1)'18(2)'20(2)'22(10)'24(1)'26(3)

Distribution · 42 analyzed

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1
8

How They Respond to Reviews

77%response rate

This facility actively engages with reviewer feedback.

Questions for Your Tour

  • 1It is so wonderful to see how much the staff engages with the residents; how do you ensure that this warm, personal connection remains consistent even during busy shifts?
  • 2We want to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible for our loved one; what specific steps do you take to help new residents settle into the community and feel at home?
  • 3What are some of the favorite community activities or social outings that residents participate in during the week?
  • 4How does the care team communicate important updates regarding a resident's health or changes in their daily well-being to the family?
  • 5What protocols are in place to ensure that personal items, like clothing or medical equipment, are carefully tracked and kept organized?
  • 6Could you tell us more about your medication management process and how you ensure everything is handled accurately and timely?

Personalized based on this facility's data


Key Review Excerpts

Specific caregivers go out of their way to care for Sally. Concerns: 1. Sally’s clothes and wheelchair are often caked with food. 2. Items (glasses, wheelchair pad, clothing) often go missing and we have to find them.

Memory care family member · 2025★★★★

The reality we experienced could not have been further from those initial observations. Once our Mother moved in, nothing was provided as promised in the tour. We had to ask multiple times regarding housekeeping, laundry service, 2 hr regular nurse check-ins, shower support.

Long-term resident's family · 2025☆☆☆☆

I frequently can't find clothes or items that clearly have been marked as her belongings. Also, my cousin reported smelling urine in her laundry and bathroom. I believe the most important is lack of communication.

Long-term resident's family · 2025★★★☆☆
Source: 41 Google reviews

State Inspection History

State Inspections

Source: WA Dept. of Social & Health Services

10total
45deficiencies
Mar 2, 2026Fire

Previous inspection on 12/08/2025 resulted in multiple violations, several of which were noted as corrected by the 03/02/2026 inspection. The facility status is Disapproved.

Sprinkler systems testing and maintenanceIFC 903.5 2021

Facility unable to provide documentation for annual forward flow test.

Automatic fire-extinguishing systems serviceIFC 904.13.5.2 2021

New kitchen stove has a shelf blocking the nozzle flow of the suppression system.

Smoke detector sensitivityIFC 907.8.3 2021

Facility unable to provide documentation for required sensitivity testing and has not maintained a nuisance log; 3 failed tests require repair.

Jan 13, 2026Enforcement
$700.00Report

This letter serves as formal notice of civil fines totaling $700.00 for uncorrected deficiencies previously cited on October 24, 2025.

Resident rights—Notice—Policy on accepting medicaid as a payment sourceWAC 388-78A-2665 (6)

The facility failed to provide its Medicaid policy to five residents, resulting in those residents not having a signed policy on file regarding facility acceptance of Medicaid as a payment source. Previously cited on October 24, 2025.

Negotiated service agreement contentsWAC 388-78A-2140 (1)(a)(ii)(d)(2)

The facility failed to include assessed needs and the facility's roles and responsibilities in the Negotiated Service Agreement (NSA) regarding medications and their management for one resident. Previously cited on October 24, 2025.

Jan 13, 2026Inspection

Includes uncorrected deficiencies previously cited on 10/24/2025.; Pages 11-24 provided. Several deficiencies regarding infection control and food safety were noted as repeat violations from 2023.

Negotiated service agreement contentsWAC 388-78A-2140

Facility failed to include assessed needs and facility's roles/responsibilities regarding medication management in the Negotiated Service Agreement (NSA) for 1 of 5 residents.

Policies and proceduresWAC 388-78A-2600

Facility failed to follow controlled substance management policy; 3 of 3 narcotic books (1, 3, and 4) were not signed by staff during shift changes due to lack of overlap time.

Negotiated service agreement contentsWAC 388-78A-2140

Facility failed to include medication management information in the Negotiated Service Agreement for Resident 5.

Resident assessmentWAC 388-78A-2050

Facility failed to complete full assessments within 14 days of admission for Resident 7, and failed to adequately assess medication management for Residents 3, 4, 5, and 6, or preferences regarding hobbies/activities for all residents reviewed.

Disclosure of servicesWAC 388-78A-2710

Facility failed to provide nursing services as disclosed in the Disclosure of Services document (failed to schedule RN hours).

Infection controlWAC 388-78A-2610

Facility failed to maintain an adequate supply of gloves, disinfecting wipes, and trash bags in communities 3 and 4, forcing staff to purchase their own supplies.

Resident rights Notice Policy on accepting medicaidWAC 388-78A-2665

Facility failed to provide written disclosure of their Medicaid policy to 7 of 7 residents.

Resident rights Notice Policy on accepting medicaidWAC 388-78A-2665

Facility failed to provide their Medicaid policy to 5 of 5 residents, resulting in no signed Medicaid policy on file for those residents.

Food sanitationWAC 388-78A-2305

Facility failed to maintain cold food temperatures at 41 degrees F or less in communities 3 and 4; multiple food items measured between 45.8 and 49.7 degrees F.

Preadmission assessmentWAC 388-78A-2060

Facility failed to conduct or retain preadmission assessments for Residents 2 and 7.

Feb 26, 2025Fire

As of the 02/26/2025 inspection, all violations noted during previous inspections have been corrected.

Testing and MaintenanceIFC 903.5

Facility unable to provide documentation for annual forward flow test.

SignsIFC 912.5Corrected Jan 14, 2025

No signage to indicate location of fire department connection.

Fire DrillsWAC 212-12Corrected Jan 14, 2025

Facility cannot provide documentation for the completion of 12 planned and unannounced fire drills in previous 12 months (Quarter 3 missing for all shifts).

Application and UseIFC 603.5.2Corrected Jan 14, 2025

Power strip plugged into another power strip in community 1 nurses office.

Extinguishing System ServiceIFC 904.13.5.2Corrected Jan 14, 2025

Facility unable to provide documentation for semi-annual kitchen suppression system servicing.

MaintenanceIFC 915.6Corrected Jan 14, 2025

Facility unable to provide documentation for monthly carbon monoxide detector testing.

Door OperationIFC 705.2.4Corrected Jan 14, 2025

Cross-corridor fire doors to community #3 and #4 had inoperative door-closing coordinators.

Inspection, Testing and MaintenanceIFC 907.8Corrected Jan 14, 2025

Facility unable to provide documentation for monthly single station smoke alarm testing.

Means of Egress ContinuityIFC 1003.6Corrected Jan 14, 2025

Cart blocking emergency exit near the kitchen.

Duct and Air Transfer OpeningsIFC 706.1

Fire/Smoke damper inspection deficiencies (7 fusible links, 1 spring) not corrected.

AccessIFC 912.4Corrected Jan 14, 2025

Fire department connection located behind a fence without a gate to access from the street.

Activation TestIFC 1032.10.1Corrected Jan 14, 2025

Facility unable to provide documentation for monthly 30-second activation test for emergency lights.

Feb 3, 2025Investigation

A separate follow-up letter dated 04/09/2025 confirms that the deficiency regarding WAC 388-78A-2040-2 was subsequently corrected.

Other requirements - Building approved by state fire marshalWAC 388-78A-2040(2)

Facility failed to ensure violations for 2 Fire and Life Safety annual inspections (10/09/2024 and 01/14/2025) were corrected, including IFC 706.1 duct/air transfer opening deficiencies and IFC 904.13.5.2 annual forward flow test for the sprinkler system.

Jan 14, 2025Fire

Report reflects an inspection on 01/14/2025 where some prior items were marked corrected, but the damper issues and annual forward flow test documentation remain outstanding. Prior inspection on 10/09/2024 included multiple findings: power strip daisy-chaining, inoperative door-closing coordinators, missing kitchen suppression service, missing smoke alarm testing, blocked fire department connection, missing signage, missing CO detector testing, and blocked egress.

Testing and MaintenanceIFC 903.5 2021

Facility unable to provide documentation for the annual forward flow test in accordance with NFPA 25.

Duct and Air Transfer OpeningsIFC 706.1 2018

Fire/Smoke damper inspection from 1/23/23 showed 7 fusible links and 1 spring needing replacement; these were not corrected.

Aug 29, 2024Investigation

There are multiple investigation reports combined. Some reports (e.g., Intake 127725, 127873, 128539) were combined under Compliance Determination 40286. A follow-up inspection on 2025-01-07 found no deficiencies.

Disclosure of servicesWAC 388-78A-2710

Facility failed to have a nurse on site as disclosed, resulting in a lack of nursing oversight for a resident's pressure sore, blood sugar fluctuations, and general health decline.

Policies and proceduresWAC 388-78A-2600

Facility failed to follow its own policy regarding weekly high-risk resident meetings for Resident 1, failing to address deteriorating health conditions.

Coordination of health care servicesWAC 388-78A-2350

Facility failed to coordinate services with medical providers in a timely manner, allowing 21 days to pass between initial medical alerts for a resident and necessary emergency intervention.

Feb 21, 2024Investigation

Facility failed to report or investigate staff member seen kissing a resident on the lips and rubbing their thigh.

Reporting abuse and neglectWAC 388-78A-2630(1)(a)(b)Corrected Feb 21, 2024

The facility failed to report to the CRU hotline and law enforcement when staff noted signs that Resident 1 was potentially being abused by a staff member.

InvestigationsWAC 388-78A-2371(1)(4)Corrected Feb 21, 2024

The facility failed to conduct an investigation and failed to protect the resident during an allegation of abuse by a staff member.

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References & Resources

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