Massachusetts › Middlesex County › Lowell
Fairhaven Healthcare Center
476 Varnum Avenue, Lowell, MA 01854
Ratings are based on the most recent data available; a facility's ratings may have changed since the last update. The health inspection rating is based on the three most recent standard surveys and complaint investigations. CMS processed this record on 1 Aug 2026. View the Care Compare record.
Certified for 169 beds, Fairhaven Healthcare Center serves Lowell in Middlesex County, Massachusetts and has taken Medicare and Medicaid residents since 1990.
CMS gives it 2 of 5 stars overall, below the Massachusetts median of 3; the health inspection rating is 2, staffing 2 and quality measures 2.
Inspectors recorded 44 health deficiencies across the three most recent survey cycles (14, 15, 15 by cycle, most recent first), 1 of them at the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy level. That is 26.0 per 100 beds, about the same as the state median of 21.7.
CMS lists 1 penalty in the period covered: fines totalling $15K.
Reported nurse staffing is 3.2 hours per resident per day (0.4 RN), close to the Massachusetts median of 3.7; nursing staff turnover is 49.5%.
Compared with county, state and nation
| Measure | This facility | Middlesex Co. median | Massachusetts median | US average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall star rating | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3.0 |
| Health citations, 3 cycles | 44 | 27 | 27 | 28.7 |
| Citations per 100 beds | 26.0 | 24.7 | 21.7 | 26.8 |
| Total nurse hours per resident day | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.9 |
| RN hours per resident day | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| Nursing staff turnover | 49.5% | 33.0% | 37.7% | 45.8% |
| Fines listed | $15,030 | $8,512 | $0 | — |
County and state figures are medians across facilities (72 in the county, 341 in the state); the US column is the CMS national average where CMS publishes one.
Citations by survey cycle
Dark bar: this facility. Grey bar: Massachusetts average per facility for the same cycle, as published by CMS. Standard health survey dates: 26 Sep 2025, 23 Oct 2024.
Severity mix: G ×1 D ×35 E ×7 C ×1
Health deficiencies
Every health citation in the current CMS record (three survey cycles), most recent first. Tag text is the CMS requirement summary, not the inspection narrative.
Scope and severity letters (A–L)
| Survey date | Tag | What the tag requires | Severity | Type | Corrected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jun 2026 | F0842 | Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. | D | Complaint investigation | 6 Jul 2026 |
| 12 Jan 2026 | F0760 | Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors. | D | Complaint investigation | 29 Dec 2025 |
| 26 Sep 2025 | F0658 | Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality. | E | Standard survey | 25 Nov 2025 |
| 26 Sep 2025 | F0550 | Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights. | D | Standard survey | 25 Nov 2025 |
| 26 Sep 2025 | F0605 | Prevent the use of unnecessary psychotropic medications or use medications that may restrain a resident's ability to function. | D | Standard survey | 25 Nov 2025 |
| 26 Sep 2025 | F0656 | Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. | D | Standard survey | 25 Nov 2025 |
| 26 Sep 2025 | F0657 | Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals. | D | Standard survey | 25 Nov 2025 |
| 26 Sep 2025 | F0677 | Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable. | D | Standard survey | 25 Nov 2025 |
| 26 Sep 2025 | F0690 | Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections. | D | Standard survey | 25 Nov 2025 |
| 26 Sep 2025 | F0698 | Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services. | D | Standard survey | 25 Nov 2025 |
| 26 Sep 2025 | F0757 | Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs. | D | Standard survey | 25 Nov 2025 |
| 26 Sep 2025 | F0759 | Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater. | D | Standard survey | 25 Nov 2025 |
| 26 Sep 2025 | F0761 | 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. | D | Standard survey | 25 Nov 2025 |
| 26 Sep 2025 | F0812 | Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. | D | Standard survey | 25 Nov 2025 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0658 | Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality. | E | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0695 | Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed. | E | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0880 | Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. | E | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0550 | Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights. | D | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0656 | Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. | D | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0677 | Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable. | D | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0686 | Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing. | D | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0689 | Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. | D | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0690 | Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections. | D | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0692 | Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health. | D | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0698 | Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services. | D | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0759 | Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater. | D | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0761 | 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. | D | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0808 | Ensure therapeutic diets are prescribed by the attending physician and may be delegated to a registered or licensed dietitian, to the extent allowed by State law. | D | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 23 Oct 2024 | F0842 | Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. | D | Standard survey | 7 Dec 2024 |
| 28 Mar 2024 | F0561 | Honor the resident's right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice. | E | Complaint investigation | 18 May 2024 |
| 19 Dec 2023 | F0689 | Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. | D | Complaint investigation | 19 Jan 2024 |
| 15 Nov 2023 | F0692 | Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health. | G | Standard survey | 22 Dec 2023 |
| 15 Nov 2023 | F0759 | Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater. | E | Standard survey | 22 Dec 2023 |
| 15 Nov 2023 | F0842 | Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. | E | Standard survey | 22 Dec 2023 |
| 15 Nov 2023 | F0554 | Allow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate. | D | Standard survey | 22 Dec 2023 |
| 15 Nov 2023 | F0580 | Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. | D | Standard survey | 22 Dec 2023 |
| 15 Nov 2023 | F0604 | Ensure that each resident is free from the use of physical restraints, unless needed for medical treatment. | D | Standard survey | 22 Dec 2023 |
| 15 Nov 2023 | F0656 | Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. | D | Standard survey | 22 Dec 2023 |
| 15 Nov 2023 | F0677 | Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable. | D | Standard survey | 22 Dec 2023 |
| 15 Nov 2023 | F0689 | Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. | D | Standard survey | 22 Dec 2023 |
| 15 Nov 2023 | F0693 | 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. | D | Standard survey | 22 Dec 2023 |
| 15 Nov 2023 | F0695 | Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed. | D | Standard survey | 22 Dec 2023 |
| 15 Nov 2023 | F0698 | Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services. | D | Standard survey | 22 Dec 2023 |
| 15 Nov 2023 | F0732 | Post nurse staffing information every day. | C | Standard survey | 22 Dec 2023 |
Penalties
| Date | Type | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Nov 2023 | Fine | $15,030 |
Staffing
Hours per resident per day as reported through the Payroll-Based Journal; grey bars are the Massachusetts average. Turnover: nursing staff 49.5%, RNs 54.5%; 0 administrators left in the reporting year.
Quality measures
| Measure | Residents | This facility | Massachusetts median | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased | Long Stay | 18.4% | 15.4% | 12.6% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder | Long Stay | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection | Long Stay | 1.3% | 1.5% | 0.9% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury | Long Stay | 5.4% | 3.3% | 2.8% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication | Short Stay | 3.3% | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened | Long Stay | 12.6% | 14.4% | 12.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers | Long Stay | 3.3% | 3.8% | 4.2% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication | Long Stay | 36.6% | 19.6% | 13.4% |
Four-quarter averages for the measures CMS uses in the quality-measure star rating (2025Q2-2026Q1). Lower is better for every measure listed. Medians are computed across facilities on this site.
Ownership
Ownership type: for-profit, limited liability company. CMS groups this facility with 15 facilities under an individual owner's name; this site does not publish people's names, so no chain page is linked. Legal business name: Varnum Ops Llc.
No organisations are listed in the CMS ownership record for this facility.
Only organisations are shown. CMS also records individual owners, officers and managing employees; this site does not publish people's names.
Other nursing homes in Middlesex County
| Facility | City | Beds | Overall | Health | Staffing | Citations | Per 100 beds | Fines | Last survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberjona Rehabilitation and Nursing Center | Winchester | 123 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 4.9 | — | 15 May 2024 |
| Bear Hill Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center | Stoneham | 169 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 27 | 16.0 | $16K | 15 Jan 2026 |
| Bethany Skilled Nursing Facility | Framingham | 169 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2.4 | $9K | 26 Sep 2024 |
| Brookhaven At Lexington | Lexington | 49 | 5 | 5 | — | 4 | 8.2 | — | 22 Oct 2024 |
| Campion Health & Wellness, Inc | Weston | 70 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1.4 | — | 12 Apr 2023 |
| Care One At Wilmington | Wilmington | 132 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3.0 | — | 31 Jul 2025 |
| Carleton-Willard Village Retirement & Nursing Ctr | Bedford | 179 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 6.1 | $25K | 10 Jun 2025 |
| D'Youville Care For Advanced Therapy | Lowell | 33 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 15.2 | — | 9 Apr 2024 |
All 72 facilities in Middlesex County
Questions and answers
How many deficiencies has Fairhaven Healthcare Center been cited for?
44 health deficiencies across the three most recent survey cycles, 1 at the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy level. The Massachusetts median is 27 per facility.
Has Fairhaven Healthcare Center been fined?
Yes. CMS lists fines totalling $15K in the period covered.
How does staffing at Fairhaven Healthcare Center compare?
Reported total nurse staffing is 3.2 hours per resident per day against a Massachusetts median of 3.7 and a national average of 3.9.
Who operates Fairhaven Healthcare Center?
CMS groups it with other facilities under an individual owner, whose name this site does not publish. Ownership type is for-profit, limited liability company. Individual owners and managers are not listed on this site.
When was Fairhaven Healthcare Center last inspected?
The most recent survey or investigation in the CMS record is dated 15 Jun 2026; the most recent standard health survey was 26 Sep 2025.
Where does this data come from?
All figures are from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Care Compare datasets (provider information, health deficiencies, penalties, ownership and quality measures), processed 1 Aug 2026. Ratings and citations may change; the Care Compare record is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Care Compare nursing home datasets (provider information, health deficiencies, penalties, ownership, MDS quality measures, state and national averages), public domain, processed by CMS on 1 Aug 2026. Facility record: Care Compare. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections.