Polaris Healthcare and Rehabilitation CenterCMS ratings, inspections and fines
- Address
- 21 W Clarke Avenue, Milford, DE 19963
- CCN
- 085058
- Ownership type
- For-profit, limited liability company
- Certified beds
- 100
- Residents per day
- 94
- CMS flags
- None in the CMS record
Open the watch listCare Compare record (Medicare.gov)
The watch list stays in this browser. After each CMS update, it shows the values that changed at the homes on the list.
CMS gives Polaris Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center an overall rating of 2 of 5 stars. The last standard survey was on 11 Feb 2026. The latest survey cycle has 9 health citations. The median for nursing homes in Delaware is 9. CMS lists 3 fines with a total of $153,884 for this home in its penalties file.
Facilities may see a change in their overall rating for a number of reasons. Since the overall rating is based on three individual domains, a change in any one of the domains can affect the overall rating. Any new data for a nursing home could potentially change a star rating domain.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Five-Star Quality Rating System: Technical Users' Guide, July 2026. CMS processed this record on .
Since the last CMS update
The site has no recorded change for this home. In each CMS update, the site compares the ratings, the penalties and the citations of each home.
Ratings
CMS gives each home 1 to 5 stars for health inspections, for staffing and for quality measures, and one overall rating.
| Rating (1 to 5 stars) | This home | Sussex County median | Delaware median | US average (CMS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Health inspection rating | 2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 |
| Staffing rating | 2 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.9 |
| Quality measure rating | 4 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.6 |
A median is the middle value of the homes in the group: 12 homes in the county, 44 homes in the state. What the CMS star ratings measure
Citations by survey cycle
CMS keeps the last three cycles, and cycle 1 is the latest. A cycle has one standard survey. Citations from complaint and infection control inspections go into cycles of 12 months.
| Survey cycle | Standard survey | Citations | Delaware median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cycle 1 (latest) | 11 Feb 2026 | 9 | 9 |
| Cycle 2 | 28 Jan 2025 | 39 | 12 |
| Cycle 3 | No date | 19 | 10 |
Health citations
The record of one deficiency in an inspection. One inspection can give many citations.
Scope and severity. A letter from A to L on each citation. Scope is the number of residents that the deficiency affected. Severity is the level of harm.
| Severity | Isolated | Pattern | Widespread |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety | J0 | L0 | |
| Actual harm that is not immediate jeopardy | H0 | I0 | |
| No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm | F0 | ||
| No actual harm, potential for minimal harm | A0 | C0 |
Survey cycle 1 (latest): 9 citations
Standard survey of this cycle: .
| Survey date | F-tag | Requirement (CMS text) | Scope and severity | Survey type | Corrected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb 2026 | F0552 | Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments. | D | Standard survey | 17 Mar 2026 |
| 11 Feb 2026 | F0582 | Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered. | D | Standard survey | 17 Mar 2026 |
| 11 Feb 2026 | F0610 | Respond appropriately to all alleged violations. | D | Standard survey | 17 Mar 2026 |
| 11 Feb 2026 | 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 | 17 Mar 2026 |
| 11 Feb 2026 | F0689 | Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. | G | Standard survey | 24 Aug 2025 |
| 11 Feb 2026 | F0695 | Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed. | D | Standard survey | 17 Mar 2026 |
| 11 Feb 2026 | F0880 | Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. | D | Standard survey | 17 Mar 2026 |
| 11 Aug 2025 | F0726 | 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. | D | Complaint investigation | 11 Sep 2025 |
| 11 Aug 2025 | F0791 | Provide or obtain dental services for each resident. | D | Complaint investigation | 11 Sep 2025 |
Survey cycle 2: 39 citations
Standard survey of this cycle: .
| Survey date | F-tag | Requirement (CMS text) | Scope and severity | Survey type | Corrected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0561 | Honor the resident's right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0567 | Honor the resident's right to manage his or her financial affairs. | D | Complaint investigation | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0578 | Honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0580 | Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. | D | Complaint investigation | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0585 | 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. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0609 | Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities. | D | Complaint investigation | 24 Apr 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0610 | Respond appropriately to all alleged violations. | D | Complaint investigation | 24 Apr 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0622 | Not transfer or discharge a resident without an adequate reason; and must provide documentation and convey specific information when a resident is transferred or discharged. | D | Complaint investigation | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0625 | 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. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0626 | Permit a resident to return to the nursing home after hospitalization or therapeutic leave that exceeds bed-hold policy. | D | Complaint investigation | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0656 | Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. | E | Complaint investigation | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 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 | Complaint investigation | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0658 | Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0677 | Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0684 | Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals. | D | Complaint investigation | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0688 | 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. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0689 | Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. | D | Complaint investigation | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 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 | Complaint investigation | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0692 | Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0695 | Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0697 | Provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services. | G | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0710 | Obtain a doctor's order to admit a resident and ensure the resident is under a doctor's care. | D | Complaint investigation | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0730 | Observe each nurse aide's job performance and give regular training. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0755 | Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0758 | Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0760 | Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors. | K | Complaint investigation | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 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 | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0773 | Provide or obtain laboratory tests/services when ordered and promptly tell the ordering practitioner of the results. | D | Complaint investigation | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0791 | Provide or obtain dental services for each resident. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0805 | Ensure each resident receives and the facility provides food prepared in a form designed to meet individual needs. | D | Complaint investigation | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 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 | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0842 | Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. | D | Complaint investigation | 24 Apr 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0941 | Develop, implement, and/or maintain an effective training program that includes effective communications for direct care staff members. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0942 | Ensure that staff members are educated on resident rights and facility responsibilities to properly care for its residents. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0944 | Conduct mandatory training, for all staff, on the facility’s Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Program. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0945 | Include as part of its infection prevention and control program, mandatory training that includes written standards, policies, and procedures for the program. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0946 | Provide training in compliance and ethics. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0947 | Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 28 Jan 2025 | F0949 | Provide behavior health training consistent with the requirements and as determined by a facility assessment. | D | Standard survey | 18 Mar 2025 |
Survey cycle 3: 19 citations
The CMS provider file has no standard survey date for this cycle.
| Survey date | F-tag | Requirement (CMS text) | Scope and severity | Survey type | Corrected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Jul 2024 | F0660 | Plan the resident's discharge to meet the resident's goals and needs. | D | Complaint investigation | 26 Aug 2024 |
| 9 Jul 2024 | F0745 | Provide medically-related social services to help each resident achieve the highest possible quality of life. | D | Complaint investigation | 26 Aug 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0550 | Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights. | D | Complaint investigation | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0552 | Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments. | D | Standard survey | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0558 | Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident. | D | Standard survey | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0582 | Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered. | D | Standard survey | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0584 | 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. | B | Standard survey | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0609 | Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities. | D | Complaint investigation | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0641 | Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment. | D | Standard survey | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0645 | PASARR screening for Mental disorders or Intellectual Disabilities | D | Standard survey | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 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 | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | 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 | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0686 | Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing. | D | Standard survey | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0689 | Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. | G | Complaint investigation | 24 Oct 2022 |
| 11 Apr 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 | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0695 | Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed. | D | Standard survey | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0756 | Ensure a licensed pharmacist perform a monthly drug regimen review, including the medical chart, following irregularity reporting guidelines in developed policies and procedures. | D | Standard survey | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0758 | Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited. | D | Standard survey | 3 Jun 2024 |
| 11 Apr 2024 | F0812 | Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. | E | Standard survey | 3 Jun 2024 |
The requirement text is the CMS summary of the F-tag. It is not the report of the surveyor. How to read an inspection report
Penalties
A fine, or a payment denial: a period in which Medicare or Medicaid does not pay for new admissions. The CMS penalties file holds three years.
| Date | Type | Fine | Days without payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb 2026 | Fine | $26,685 | |
| 28 Jan 2025 | Fine | $114,368 | |
| 11 Apr 2024 | Fine | $12,831 |
Staffing
Hours per resident per day. The nurse hours for one resident on an average day. CMS calculates the figure from the hours that the home reports for a quarter.
| Staff | This home | Delaware median | Delaware average (CMS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All nurse staff | 3.96 | 3.90 | 4.35 |
| Registered nurses (RN) | 0.76 | 0.80 | 0.97 |
| Licensed practical nurses (LPN) | 1.26 | 0.98 | |
| Nurse aides | 1.94 | 2.40 | |
| All nurse staff, weekends | 3.67 | 3.60 | 3.89 |
- Nurse staff turnover in a year
- 67.8%
- Nurse staff turnover, Delaware median
- 41.7%
- RN turnover in a year
- 79.4%
- Administrators who left in a year
- 1
Homes report the hours to CMS in the Payroll-Based Journal.
Quality measures
A figure that CMS calculates from the assessments of residents. One example is the percentage of long-stay residents with a fall and a major injury.
| Measure (CMS text) | Residents | This home | Delaware median | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased | Long Stay | 13.7% | 11.9% | 12.6% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder | Long Stay | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection | Long Stay | 1.0% | 1.2% | 0.9% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury | Long Stay | 0.6% | 2.8% | 2.8% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication | Short Stay | 0.4% | 0.5% | 1.0% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened | Long Stay | 17.2% | 14.5% | 12.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers | Long Stay | 5.3% | 3.4% | 4.2% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication | Long Stay | 7.8% | 10.3% | 13.4% |
For each measure in this table, CMS gives more points in the quality measure rating for a lower percentage. The site calculates the medians from the CMS file. What the CMS star ratings measure
Ownership
An organisation in the CMS ownership file. CMS records its role, for example an ownership interest, operational or managerial control, or a mortgage interest.
- Ownership type
- For-profit, limited liability company
- Legal business name
- Polaris Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center LLC
- Chain
- Nationwide Healthcare Services (7 homes in the CMS chain file)
| Organisation | Role in the CMS record | Interest | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide Healthcare Services | Operational/managerial control | 20 May 2019 |
The site shows organisations only. It does not show the names of persons.
Other homes in Sussex County
| Nursing home | City | Overall rating | Citations, latest cycle | Fines | Last standard survey | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milford Center | Milford | 2 of 5 | 12 | $176,862 | 9 Mar 2026 | |
| Delaware Veterans Home | Milford | 4 of 5 | 7 | $118,757 | 12 Mar 2026 | |
| Delaware Bay Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center | Georgetown | 2 of 5 | 9 | $62,618 | 31 Jul 2025 | |
| Excelcare at Lewes LLC | Lewes | 2 of 5 | 24 | $106,560 | 18 Feb 2026 | |
| The Moorings at Lewes | Lewes | 5 of 5 | 0 | $0 | 9 Jan 2026 | |
| Willowbrooke Court Skilled Center at Manor House | Seaford | 5 of 5 | 3 | $0 | 6 May 2025 | |
| Lofland Park Center | Seaford | 4 of 5 | 6 | $0 | 13 Jun 2025 | |
| Seaford Center | Seaford | 3 of 5 | 10 | $192,384 | 9 Sep 2025 | |
| Cadia Rehabilitation Renaissance | Millsboro | 3 of 5 | 11 | $13,627 | 25 Aug 2025 | |
| Ocean Grove Post Acute | Millsboro | 2 of 5 | 18 | $0 | 2 Jul 2025 | |
| Delmar Nursing & Rehabilitation Center | Delmar | 5 of 5 | 4 | $23,998 | 5 Dec 2025 |
Official channels
- Care Compare record of this nursing homeMedicare.gov. The official CMS record of this home.
- Contact information for State Survey AgenciesCMS. The web address and the telephone number of the State Survey Agency of each state. These agencies investigate complaints about nursing homes.
- Filing a complaintMedicare.gov. The page names the State Survey Agency as the place for a complaint about nursing home care or facility conditions.
- Eldercare LocatorAdministration for Community Living. A public service that connects older adults and their families to local services. Telephone: 1-800-677-1116.
Cite this page
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Care Compare. Record of Polaris Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center (CCN 085058). Data processed 1 Aug 2026. Elder Care Record, https://eldercarerecord.com/facility/polaris-healthcare-and-rehabilitation-center-milford-de-085058/
Provenance
- Licence
- US government work, public domain
- CMS processed the data on
A program makes this page from the CMS files, and the same files always give the same text. How the site makes the figures. Report an error.
Questions
- When was Polaris Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center last inspected?
- The latest inspection with a citation in the CMS record was on 11 Feb 2026. It was a standard survey. It gave 7 citations. The standard survey before the last one was on 28 Jan 2025.
- Who operates Polaris Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center?
- The CMS record gives the ownership type as for-profit, limited liability company. CMS lists the home in the chain Nationwide Healthcare Services. The CMS ownership file names Nationwide Healthcare Services for operational or managerial control. This site does not show the names of persons.
- Is Polaris Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center a Special Focus Facility?
- No. The CMS provider file lists no Special Focus status for this home. CMS lists 1 home in Delaware as a Special Focus Facility and 5 as candidates.
- Where does the data on this page come from?
- The data comes from the CMS Care Compare files for nursing homes. CMS processed the files on 1 Aug 2026. The Care Compare record on Medicare.gov is the official record of the home.