MassachusettsAyer

Ayer Valley Rehab and Nursing

400 Groton Road, Ayer, MA 01432 · Middlesex County · 123 certified beds · avg 101 residents/day · certified since Jul 1, 1990

Part of chain: STERN CONSULTANTS (22 facilities, chain avg rating 2.5★)

1/5
Health inspection rating (on-site)
6
Serious findings on record
$63,034
Fines, last 3 years
3.55
Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)

What health inspectors found (on-site government inspections — the most independent evidence available)

Health inspection rating: ★☆☆☆☆1/5 · CMS overall rating: 1/5

The health inspection star above is graded on a curve within each state — a set share of each state's facilities gets each star level — so a facility can have few citations and still rate 2–3 stars if others in its state did even better. The overall rating combines that inspection score with staffing and self-reported quality measures.

Most serious findings (actual harm or immediate jeopardy)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Mar 5, 2024 · F-0580

The facility did not immediately notify the resident, their doctor, and a family member when something significant happened — such as an injury, a decline in health, or a room change. Families and doctors are entitled to know right away.

Why it matters: A family could learn about a serious injury or decline days later, after the chance to act has passed.

Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.

Corrected: Mar 22, 2024 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Mar 5, 2024 · F-0686

The facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving.

Why it matters: Bedsores are painful, can become deeply infected, and in serious cases can be life-threatening.

Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.

Corrected: Mar 22, 2024 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Sep 27, 2023 · F-0600 · triggered by a complaint

The facility did not protect residents from abuse or neglect. This covers physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect, by anyone — staff, other residents, or visitors.

Why it matters: Abuse and neglect cause direct physical and emotional harm and are among the most serious failures a nursing home can have.

Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.

Corrected: Sep 1, 2023 (Past Non-Compliance)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Jun 16, 2022 · F-0580

The facility did not immediately notify the resident, their doctor, and a family member when something significant happened — such as an injury, a decline in health, or a room change. Families and doctors are entitled to know right away.

Why it matters: A family could learn about a serious injury or decline days later, after the chance to act has passed.

Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.

Corrected: Jul 21, 2022 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Jun 16, 2022 · F-0686

The facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving.

Why it matters: Bedsores are painful, can become deeply infected, and in serious cases can be life-threatening.

Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.

Corrected: Aug 16, 2022 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Jun 16, 2022 · F-0698

The facility did not provide safe, appropriate care for residents who need dialysis — the treatment that filters the blood when kidneys fail.

Why it matters: Mistakes in dialysis care can quickly become life-threatening for residents with kidney failure.

Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.

Corrected: Jul 21, 2022 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

All citations in the current public record (78)

CMS publishes roughly the last three inspection cycles plus recent complaint investigations. Older surveys drop out of the record as new ones are completed.

DateSeverityWhat the facility was cited for
Jun 25, 2026F · Potential for harm, facility-wideThe facility has more than 120 beds but did not hire a qualified full-time social worker as required. · from a complaint
Mar 13, 2025E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not provide safe and appropriate respiratory care — such as oxygen, breathing treatments, or care for residents on breathing equipment — for residents who needed it.
Mar 13, 2025E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not make sure residents actually saw their doctor face-to-face at all required visits. Doctors must examine nursing home residents in person on a regular schedule.
Mar 13, 2025E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not have a licensed pharmacist review each resident's complete medication regimen and medical chart every month, or did not follow its own rules for reporting medication problems.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not immediately notify the resident, their doctor, and a family member when something significant happened — such as an injury, a decline in health, or a room change. Families and doctors are entitled to know right away.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not honor residents' right to voice complaints without discrimination or retaliation, or did not have a working complaint process that resolves issues promptly.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not safely and appropriately administer IV fluids (fluids given through a vein) for residents who needed them.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide care that took into account residents' past trauma or their cultural backgrounds. Care is supposed to be sensitive to what residents have lived through and where they come from.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not make sure its nurses and nurse aides had the skills and training needed to properly care for every resident.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not observe each nurse aide's job performance or provide regular training as required.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not keep residents free from significant medication errors — such as giving the wrong drug, the wrong dose, or missing a critical medication.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not serve food and drinks that were appetizing, attractive, and at a safe and pleasant temperature.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not prepare and serve food in a form that meets each resident's individual needs — for example, chopped, pureed, or softened food for residents with chewing or swallowing problems.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide or arrange specialized rehabilitation services — such as physical, occupational, or speech therapy — for residents who needed them.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not protect residents' personal information or did not keep complete, accurate medical records that meet professional standards.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures for offering residents flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Mar 13, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not educate residents and staff about COVID-19 vaccination, offer the vaccine to those eligible after that education, or properly document everyone's vaccination status.
Mar 13, 2025C · Minimal risk, facility-wideThe facility did not have an agreement with at least one Medicare- or Medicaid-certified hospital to ensure residents can be transferred quickly when they need hospital care.
Jan 2, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not immediately notify the resident, their doctor, and a family member when something significant happened — such as an injury, a decline in health, or a room change. Families and doctors are entitled to know right away. · from a complaint
Jan 2, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility provided care that did not meet professional standards of quality — the accepted standards that nurses and other clinicians are expected to follow. · from a complaint
Jan 2, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide enough food and fluids to keep residents healthy, such as preventing unplanned weight loss or dehydration. · from a complaint
Jun 5, 2024E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not have enough nursing staff each day to meet every resident's needs, or did not have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift. Adequate staffing is one of the strongest predictors of good care. · from a complaint
Jun 5, 2024E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not run an ongoing quality assurance committee that reviews care problems and creates plans to fix them. · from a complaint
Jun 5, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not develop or follow a complete care plan for each resident — the written roadmap covering all of a resident's needs, with measurable goals and timelines. · from a complaint
Mar 5, 2024▲ G · Actual harm, one-offThe facility did not immediately notify the resident, their doctor, and a family member when something significant happened — such as an injury, a decline in health, or a room change. Families and doctors are entitled to know right away.
Mar 5, 2024▲ G · Actual harm, one-offThe facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving.
Mar 5, 2024F · Potential for harm, facility-wideThe facility did not have a registered nurse on duty at least 8 hours a day, or did not have a registered nurse serving full-time as director of nursing.
Mar 5, 2024F · Potential for harm, facility-wideThe facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide.
Mar 5, 2024E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not update each resident's care assessment at least once every 3 months. These regular check-ins keep the resident's care plan matched to their current condition.
Mar 5, 2024E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not develop a resident's complete plan of care within 7 days of the full assessment, or the plan wasn't prepared, reviewed, and updated by a team of health professionals as required.
Mar 5, 2024E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.
Mar 5, 2024E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not have enough nursing staff each day to meet every resident's needs, or did not have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift. Adequate staffing is one of the strongest predictors of good care.
Mar 5, 2024E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not serve food and drinks that were appetizing, attractive, and at a safe and pleasant temperature.
Mar 5, 2024E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility's quality committee — the internal group responsible for finding and fixing care problems — did not have the required members or did not meet at least every three months.
Mar 5, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not treat residents with respect and dignity, or did not let them keep and use their own personal belongings.
Mar 5, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not give residents (and their representatives and the ombudsman, a state advocate for residents) proper advance notice before a transfer or discharge, including information about their right to appeal.
Mar 5, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not coordinate resident assessments with the state's pre-admission screening program for mental illness and intellectual disabilities, or failed to refer residents for the special services they need.
Mar 5, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not properly plan a resident's discharge to meet the resident's goals and needs after leaving.
Mar 5, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own.
Mar 5, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide enough food and fluids to keep residents healthy, such as preventing unplanned weight loss or dehydration.
Mar 5, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide care that took into account residents' past trauma or their cultural backgrounds. Care is supposed to be sensitive to what residents have lived through and where they come from.
Mar 5, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not make sure its nurses and nurse aides had the skills and training needed to properly care for every resident.
Mar 5, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not have a licensed pharmacist review each resident's complete medication regimen and medical chart every month, or did not follow its own rules for reporting medication problems.
Mar 5, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not keep residents' medications free from unnecessary drugs. Residents should only take medicines they truly need, at the right dose, for a clear reason.
Mar 5, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide or arrange dental services for its residents. Nursing homes are responsible for making sure residents can get dental care.
Mar 5, 2024B · Minimal risk, repeatedThe facility did not give the resident or their representative written notice of how long it would hold the resident's bed during a hospital stay or approved leave.
Dec 29, 2023F · Potential for harm, facility-wideThe facility did not treat residents with respect and dignity, or did not let them keep and use their own personal belongings. · from a complaint
Dec 29, 2023F · Potential for harm, facility-wideThe facility did not have enough nursing staff each day to meet every resident's needs, or did not have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift. Adequate staffing is one of the strongest predictors of good care. · from a complaint
Dec 29, 2023F · Potential for harm, facility-wideThe facility did not protect residents' personal information or did not keep complete, accurate medical records that meet professional standards. · from a complaint
Dec 29, 2023F · Potential for harm, facility-wideThe facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide. · from a complaint
Dec 29, 2023E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not make reasonable adjustments to fit each resident's individual needs and preferences — things like call buttons within reach, preferred wake-up times, or accessible room setups. · from a complaint
Dec 29, 2023E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not develop or follow a complete care plan for each resident — the written roadmap covering all of a resident's needs, with measurable goals and timelines. · from a complaint
Dec 29, 2023E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own. · from a complaint
Dec 29, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide activities that meet residents' needs and interests. Nursing homes must offer meaningful activity programs, not just leave residents idle. · from a complaint
Dec 29, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals. · from a complaint
Dec 29, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not serve food and drinks that were appetizing, attractive, and at a safe and pleasant temperature. · from a complaint
Dec 29, 2023C · Minimal risk, facility-wideThe facility did not have a proper governing body legally responsible for its policies and operations, or that body failed to appoint a properly licensed administrator to manage the facility. · from a complaint
Dec 29, 2023C · Minimal risk, facility-wideThe facility did not keep its building and grounds safe, functional, clean, and comfortable for residents, staff, and visitors. · from a complaint
Dec 29, 2023C · Minimal risk, facility-wideThe facility did not maintain an effective pest control program to prevent or deal with mice, insects, or other pests. · from a complaint
Sep 27, 2023▲ G · Actual harm, one-offThe facility did not protect residents from abuse or neglect. This covers physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect, by anyone — staff, other residents, or visitors. · from a complaint
Sep 27, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. These written safeguards are the foundation of resident protection. · from a complaint
Sep 27, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not label drugs according to professional standards or did not store them in locked compartments, with controlled drugs (medications with a high risk of misuse) kept under a separate lock. · from a complaint
Jun 16, 2022▲ G · Actual harm, one-offThe facility did not immediately notify the resident, their doctor, and a family member when something significant happened — such as an injury, a decline in health, or a room change. Families and doctors are entitled to know right away.
Jun 16, 2022▲ G · Actual harm, one-offThe facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving.
Jun 16, 2022▲ G · Actual harm, one-offThe facility did not provide safe, appropriate care for residents who need dialysis — the treatment that filters the blood when kidneys fail.
Jun 16, 2022F · Potential for harm, facility-wideThe facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide.
Jun 16, 2022E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not develop or follow a complete care plan for each resident — the written roadmap covering all of a resident's needs, with measurable goals and timelines.
Jun 16, 2022E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not have enough nursing staff each day to meet every resident's needs, or did not have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift. Adequate staffing is one of the strongest predictors of good care.
Jun 16, 2022E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures for offering residents flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Jun 16, 2022E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe facility did not perform required COVID-19 testing on residents and staff.
Jun 16, 2022D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.
Jun 16, 2022D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.
Jun 16, 2022D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility used bed rails without first trying safer alternatives, or without assessing the resident's safety risk, discussing the risks and benefits with the resident or family, getting consent, and installing the rails correctly.
Jun 16, 2022D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide necessary behavioral health care and services — support for residents' mental and emotional wellbeing, including conditions like depression and anxiety.
Jun 16, 2022D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not protect residents' personal information or did not keep complete, accurate medical records that meet professional standards.
Jun 16, 2022D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not have a written plan describing how it runs its quality improvement program — the ongoing process of finding problems in care and fixing them.
Jun 16, 2022D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not educate residents and staff about COVID-19 vaccination, offer the vaccine to those eligible after that education, or properly document everyone's vaccination status.

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections stayed about the same across the last two inspection cycles (22 → 18).

YearCitationsSerious (G–L)Worst severity that year
2022153G ▲
2023161G ▲
2024252G ▲
2025210E
202610F

Counts reflect the current CMS public record (~3 inspection cycles plus complaint investigations); years with no surveys show no row. Inspection frequency varies, so compare severity as well as counts.

Fines and enforcement (last 3 years)

2 fines totaling $63,034.

DateTypeAmount / length
Mar 5, 2024Fine$53,264
Sep 27, 2023Fine$9,770

Nurse staffing (from payroll records, adjusted for how much care residents need)

MeasureThis facilityMassachusetts avgU.S. avgWhere it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)3.553.893.95bottom 36% in Massachusetts; bottom 39% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours0.750.650.69top 23% in Massachusetts; top 31% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing3.083.513.50bottom 28% in Massachusetts; bottom 35% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)0.590.460.48top 20% in Massachusetts; top 24% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)58.138.245.8bottom 4% in Massachusetts; bottom 19% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)39.142.642.9top 46% in Massachusetts; top 45% in the U.S.

Hours are per resident per day, case-mix adjusted by CMS so facilities caring for sicker residents can be compared fairly (same basis as the CMS staffing star). "Top X%" means better than most facilities: more staffing hours, or lower turnover. Raw (unadjusted) reported hours: total 3.65, RN 0.77, weekend 3.17. Staffing rating: 3/5.

Self-reported quality measures

Note: these ratings are based on data the facility reports about itself to CMS. They are not independently verified by inspectors, and can look better than inspection findings. Give more weight to the inspection results above.

Quality measures rating: 3/5 · long-stay residents: 3/5 · short-stay residents: 2/5

Who owns this facility

For profit - Limited Liability company

Owner / managerTypeRoleStakeSince
Beatty, BrittanyIndividualDirect Ownership InterestNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Com Family TrustOrganization5% or Greater Indirect Ownership Interest10%10/16/2023
Friedman, BenjaminIndividualDirect Ownership InterestNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Friedman, ShanaIndividual5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest12%10/16/2023
Millman, ChaimIndividualIndirect Ownership InterestNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Newhouse, EricIndividualIndirect Ownership InterestNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Ayer Valley Propco LLCOrganizationADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Beatty, BrittanyIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Beatty, BrittanyIndividualADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Cambridge, JoshuaIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Cambridge, JoshuaIndividualADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Com Family TrustOrganizationADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
E Newhouse Family TrustOrganizationADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Erblich, AvrahamIndividualManaging Control - Governing BodyNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Erblich, AvrahamIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Erblich, AvrahamIndividualADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Etn Family Holdings LLCOrganizationOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Etn Family Holdings LLCOrganizationADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Friedman, BenjaminIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023
Friedman, BenjaminIndividualADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE10/16/2023

Questions to ask on your visit

Generated from this facility's actual citation record — bring them to a tour and ask the administrator directly.

Nearby facilities (within 20 miles)

FacilityDistanceCityOverallInspectionFlags
Seven Hills Pediatric Center2.4 miGroton, MA★★★☆☆3/5
Life Care Center of Nashoba Valley5.3 miLittleton, MA★★★★☆4/5
Westford Nursing and Rehabilitation Center7.0 miWestford, MA★★★★☆4/5
Leominster Rehabilitation and Nursing Center8.9 miLeominster, MA★☆☆☆☆2/5
Life Care Center of Acton9.4 miActon, MA★★★★☆4/5
River Terrace Rehabilitation and Healthcare Ctr9.6 miLancaster, MA★★★★★5/5
Life Care Center of Leominster10.7 miLeominster, MA★★★★☆3/5
Fitchburg Rehabilitation and Nursing Center10.9 miFitchburg, MA★☆☆☆☆1/5
Palm Springs Post Acute11.0 miChelmsford, MA★★☆☆☆2/5
Fitchburg Healthcare11.3 miFitchburg, MA★☆☆☆☆1/5
D'youville Care for Advanced Therapy11.3 miLowell, MA★★★★★5/5
Northwood Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center11.4 miLowell, MA★☆☆☆☆1/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Ayer →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 225421.