Brandon Woods of New Bedford
397 County Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 · Bristol County · 135 certified beds · avg 102 residents/day · certified since Aug 1, 1980
SFF Candidate
Part of chain: ELDER SERVICES (6 facilities, chain avg rating 2.2★)
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)
▲ Immediate jeopardy, repeated · Dec 16, 2024 · F-0600
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 (K): A life-threatening or extremely dangerous situation affected several residents. Among the most serious findings an inspection can produce.
Corrected: Jan 6, 2025 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
▲ Immediate jeopardy, repeated · Dec 16, 2024 · F-0740
The facility did not provide necessary behavioral health care and services — support for residents' mental and emotional wellbeing, including conditions like depression and anxiety.
Why it matters: A resident's untreated mental health needs can worsen and take a toll on their physical health too.
Severity (K): A life-threatening or extremely dangerous situation affected several residents. Among the most serious findings an inspection can produce.
Corrected: Feb 7, 2025 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
▲ Immediate jeopardy, repeated · Dec 16, 2024 · F-0741
The facility did not have enough staff with the right skills to meet the mental and behavioral health needs of its residents, such as those living with dementia or depression.
Why it matters: Residents with dementia or other behavioral health needs may be mishandled, overmedicated, or left in distress.
Severity (K): A life-threatening or extremely dangerous situation affected several residents. Among the most serious findings an inspection can produce.
Corrected: Jan 6, 2025 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
▲ Actual harm, one-off · Mar 27, 2026 · F-0627
The facility did not make sure a transfer or discharge met the resident's needs and preferences, or did not properly prepare the resident to leave safely.
Why it matters: A rushed or poorly planned move can leave a resident somewhere that can't meet their needs.
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: Apr 17, 2026 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
▲ Actual harm, repeated · Dec 16, 2024 · F-0607
The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. These written safeguards are the foundation of resident protection.
Why it matters: Without working prevention policies, mistreatment is more likely to happen and less likely to be caught.
Severity (H): Multiple residents were actually harmed by the same failure — a pattern of real harm, not an isolated incident.
Corrected: Feb 7, 2025 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
▲ Actual harm, repeated · Dec 16, 2024 · F-0609
The facility did not report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft to the proper authorities quickly enough, or did not report the results of its investigation.
Why it matters: When incidents aren't reported promptly, abusers may continue harming residents and outside authorities can't step in.
Severity (H): Multiple residents were actually harmed by the same failure — a pattern of real harm, not an isolated incident.
Corrected: Jan 9, 2025 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
▲ Actual harm, repeated · Dec 16, 2024 · F-0610
The facility did not respond appropriately to alleged violations, such as reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment. Facilities must investigate every allegation and protect residents while they do.
Why it matters: When allegations aren't investigated, harm to residents can continue unchecked.
Severity (H): Multiple residents were actually harmed by the same failure — a pattern of real harm, not an isolated incident.
Corrected: Feb 7, 2025 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
▲ Actual harm, repeated · Dec 16, 2024 · F-0656
The 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.
Why it matters: Without a complete, working care plan, important needs can slip through the cracks and no one is accountable for results.
Severity (H): Multiple residents were actually harmed by the same failure — a pattern of real harm, not an isolated incident.
Corrected: Feb 7, 2025 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
▲ Actual harm, one-off · Dec 16, 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: Jan 6, 2025 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
All citations in the current public record (72)
CMS publishes roughly the last three inspection cycles plus recent complaint investigations. Older surveys drop out of the record as new ones are completed.
| Date | Severity | What the facility was cited for |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 2026 | ▲ G · Actual harm, one-off | The facility did not make sure a transfer or discharge met the resident's needs and preferences, or did not properly prepare the resident to leave safely. |
| Mar 27, 2026 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards. |
| Mar 27, 2026 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not protect residents' personal information or did not keep complete, accurate medical records that meet professional standards. |
| Mar 27, 2026 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not allow a resident's chosen representative — often a family member or someone with power of attorney — to exercise the resident's rights on their behalf. When a resident can't speak for themselves, their representative steps into that role. |
| Mar 27, 2026 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | 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. |
| Mar 27, 2026 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide required paperwork or notices about a resident's needs, their right to appeal a transfer or discharge, or the facility's bed-hold policy (how long a bed is saved during a hospital stay). |
| Mar 27, 2026 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The 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. |
| Mar 27, 2026 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility provided care that did not meet professional standards of quality — the accepted standards that nurses and other clinicians are expected to follow. |
| Mar 27, 2026 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals. |
| Mar 27, 2026 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | 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. |
| Mar 27, 2026 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The 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 27, 2026 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The 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. |
| Sep 16, 2025 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The 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 |
| Jun 12, 2025 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The 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 |
| Dec 16, 2024 | ▲ K · Immediate jeopardy, repeated | 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. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | ▲ K · Immediate jeopardy, repeated | The facility did not provide necessary behavioral health care and services — support for residents' mental and emotional wellbeing, including conditions like depression and anxiety. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | ▲ K · Immediate jeopardy, repeated | The facility did not have enough staff with the right skills to meet the mental and behavioral health needs of its residents, such as those living with dementia or depression. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | ▲ H · Actual harm, repeated | The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. These written safeguards are the foundation of resident protection. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | ▲ H · Actual harm, repeated | The facility did not report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft to the proper authorities quickly enough, or did not report the results of its investigation. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | ▲ H · Actual harm, repeated | The facility did not respond appropriately to alleged violations, such as reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment. Facilities must investigate every allegation and protect residents while they do. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | ▲ H · Actual harm, repeated | The 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. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | ▲ G · Actual harm, one-off | 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. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility was not managed in a way that uses its money, staff, and resources effectively and efficiently to care for residents. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility did not conduct and document a facility-wide assessment of what staff, supplies, and resources it needs to care for its residents properly — during everyday operations, nights, weekends, and emergencies. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility did not develop or maintain an effective training program for its direct care staff, including training on how to communicate effectively with residents. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility did not educate its staff on residents' rights and the facility's responsibilities toward residents. Staff can only respect rights they've been taught about. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility did not train its staff on dementia care and on recognizing and reporting abuse, neglect, and exploitation. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility did not give all staff the required training on its quality improvement program — the internal system for finding problems and making care better. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility did not include required infection control training — with written standards, policies, and procedures — as part of its infection prevention program. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility did not provide its staff with training in compliance and ethics — teaching employees the laws and ethical standards that govern how residents must be treated. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility did not make sure its nurse aides had the skills needed to care for residents, including training in dementia care and abuse prevention. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility did not provide its staff with required training on behavioral health — caring for residents with conditions like dementia, depression, or other mental health needs. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not accurately assess a resident's health and needs. Assessments are the foundation for all the care a resident receives. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility provided care that did not meet professional standards of quality — the accepted standards that nurses and other clinicians are expected to follow. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not make sure the resident's doctor reviewed their care and wrote, signed, and dated progress notes and orders at each required visit. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The 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. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The 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. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not protect residents' personal information or did not keep complete, accurate medical records that meet professional standards. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not properly inform residents or their representatives about arbitration agreements — contracts that give up the right to sue in court — including their right to refuse to sign. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not provide a neutral and fair arbitration process. Arbitration is a way of settling disputes outside of court, and if it's used, the facility must agree with the resident on a neutral arbitrator and a convenient location. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The 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. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The 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. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not have a working program to monitor how antibiotics are used. Tracking antibiotic use helps make sure these drugs are given only when needed and remain effective. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not treat residents with dignity and respect, or did not honor their rights to make their own decisions and communicate freely. This is one of the most fundamental resident rights. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not allow a resident's chosen representative — often a family member or someone with power of attorney — to exercise the resident's rights on their behalf. When a resident can't speak for themselves, their representative steps into that role. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | 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. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not protect residents from being involuntarily separated — kept apart from other residents, kept out of their own room, or confined to their room. Isolating a resident this way is a form of mistreatment. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | When a resident had a planned discharge, the facility did not make sure the necessary information was communicated to the resident and to the doctors or facility taking over their care. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide appropriate care related to bladder and bowel needs — including care for residents who use catheters and steps to prevent urinary tract infections. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The 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. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide the right treatment and services for residents with dementia or signs of dementia. Dementia care requires specific approaches, training, and patience. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not try to gradually reduce doses of mood- and mind-altering medications or use non-drug approaches first, as required, or used 'as needed' psychiatric drugs without proper limits. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The 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. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | C · Minimal risk, facility-wide | The facility did not post its nurse staffing information every day. Nursing homes must publicly display how many nurses and aides are on duty each day. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | B · Minimal risk, repeated | The facility did not give residents proper notice about what Medicare or Medicaid covers, or about charges the resident might owe for services that aren't covered. |
| Dec 16, 2024 | B · Minimal risk, repeated | The 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. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The 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. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility did not report COVID-19 data to residents and their families as required. Facilities must keep residents and families informed about COVID-19 cases. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The 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. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not serve food and drinks that were appetizing, attractive, and at a safe and pleasant temperature. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility provided care that did not meet professional standards of quality — the accepted standards that nurses and other clinicians are expected to follow. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | When a resident had a planned discharge, the facility did not make sure the necessary information was communicated to the resident and to the doctors or facility taking over their care. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The 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. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not try to gradually reduce doses of mood- and mind-altering medications or use non-drug approaches first, as required, or used 'as needed' psychiatric drugs without proper limits. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | C · Minimal risk, facility-wide | The facility did not make its inspection results easy for residents to see, or made it hard for residents to contact advocacy agencies like the ombudsman. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | B · Minimal risk, repeated | The facility transferred or discharged a resident without a valid reason, or failed to provide the required documentation and information when moving a resident out. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | B · Minimal risk, repeated | The 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. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | B · Minimal risk, repeated | The 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. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | B · Minimal risk, repeated | The facility did not enter each resident's assessment information into the required format and send it to the state within 7 days of completing the assessment, as the rules require. |
| Aug 30, 2023 | B · Minimal risk, repeated | The facility did not accurately assess a resident's health and needs. Assessments are the foundation for all the care a resident receives. |
Inspection trend by year
Citations from standard inspections decreased between the last two inspection cycles (44 → 12).
| Year | Citations | Serious (G–L) | Worst severity that year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 14 | 0 | F |
| 2024 | 44 | 8 | K ▲ |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | D |
| 2026 | 12 | 1 | G ▲ |
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 $528,970.
| Date | Type | Amount / length |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 2026 | Fine | $64,480 |
| Dec 16, 2024 | Fine | $464,490 |
Nurse staffing (from payroll records, adjusted for how much care residents need)
| Measure | This facility | Massachusetts avg | U.S. avg | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day) | 4.43 | 3.89 | 3.95 | top 18% in Massachusetts; top 25% in the U.S. |
| Registered Nurse hours | 0.37 | 0.65 | 0.69 | bottom 10% in Massachusetts; bottom 18% in the U.S. |
| Weekend total nurse staffing | 3.93 | 3.51 | 3.50 | top 21% in Massachusetts; top 25% in the U.S. |
| Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted) | 0.35 | 0.46 | 0.48 | bottom 37% in Massachusetts; bottom 42% in the U.S. |
| Total nursing staff turnover (%) | 49.6 | 38.2 | 45.8 | bottom 19% in Massachusetts; bottom 38% in the U.S. |
| RN turnover (%) | 65.0 | 42.6 | 42.9 | bottom 13% in Massachusetts; bottom 16% 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 4.35, RN 0.36, weekend 3.85. 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: 2/5 · long-stay residents: 1/5 · short-stay residents: 4/5
Who owns this facility
For profit - Corporation
| Owner / manager | Type | Role | Stake | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romano, Frank | Individual | W-2 Managing Employee | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/04/1978 |
| Romano, Frank | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 02/27/1966 |
| Romano, Frank | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/04/1978 |
| Romano, James | Individual | W-2 Managing Employee | NOT APPLICABLE | 06/25/2013 |
| Romano, Katelyn | Individual | W-2 Managing Employee | NOT APPLICABLE | 05/08/2017 |
| Romano, Kyle | Individual | W-2 Managing Employee | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/17/2010 |
Questions to ask on your visit
Generated from this facility's actual citation record — bring them to a tour and ask the administrator directly.
- "Tell me about this abuse or neglect citation — what happened, and what specific changes did you make afterward?"
- "What mental health services do you provide on-site, and who delivers them?"
- "What training does your staff have in dementia and behavioral health, and how many residents with these needs do you serve?"
- "Before a resident is discharged or transferred, how do you make sure the new place can actually meet their needs?"
- "What specific steps do you take to prevent abuse and neglect, and how are staff trained on them?"
- "When abuse or theft is suspected, who do you notify, how fast, and how do you inform the family?"
- "If someone reports suspected abuse or neglect here, what happens in the first 24 hours?"
- "Can you show me an example care plan, and how are families included when it's created and updated?"
- "What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
- "Can I see the results and plan of correction from your most recent state inspection?"
Nearby facilities (within 20 miles)
| Facility | Distance | City | Overall | Inspection | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vantage Health & Rehab of New Bedford | 0.6 mi | New Bedford, MA | ★☆☆☆☆ | 2/5 | |
| Sacred Heart Nursing Home | 1.2 mi | New Bedford, MA | ★★★★★ | 4/5 | |
| Brandon Woods of Dartmouth | 1.4 mi | South Dartmouth, MA | ★★☆☆☆ | 2/5 | |
| Royal of Fairhaven Nursing Center | 1.5 mi | Fairhaven, MA | ★★☆☆☆ | 3/5 | |
| Our Ladys Haven of Fairhaven INC | 1.5 mi | Fairhaven, MA | ★★★★★ | 4/5 | |
| Hathaway Manor Extended Care | 2.3 mi | New Bedford, MA | ★★☆☆☆ | 2/5 | |
| Alden Court Nursing Care & Rehabilitation Center | 2.7 mi | Fairhaven, MA | ★★★★☆ | 4/5 | |
| Care One at New Bedford | 4.8 mi | New Bedford, MA | ★★★☆☆ | 3/5 | |
| Oaks, the | 7.6 mi | New Bedford, MA | ★★★★☆ | 4/5 | |
| Sippican Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center | 9.9 mi | Marion, MA | ★★★★☆ | 3/5 |
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Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 225264.