Fairhaven Healthcare Center

Name: Fairhaven Healthcare Center
Address: 476 VARNUM AVENUE, Lowell, MA, 01854, US
Telephone: 5089960364

476 Varnum Avenue, Lowell, MA 01854 · Middlesex County · 169 certified beds · avg 129 residents/day · certified since Jul 1, 1990

Part of chain: LME FAMILY HOLDINGS (15 facilities, chain avg rating 2.1★)

2/5

Health inspection rating (on-site)

Serious findings on record

$15,030

Fines, last 3 years

3.77

Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)

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

Health inspection rating: ★★☆☆☆2/5 · CMS overall rating: 2/5

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 · Nov 15, 2023 · F-0692

The facility did not provide enough food and fluids to keep residents healthy, such as preventing unplanned weight loss or dehydration.

Why it matters: Malnutrition and dehydration can quickly weaken a resident and lead to serious complications.

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: Dec 22, 2023 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

All citations in the current public record (44)

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
Jun 15, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not protect residents' personal information or did not keep complete, accurate medical records that meet professional standards. · from a complaint
Jan 12, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep residents free from significant medication errors — such as giving the wrong drug, the wrong dose, or missing a critical medication. · from a complaint
Sep 26, 2025	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.
Sep 26, 2025	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.
Sep 26, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility gave residents unnecessary mind-altering (psychotropic) medications, or used drugs in a way that restrained residents by dulling their ability to think, move, or function.
Sep 26, 2025	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.
Sep 26, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The 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.
Sep 26, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The 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.
Sep 26, 2025	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.
Sep 26, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide safe, appropriate care for residents who need dialysis — the treatment that filters the blood when kidneys fail.
Sep 26, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The 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.
Sep 26, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility's medication error rate was 5 percent or higher — meaning too many doses were given incorrectly, such as the wrong drug, dose, or time.
Sep 26, 2025	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 26, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	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.
Oct 23, 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.
Oct 23, 2024	E · Potential for harm, repeated	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.
Oct 23, 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.
Oct 23, 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.
Oct 23, 2024	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.
Oct 23, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The 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.
Oct 23, 2024	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.
Oct 23, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.
Oct 23, 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.
Oct 23, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide enough food and fluids to keep residents healthy, such as preventing unplanned weight loss or dehydration.
Oct 23, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide safe, appropriate care for residents who need dialysis — the treatment that filters the blood when kidneys fail.
Oct 23, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility's medication error rate was 5 percent or higher — meaning too many doses were given incorrectly, such as the wrong drug, dose, or time.
Oct 23, 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.
Oct 23, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not make sure special medical diets — like low-sodium or diabetic diets — were properly ordered by the resident's doctor or managed by a qualified dietitian as state law allows.
Oct 23, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not protect residents' personal information or did not keep complete, accurate medical records that meet professional standards.
Mar 28, 2024	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not honor residents' right to make their own choices about their daily lives, such as when to wake up, what to eat, or how to spend their time. · from a complaint
Dec 19, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls. · from a complaint
Nov 15, 2023	▲ G · Actual harm, one-off	The facility did not provide enough food and fluids to keep residents healthy, such as preventing unplanned weight loss or dehydration.
Nov 15, 2023	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility's medication error rate was 5 percent or higher — meaning too many doses were given incorrectly, such as the wrong drug, dose, or time.
Nov 15, 2023	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.
Nov 15, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not allow residents to take their own medications when a clinical review showed they could do so safely. Residents have this right if their care team determines it's appropriate.
Nov 15, 2023	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.
Nov 15, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility used physical restraints — devices that limit a resident's movement — when they weren't needed for medical treatment.
Nov 15, 2023	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.
Nov 15, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The 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.
Nov 15, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.
Nov 15, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility used feeding tubes without a valid medical reason or the resident's agreement, or did not provide proper care to residents who have feeding tubes.
Nov 15, 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.
Nov 15, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide safe, appropriate care for residents who need dialysis — the treatment that filters the blood when kidneys fail.
Nov 15, 2023	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.

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections stayed about the same across the last two inspection cycles (15 → 12).

Year	Citations	Serious (G–L)	Worst severity that year
2023	14	1	G ▲
2024	16	0	E
2025	12	0	E
2026	2	0	D

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)

1 fine totaling $15,030.

Date	Type	Amount / length
Nov 15, 2023	Fine	$15,030

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)	3.77	3.89	3.95	top 46% in Massachusetts; top 50% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	0.43	0.65	0.69	bottom 19% in Massachusetts; bottom 27% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	3.45	3.51	3.50	top 43% in Massachusetts; top 45% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.18	0.46	0.48	bottom 7% in Massachusetts; bottom 10% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	49.5	38.2	45.8	bottom 19% in Massachusetts; bottom 38% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	54.5	42.6	42.9	bottom 26% in Massachusetts; bottom 29% 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 3.23, RN 0.37, weekend 2.95. Staffing rating: 2/5.

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: 2/5 · short-stay residents: 3/5

Who owns this facility

For profit - Limited Liability company

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
Hirsch, Nisson	Individual	5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest	8%	08/01/2022
Hirsch, Shmuel	Individual	5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest	29%	08/01/2022
Probst, Sarah	Individual	5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest	15%	08/01/2022
Probst, Seth	Individual	5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest	15%	08/01/2022
Hirsch, Nisson	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/2022
Hirsch, Shmuel	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/2022
Lahasky, Ephram	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/2022
Lme Family Holdings LLC	Organization	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/2022
Probst, Sarah	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/2022
Probst, Seth	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/2022
Takesian, Michael	Individual	Contracted Managing Employee	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/2022

Questions to ask on your visit

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

"How do you monitor residents' weight and eating, and what happens when someone starts losing weight?"
"How do you keep residents' medical records accurate, complete, and secure?"
"What systems do you use to prevent medication errors, and what happens when one occurs?"
"Can you tell me what this citation involved and what steps you took to bring care back up to standard?"
"Can you give me examples of how your staff protect residents' dignity in everyday care, like bathing and dressing?"
"What percentage of your residents are on antipsychotic or sedating medications, and how do you work to reduce that?"
"Can you show me an example care plan, and how are families included when it's created and updated?"
"Who is on the team that builds each resident's care plan, and how quickly is it in place after admission?"
"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
D'youville Senior Care	0.9 mi	Lowell, MA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Northwood Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center	1.0 mi	Lowell, MA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Regalcare at Lowell	1.0 mi	Lowell, MA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
D'youville Care for Advanced Therapy	1.1 mi	Lowell, MA	★★★★★	5/5
Palm Springs Post Acute	2.1 mi	Chelmsford, MA	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Care One at Lowell	2.4 mi	Lowell, MA	★★★☆☆	3/5
Vantage at Lowell LLC	3.3 mi	Lowell, MA	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Sunny Acres Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Ctr	3.5 mi	Chelmsford, MA	★★★★☆	4/5
New England Pediatric Care	4.4 mi	North Billerica, MA	★★★★★	5/5
Life Care Center of Merrimack Valley	4.4 mi	Billerica, MA	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Blaire House of Tewksbury	5.8 mi	Tewksbury, MA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5	SFF
Fairview Nursing Home	7.2 mi	Hudson, NH	★☆☆☆☆	1/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Lowell →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 225458.

The Care File

Visit checklist — Fairhaven Healthcare Center

476 Varnum Avenue, Lowell, MA 01854 · 5089960364

Health inspection rating 2/5 · CMS overall 2/5· Fines (3y): $15,030

Most serious findings on record:

▲ Nov 15, 2023 (F-0692, Actual harm, one-off): The facility did not provide enough food and fluids to keep residents healthy, such as preventing unplanned weight loss or dehydration.

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "How do you monitor residents' weight and eating, and what happens when someone starts losing weight?"
☐ "How do you keep residents' medical records accurate, complete, and secure?"
☐ "What systems do you use to prevent medication errors, and what happens when one occurs?"
☐ "Can you tell me what this citation involved and what steps you took to bring care back up to standard?"
☐ "Can you give me examples of how your staff protect residents' dignity in everyday care, like bathing and dressing?"
☐ "What percentage of your residents are on antipsychotic or sedating medications, and how do you work to reduce that?"
☐ "Can you show me an example care plan, and how are families included when it's created and updated?"
☐ "Who is on the team that builds each resident's care plan, and how quickly is it in place after admission?"
☐ "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?"

While you're there, notice:

☐ Smell and cleanliness in hallways, not just the lobby
☐ How staff speak to residents; call lights answered promptly
☐ Residents up, dressed, and engaged (visit mealtimes and a weekend if you can)

Data: CMS Provider Data Catalog, version 2026-08-01 · CCN 225458 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)