Highlands, the

Name: Highlands, the
Address: 335 NICHOLS ROAD, Fitchburg, MA, 01420, US
Telephone: 9783434411

335 Nichols Road, Fitchburg, MA 01420 · Worcester County · 168 certified beds · avg 156 residents/day · certified since Dec 8, 1988

Part of chain: LIFE CARE CENTERS OF AMERICA (194 facilities, chain avg rating 3.4★)

3/5

Health inspection rating (on-site)

Serious findings on record

Fines, last 3 years

3.83

Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)

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

Health inspection rating: ★★★☆☆3/5 · CMS overall rating: 3/5

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.

All citations in the current public record (17)

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
Nov 25, 2025	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not serve food and drinks that were appetizing, attractive, and at a safe and pleasant temperature.
Nov 25, 2025	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.
Nov 25, 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.
Nov 25, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility allowed residents to lose the ability to do daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and eating — when there was no medical reason for the decline. Good care helps residents keep the abilities they have.
Nov 25, 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.
Nov 25, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide or obtain laboratory tests when a doctor ordered them, or did not promptly report the results back to the doctor who ordered them.
Nov 25, 2025	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.
Jul 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.
Jul 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.
Jul 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.
Jul 23, 2024	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.
Jul 23, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures for offering residents flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Jul 23, 2024	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.
Mar 20, 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.
Mar 20, 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.
Mar 20, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The 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.
Mar 20, 2023	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.

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections stayed about the same across the last two inspection cycles (6 → 7).

Year	Citations	Worst severity that year
2023	4	D
2024	6	E
2025	7	E

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)

No fines or payment denials in the published 3-year window.

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)	3.83	3.89	3.95	top 43% in Massachusetts; top 47% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	0.41	0.65	0.69	bottom 14% in Massachusetts; bottom 23% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	3.39	3.51	3.50	top 49% in Massachusetts; top 48% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.22	0.46	0.48	bottom 13% in Massachusetts; bottom 17% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	24.8	38.2	45.8	top 13% in Massachusetts; top 7% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	27.8	42.6	42.9	top 23% in Massachusetts; top 25% 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 3.86, RN 0.41, weekend 3.42. 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: 4/5 · long-stay residents: 4/5 · short-stay residents: 4/5

Who owns this facility

For profit - Limited Liability company

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
Bonilla, Carlos-Andres	Individual	W-2 Managing Employee	NOT APPLICABLE	09/01/2018
Cross, Cindy	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	04/19/2004
Life Care Centers of America, INC.	Organization	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	06/30/2005
Thurmond, Joan	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	04/19/2004

Questions to ask on your visit

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

"Could I join residents for a meal to see the food quality and temperature for myself?"
"Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
"Can you show me an example care plan, and how are families included when it's created and updated?"
"How do you help residents maintain their daily living skills, and how do you measure whether it's working?"
"How do you care for residents with incontinence or catheters, and what do you do to prevent urinary tract infections?"
"When a doctor orders lab work, how quickly is it done and how are results communicated back?"
"How do you keep residents' medical records accurate, complete, and secure?"
"Can you tell me what this citation involved and what steps you took to bring care back up to standard?"
"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
Fitchburg Healthcare	0.8 mi	Fitchburg, MA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Fitchburg Rehabilitation and Nursing Center	1.8 mi	Fitchburg, MA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Leominster Rehabilitation and Nursing Center	4.5 mi	Leominster, MA	★☆☆☆☆	2/5
Life Care Center of Leominster	4.6 mi	Leominster, MA	★★★★☆	3/5
Wachusett Manor	8.7 mi	Gardner, MA	★★★☆☆	3/5
River Terrace Rehabilitation and Healthcare Ctr	8.8 mi	Lancaster, MA	★★★★★	5/5
Gardner Rehabilitation and Nursing Center	8.9 mi	Gardner, MA	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Seven Hills Pediatric Center	11.7 mi	Groton, MA	★★★☆☆	3/5
Ayer Valley Rehab and Nursing	12.1 mi	Ayer, MA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Alliance Health at Baldwinville	12.9 mi	Baldwinville, MA	★★★★☆	4/5
Sterling Village	13.1 mi	Sterling, MA	★★★★☆	4/5
Oakdale Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing Center	14.1 mi	West Boylston, MA	★★★★☆	4/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Fitchburg →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 225315.

The Care File

Visit checklist — Highlands, the

335 Nichols Road, Fitchburg, MA 01420 · 9783434411

Health inspection rating 3/5 · CMS overall 3/5· Fines (3y): $0

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "Could I join residents for a meal to see the food quality and temperature for myself?"
☐ "Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
☐ "Can you show me an example care plan, and how are families included when it's created and updated?"
☐ "How do you help residents maintain their daily living skills, and how do you measure whether it's working?"
☐ "How do you care for residents with incontinence or catheters, and what do you do to prevent urinary tract infections?"
☐ "When a doctor orders lab work, how quickly is it done and how are results communicated back?"
☐ "How do you keep residents' medical records accurate, complete, and secure?"
☐ "Can you tell me what this citation involved and what steps you took to bring care back up to standard?"
☐ "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 225315 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)