Life Care Center of Auburn

Name: Life Care Center of Auburn
Address: 14 MASONIC CIRCLE, Auburn, MA, 01501, US
Telephone: 5088324800

14 Masonic Circle, Auburn, MA 01501 · Worcester County · 154 certified beds · avg 135 residents/day · certified since Dec 1, 1994

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

$29,738

Fines, last 3 years

3.69

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.

Most serious findings (actual harm or immediate jeopardy)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Apr 10, 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: May 7, 2024 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Apr 10, 2024 · F-0697

The facility did not provide safe and appropriate pain management for a resident who needed it.

Why it matters: Untreated pain causes needless suffering and can lead to depression, poor sleep, and declining health.

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: May 7, 2024 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

All citations in the current public record (36)

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
Apr 23, 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
Jun 18, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The 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.
Jun 18, 2025	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.
Jun 18, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	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.
Jun 18, 2025	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.
Jan 3, 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
Jan 3, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	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. · from a complaint
Jan 3, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	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. · from a complaint
Apr 10, 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.
Apr 10, 2024	▲ G · Actual harm, one-off	The facility did not provide safe and appropriate pain management for a resident who needed it.
Apr 10, 2024	E · Potential for harm, repeated	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.
Apr 10, 2024	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not provide enough food and fluids to keep residents healthy, such as preventing unplanned weight loss or dehydration.
Apr 10, 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.
Apr 10, 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.
Apr 10, 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.
Apr 10, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not make sure its nurses and nurse aides had the skills and training needed to properly care for every resident.
Apr 10, 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.
Apr 10, 2024	C · Minimal risk, facility-wide	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.
Dec 5, 2022	E · Potential for harm, 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.
Dec 5, 2022	E · Potential for harm, 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.
Dec 5, 2022	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 5, 2022	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 5, 2022	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 5, 2022	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.
Dec 5, 2022	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide activities that meet residents' needs and interests. Nursing homes must offer meaningful activity programs, not just leave residents idle.
Dec 5, 2022	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 5, 2022	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide the care needed to maintain or improve residents' movement and flexibility — such as range-of-motion exercises — leading to avoidable decline.
Dec 5, 2022	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.
Dec 5, 2022	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 5, 2022	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.
Dec 5, 2022	D · Potential for harm, one-off	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 5, 2022	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 5, 2022	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.
Dec 5, 2022	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not arrange hospice services for a resident who needed them, or help the resident move to a facility that could arrange hospice. Hospice provides comfort-focused care for people nearing the end of life.
Dec 5, 2022	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures for offering residents flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Dec 5, 2022	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 (10 → 4).

Year	Citations	Serious (G–L)	Worst severity that year
2022	18	0	E
2024	10	2	G ▲
2025	7	0	D
2026	1	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 $29,738.

Date	Type	Amount / length
Apr 10, 2024	Fine	$29,738

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)	3.69	3.89	3.95	bottom 45% in Massachusetts; bottom 46% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	0.57	0.65	0.69	bottom 47% in Massachusetts; bottom 48% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	3.10	3.51	3.50	bottom 31% in Massachusetts; bottom 36% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.44	0.46	0.48	top 41% in Massachusetts; top 42% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	30.1	38.2	45.8	top 26% in Massachusetts; top 14% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	31.3	42.6	42.9	top 28% in Massachusetts; top 32% 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 3.83, RN 0.60, weekend 3.22. 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: 5/5 · short-stay residents: 3/5

Who owns this facility

For profit - Limited Liability company

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
Developers Investment Company INC	Organization	Direct Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	12/03/1993
Cross, Cindy	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	11/01/1994
Developers Investment Company INC	Organization	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	08/29/2017
Fletcher, Todd	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	12/13/2024
Fontain, Cathrine	Individual	Managing Control - Governing Body	NOT APPLICABLE	12/27/2019
Fontain, Cathrine	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	12/27/2019
Fontain, Cathrine	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	03/07/2025
Henry, Terry	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	08/16/1999
Lacerda de la Cruz, Eliesel	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	11/19/2022
Lacerda de la Cruz, Eliesel	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	03/07/2025
Lay, Lisa	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	02/09/2018
Life Care Centers of America, INC.	Organization	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	11/01/1994
Life Care Centers of America, INC.	Organization	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	03/07/2025
Long, Zofia	Individual	Managing Control - Governing Body	NOT APPLICABLE	03/15/2004
Long, Zofia	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	03/15/2004
Preston, Aubrey	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	12/13/2024
Preston, Forrest	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	11/14/2000
Swanker, Richard	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	04/01/2011
Szabo, Sherry	Individual	Managing Control - Governing Body	NOT APPLICABLE	05/31/2023
Szabo, Sherry	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	05/31/2023

Questions to ask on your visit

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

"How do you prevent bedsores for residents who can't move themselves, and how often are at-risk residents repositioned?"
"How do you assess and manage residents' pain, especially for those who have trouble communicating?"
"What systems do you use to prevent medication errors, and what happens when one occurs?"
"How do you identify and arrange specialized services for residents with mental health conditions or disabilities?"
"How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
"Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
"Who completes resident assessments here, and how do you check them for accuracy?"
"What specific steps do you take to prevent abuse and neglect, and how are staff trained on them?"
"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
Meadows of Central Massachusetts (the)	2.0 mi	Rochdale, MA	★★★★☆	4/5
Parsons Hill Rehabilitation & Health Care Center	4.2 mi	Worcester, MA	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Hermitage Healthcare (the)	5.6 mi	Worcester, MA	★★☆☆☆	3/5
St Mary Health Care Center	5.9 mi	Worcester, MA	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Worcester Rehabilitation & Health Care Center	6.0 mi	Worcester, MA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Care One at Millbury	6.2 mi	Millbury, MA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Overlook Masonic Health Center	6.3 mi	Charlton, MA	★★★★☆	4/5
Blaire House of Worcester	6.3 mi	Worcester, MA	★★★☆☆	3/5
Vantage at Worcester LLC	6.3 mi	Worcester, MA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
West Side House LTC Facility	6.6 mi	Worcester, MA	★★★★★	5/5
St Francis Rehabilitation & Nursing Center	6.8 mi	Worcester, MA	★★★★☆	3/5
Lutheran Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center	7.1 mi	Worcester, MA	★★★★★	5/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Auburn →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 225661.

The Care File

Visit checklist — Life Care Center of Auburn

14 Masonic Circle, Auburn, MA 01501 · 5088324800

Health inspection rating 3/5 · CMS overall 3/5· Fines (3y): $29,738

Most serious findings on record:

▲ Apr 10, 2024 (F-0686, 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.
▲ Apr 10, 2024 (F-0697, Actual harm, one-off): The facility did not provide safe and appropriate pain management for a resident who needed it.

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "How do you prevent bedsores for residents who can't move themselves, and how often are at-risk residents repositioned?"
☐ "How do you assess and manage residents' pain, especially for those who have trouble communicating?"
☐ "What systems do you use to prevent medication errors, and what happens when one occurs?"
☐ "How do you identify and arrange specialized services for residents with mental health conditions or disabilities?"
☐ "How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
☐ "Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
☐ "Who completes resident assessments here, and how do you check them for accuracy?"
☐ "What specific steps do you take to prevent abuse and neglect, and how are staff trained on them?"
☐ "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 225661 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)