Life Care Center of Hilo

Name: Life Care Center of Hilo
Address: 944 WEST KAWAILANI STREET, Hilo, HI, 96720, US
Telephone: 8089599151

944 West Kawailani Street, Hilo, HI 96720 · Hawaii County · 252 certified beds · avg 230 residents/day · certified since Jun 1, 1993

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

2/5

Health inspection rating (on-site)

Serious findings on record

$8,492

Fines, last 3 years

3.96

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: 3/5

⚠ The most recent standard health inspection was more than 2 years ago — conditions may have changed.

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 1, 2026 · F-0697 · triggered by a complaint

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 1, 2026 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

All citations in the current public record (41)

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 1, 2026	▲ G · Actual harm, one-off	The facility did not provide safe and appropriate pain management for a resident who needed it. · from a complaint
Apr 1, 2026	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
Apr 1, 2026	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
May 1, 2025	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
Dec 1, 2023	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The 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.
Dec 1, 2023	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 1, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment, including safe support for residents' daily living needs.
Dec 1, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not accurately assess a resident's health and needs. Assessments are the foundation for all the care a resident receives.
Dec 1, 2023	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 1, 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
Dec 1, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide pharmacy services that meet each resident's needs, or did not employ or contract with a licensed pharmacist.
Dec 1, 2023	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 1, 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.
Dec 1, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	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.
Nov 18, 2022	E · Potential for harm, repeated	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.
Nov 18, 2022	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not post the names, addresses, and phone numbers of state agencies and advocacy groups, along with a notice that residents may file complaints with the state survey agency.
Nov 18, 2022	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The 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.
Nov 18, 2022	E · Potential for 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.
Nov 18, 2022	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not provide activities that meet residents' needs and interests. Nursing homes must offer meaningful activity programs, not just leave residents idle.
Nov 18, 2022	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.
Nov 18, 2022	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The 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.
Nov 18, 2022	E · Potential for harm, repeated	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.
Nov 18, 2022	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.
Nov 18, 2022	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.
Nov 18, 2022	D · Potential for harm, one-off	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.
Nov 18, 2022	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not honor residents' rights to request, refuse, or stop treatment, to decline participation in medical research, or to make an advance directive — a written statement of their wishes for future medical care.
Nov 18, 2022	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment, including safe support for residents' daily living needs.
Nov 18, 2022	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 18, 2022	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.
Nov 18, 2022	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.
Nov 18, 2022	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not create and follow a basic care plan covering a new resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of admission. The first days are when a new resident is most vulnerable.
Nov 18, 2022	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.
Nov 18, 2022	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.
Nov 18, 2022	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.
Nov 18, 2022	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide routine dental care and 24-hour emergency dental care for residents.
Nov 18, 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.
Nov 18, 2022	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures for offering residents flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Nov 18, 2022	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide at least one adequately sized room for dining and activities, with good lighting, airflow, and furniture.
Oct 26, 2021	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.
Oct 26, 2021	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.
Oct 26, 2021	C · Minimal risk, facility-wide	The facility did not treat residents with respect and dignity, or did not let them keep and use their own personal belongings.

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections decreased between the last two inspection cycles (24 → 10).

Year	Citations	Serious (G–L)	Worst severity that year
2021	3	0	D
2022	24	0	E
2023	10	0	E
2025	1	0	D
2026	3	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)

1 fine totaling $8,492.

Date	Type	Amount / length
Apr 1, 2026	Fine	$8,492

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

Measure	This facility	Hawaii avg	U.S. avg	Where it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)	3.96	4.77	3.95	bottom 29% in Hawaii; top 41% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	1.03	1.64	0.69	bottom 7% in Hawaii; top 14% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	3.39	4.23	3.50	bottom 24% in Hawaii; top 48% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.60	1.33	0.48	bottom 2% in Hawaii; top 23% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	30.3	36.4	45.8	top 41% in Hawaii; top 15% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	28.3	31.5	42.9	top 50% in Hawaii; top 26% 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 3.79, RN 0.99, weekend 3.24. Staffing rating: 4/5.

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: 5/5 · long-stay residents: 5/5 · short-stay residents: 5/5

Who owns this facility

For profit - Corporation

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
Kellett, Stiles	Individual	5% or Greater Indirect Ownership Interest	25%	06/14/1999
Sak Jr LLC	Organization	5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest	25%	06/14/1999
SBK LLC	Organization	5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest	25%	06/14/1999
Lemanua, Lemapu	Individual	W-2 Managing Employee	NOT APPLICABLE	09/20/2021
Life Care Centers of America, INC.	Organization	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/1994
Sak Jr LLC	Organization	General Partnership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	06/14/1999
SBK LLC	Organization	General Partnership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	06/14/1999

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 assess and manage residents' pain, especially for those who have trouble communicating?"
"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?"
"What is your falls rate, and what specific steps do you take to prevent falls and supervise residents at risk?"
"What is your nurse and aide staffing ratio on each shift, including nights and weekends?"
"Can you give me examples of how your staff protect residents' dignity in everyday care, like bathing and dressing?"
"Can we tour the resident rooms, bathrooms, and common areas today, including areas not on the usual tour route?"
"Who completes resident assessments here, and how do you check them for accuracy?"
"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
Legacy Hilo Rehabilitation & Nursing Center	2.0 mi	Hilo, HI	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Hilo Benioff Medical Center	2.7 mi	Hilo, HI	★★★★☆	3/5
Hale Anuenue Restorative Care	2.7 mi	Hilo, HI	★★★★☆	2/5
Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home	2.7 mi	Hilo, HI	★★★★☆	3/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Hilo →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 125040.

The Care File

Visit checklist — Life Care Center of Hilo

944 West Kawailani Street, Hilo, HI 96720 · 8089599151

Health inspection rating 2/5 · CMS overall 3/5· Fines (3y): $8,492

Most serious findings on record:

▲ Apr 1, 2026 (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 assess and manage residents' pain, especially for those who have trouble communicating?"
☐ "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?"
☐ "What is your falls rate, and what specific steps do you take to prevent falls and supervise residents at risk?"
☐ "What is your nurse and aide staffing ratio on each shift, including nights and weekends?"
☐ "Can you give me examples of how your staff protect residents' dignity in everyday care, like bathing and dressing?"
☐ "Can we tour the resident rooms, bathrooms, and common areas today, including areas not on the usual tour route?"
☐ "Who completes resident assessments here, and how do you check them for accuracy?"
☐ "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 125040 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)