Life Care Center of Winter Haven

Name: Life Care Center of Winter Haven
Address: 1510 CYPRESS GARDENS BLVD, Winter Haven, FL, 33884, US
Telephone: 8633188646

1510 Cypress Gardens Blvd, Winter Haven, FL 33884 · Polk County · 177 certified beds · avg 168 residents/day · certified since May 1, 1993

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

4.33

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: 4/5

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 (22)

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
Feb 20, 2025	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.
Feb 20, 2025	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not provide proper foot care for residents. Foot care includes routine care like nail trimming and attention to foot problems, which matter greatly for older adults.
Feb 20, 2025	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.
Feb 20, 2025	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.
Feb 20, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	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.
Feb 20, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	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.
Feb 20, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not properly complete the required screening (called PASARR) that identifies whether a person entering a nursing home has a mental illness or intellectual disability and needs specialized services.
Feb 20, 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.
Feb 20, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide timely, quality laboratory tests to meet residents' needs.
Feb 20, 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.
Jan 26, 2023	F · Potential for harm, facility-wide	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.
Jan 26, 2023	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.
Jan 26, 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.
Jan 26, 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.
Jan 26, 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.
Jan 26, 2023	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.
Mar 12, 2021	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 12, 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.
Mar 12, 2021	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.
Mar 12, 2021	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.
Mar 12, 2021	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.
Mar 12, 2021	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not run an ongoing quality assurance committee that reviews care problems and creates plans to fix them.

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections increased between the last two inspection cycles (6 → 10).

Year	Citations	Worst severity that year
2021	6	D
2023	6	F
2025	10	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	Florida avg	U.S. avg	Where it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)	4.33	4.03	3.95	top 21% in Florida; top 28% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	0.72	0.76	0.69	top 43% in Florida; top 34% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	3.93	3.68	3.50	top 21% in Florida; top 25% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.48	0.53	0.48	top 45% in Florida; top 35% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	39.0	41.4	45.8	top 42% in Florida; top 34% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	46.7	46.0	42.9	bottom 49% in Florida; bottom 41% 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 3.80, RN 0.63, weekend 3.45. 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: 4/5 · short-stay residents: 5/5

Who owns this facility

For profit - Corporation

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
Carlucci, Joseph	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	09/26/2014
Carlucci, Joseph	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	03/07/2025
Cross, Cindy	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	04/21/1994
Fletcher, Todd	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	05/01/2021
Fletcher, Todd	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	11/02/2020
Fletcher, Todd	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	05/01/2021
Henry, Terry	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	08/16/1999
Lay, Lisa	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	04/24/2017
Lay, Lisa	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	02/09/2018
Lay, Lisa	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	04/24/2017
Life Care Centers of America, INC.	Organization	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	11/03/1999
Life Care Centers of America, INC.	Organization	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	08/31/2000
Mennen, Sarah	Individual	Managing Control - Governing Body	NOT APPLICABLE	04/27/2023
Mennen, Sarah	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	04/27/2023
Mennen, Sarah	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	02/20/2025
Preston, Aaron	Individual	Managing Control - Governing Body	NOT APPLICABLE	11/01/2018
Preston, Aaron	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	11/01/2018
Preston, Aubrey	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	11/27/2024
Preston, Forrest	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	01/06/1976
Preston, Forrest	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	01/06/1976

Questions to ask on your visit

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

"Can you give me examples of how your staff protect residents' dignity in everyday care, like bathing and dressing?"
"How is routine foot care handled here, and does a podiatrist visit regularly?"
"What is your current medication error rate, and what have you changed to bring errors down?"
"If my family member is able to manage their own medications, would you allow it, and how is that decided?"
"Walk me through what happens when a resident or family files a grievance — who responds and how fast?"
"If you ever planned to discharge or transfer my family member, how much written notice would we receive and how could we appeal?"
"How do you screen new residents for mental health and disability-related needs, and how do you provide the specialized services they require?"
"How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
"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
Palm Garden of Winter Haven	0.2 mi	Winter Haven, FL	★★★★☆	3/5
Lake Mariam Health and Rehabilitation Center	0.7 mi	Winter Haven, FL	★★☆☆☆	1/5	SFF
Winter Haven Health and Rehabilitation Center	1.2 mi	Winter Haven, FL	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Astoria Health and Rehabilitation Center	1.6 mi	Winter Haven, FL	★★★☆☆	2/5
Spring Lake Rehabilitation Center	2.7 mi	Winter Haven, FL	★★★★★	3/5
Vivo Healthcare Winter Haven	3.6 mi	Winter Haven, FL	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Oak Haven Rehab and Nursing Center	5.4 mi	Auburndale, FL	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Haines City Rehabilitation and Nursing Center	8.3 mi	Haines City, FL	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Lake Wales Health and Rehabilitation Center	9.7 mi	Lake Wales, FL	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Bartow Center	11.1 mi	Bartow, FL	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Groves Center	11.6 mi	Lake Wales, FL		—/5	abuseSFF
Davenport Nursing and Rehab Center	12.4 mi	Davenport, FL	★★★★☆	3/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Winter Haven →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 105792.

The Care File

Visit checklist — Life Care Center of Winter Haven

1510 Cypress Gardens Blvd, Winter Haven, FL 33884 · 8633188646

Health inspection rating 3/5 · CMS overall 4/5· Fines (3y): $0

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "Can you give me examples of how your staff protect residents' dignity in everyday care, like bathing and dressing?"
☐ "How is routine foot care handled here, and does a podiatrist visit regularly?"
☐ "What is your current medication error rate, and what have you changed to bring errors down?"
☐ "If my family member is able to manage their own medications, would you allow it, and how is that decided?"
☐ "Walk me through what happens when a resident or family files a grievance — who responds and how fast?"
☐ "If you ever planned to discharge or transfer my family member, how much written notice would we receive and how could we appeal?"
☐ "How do you screen new residents for mental health and disability-related needs, and how do you provide the specialized services they require?"
☐ "How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
☐ "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 105792 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)