Oaks, the

Name: Oaks, the
Address: 4525 ACUSHNET AVENUE, New Bedford, MA, 02745, US
Telephone: 5085427069

4525 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, MA 02745 · Bristol County · 122 certified beds · avg 114 residents/day · certified since Oct 10, 1989

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

4/5

Health inspection rating (on-site)

Serious findings on record

Fines, last 3 years

3.47

Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)

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

Health inspection rating: ★★★★☆4/5 · 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 (14)

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
Mar 10, 2026	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.
Mar 10, 2026	B · Minimal risk, repeated	The facility did not protect residents' personal information or did not keep complete, accurate medical records that meet professional standards.
Dec 12, 2024	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not have a licensed pharmacist review each resident's complete medication regimen and medical chart every month, or did not follow its own rules for reporting medication problems.
Dec 12, 2024	E · Potential for harm, repeated	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 12, 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.
Dec 12, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	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 12, 2023	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not keep all essential equipment working safely — things like heating and cooling systems, kitchen equipment, and medical devices.
Sep 12, 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.
Sep 12, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep residents' personal and medical information private and confidential.
Sep 12, 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.
Sep 12, 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.
Sep 12, 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.
Sep 12, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide timely, quality laboratory tests to meet residents' needs.
Sep 12, 2023	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.

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections decreased between the last two inspection cycles (4 → 2).

Year	Citations	Worst severity that year
2023	8	E
2024	4	E
2026	2	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)	3.47	3.89	3.95	bottom 31% in Massachusetts; bottom 35% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	0.54	0.65	0.69	bottom 39% in Massachusetts; bottom 44% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	3.14	3.51	3.50	bottom 33% in Massachusetts; bottom 39% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.24	0.46	0.48	bottom 15% in Massachusetts; bottom 20% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	28.7	38.2	45.8	top 22% in Massachusetts; top 12% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	33.3	42.6	42.9	top 31% in Massachusetts; top 33% 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 3.66, RN 0.57, weekend 3.31. 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
New Bedford Medical Investors, LLC	Organization	Direct Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	02/20/2003
Preston, Forrest	Individual	Direct Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	02/20/2003
Preston, Forrest	Individual	Indirect Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	02/20/2003
Cross, Cindy	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	11/01/2003
Fletcher, Todd	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	05/01/2021
Fletcher, Todd	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	11/02/2020
Henry, Terry	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	11/01/2003
Hetzler, Julianne	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/2023
Hetzler, Julianne	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	02/28/2025
Lay, Lisa	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	04/24/2017
Lay, Lisa	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	02/09/2018
Life Care Centers of America, INC.	Organization	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	11/01/2003
Life Care Centers of America, INC.	Organization	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	02/11/2025
Long, Zofia	Individual	Managing Control - Governing Body	NOT APPLICABLE	07/01/1999
Long, Zofia	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	07/01/1999
Medeiros, Tayler	Individual	Managing Control - Governing Body	NOT APPLICABLE	10/10/2023
Medeiros, Tayler	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	10/10/2023
New Bedford Medical Investors, LLC	Organization	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	07/15/2019
Preston, Aubrey	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	11/27/2024
Preston, Forrest	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	02/20/2003

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 many residents here use oxygen or breathing equipment, and who checks that equipment each shift?"
"How do you keep residents' medical records accurate, complete, and secure?"
"Does a pharmacist review every resident's medications and chart monthly, and how are their concerns acted on?"
"What is your approach to psychiatric medications — how do you try non-drug options first and work to reduce doses over time?"
"Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
"Can you tell me what this citation involved and what steps you took to bring care back up to standard?"
"How do you inspect and maintain essential equipment, and how quickly are repairs made?"
"If my family member falls or their condition changes, exactly when and how will I be notified?"
"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
Care One at New Bedford	2.8 mi	New Bedford, MA	★★★☆☆	3/5
Alden Court Nursing Care & Rehabilitation Center	5.7 mi	Fairhaven, MA	★★★★☆	4/5
Hathaway Manor Extended Care	6.3 mi	New Bedford, MA	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Sacred Heart Nursing Home	6.4 mi	New Bedford, MA	★★★★★	4/5
Royal of Fairhaven Nursing Center	6.8 mi	Fairhaven, MA	★★☆☆☆	3/5
Nemasket Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center	7.0 mi	Middleborough, MA	★★★☆☆	4/5
Our Ladys Haven of Fairhaven INC	7.5 mi	Fairhaven, MA	★★★★★	4/5
Brandon Woods of New Bedford	7.6 mi	New Bedford, MA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5	SFF
Vantage Health & Rehab of New Bedford	7.7 mi	New Bedford, MA	★☆☆☆☆	2/5
Sarah S Brayton Center	8.9 mi	Fall River, MA	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Brandon Woods of Dartmouth	8.9 mi	South Dartmouth, MA	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Sippican Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center	9.1 mi	Marion, MA	★★★★☆	3/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in New Bedford →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 225328.

The Care File

Visit checklist — Oaks, the

4525 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, MA 02745 · 5085427069

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

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "How many residents here use oxygen or breathing equipment, and who checks that equipment each shift?"
☐ "How do you keep residents' medical records accurate, complete, and secure?"
☐ "Does a pharmacist review every resident's medications and chart monthly, and how are their concerns acted on?"
☐ "What is your approach to psychiatric medications — how do you try non-drug options first and work to reduce doses over time?"
☐ "Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
☐ "Can you tell me what this citation involved and what steps you took to bring care back up to standard?"
☐ "How do you inspect and maintain essential equipment, and how quickly are repairs made?"
☐ "If my family member falls or their condition changes, exactly when and how will I be notified?"
☐ "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 225328 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)