Riverbend of South Natick

Name: Riverbend of South Natick
Address: 34 SOUTH LINCOLN STREET, S Natick, MA, 01760, US
Telephone: 5086538330

34 South Lincoln Street, S Natick, MA 01760 · Middlesex County · 55 certified beds · avg 32 residents/day · certified since Mar 1, 1994

Part of chain: REHABILITATION ASSOCIATES (6 facilities, chain avg rating 3.8★)

4/5

Health inspection rating (on-site)

Serious findings on record

Fines, last 3 years

5.25

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: 5/5

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 (19)

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
Aug 7, 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.
Aug 7, 2025	B · Minimal risk, 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.
Jun 5, 2024	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.
Jun 5, 2024	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.
Jun 5, 2024	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.
Jun 5, 2024	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.
Jun 5, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide enough food and fluids to keep residents healthy, such as preventing unplanned weight loss or dehydration.
Jun 5, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not have a registered nurse on duty at least 8 hours a day, or did not have a registered nurse serving full-time as director of nursing.
Jun 5, 2024	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.
Jun 5, 2024	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.
Jun 5, 2024	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 5, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures for offering residents flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Jun 5, 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.
Jan 9, 2023	F · Potential for harm, facility-wide	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 9, 2023	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.
Jan 9, 2023	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.
Jan 9, 2023	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.
Jan 9, 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 9, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide or arrange dental services for its residents. Nursing homes are responsible for making sure residents can get dental care.

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections decreased between the last two inspection cycles (11 → 2).

Year	Citations	Worst severity that year
2023	6	F
2024	11	D
2025	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)	5.25	3.89	3.95	top 7% in Massachusetts; top 10% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	1.33	0.65	0.69	top 4% in Massachusetts; top 7% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	4.78	3.51	3.50	top 6% in Massachusetts; top 8% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.84	0.46	0.48	top 7% in Massachusetts; top 10% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	38.5	38.2	45.8	bottom 47% in Massachusetts; top 32% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	71.4	42.6	42.9	bottom 8% in Massachusetts; bottom 11% 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 4.19, RN 1.06, weekend 3.82. Staffing rating: 5/5.

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: 4/5

Who owns this facility

For profit - Corporation

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
Thisse, Marion	Individual	5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest	100%	03/14/2024
Danahy, Elaine	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	12/30/2017
Rehabilitation Associates INC	Organization	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	02/01/1985
Thisse, Peter	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	11/04/1991

Questions to ask on your visit

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

"Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
"Where do you post your daily staffing numbers, and can I see today's?"
"If my family member falls or their condition changes, exactly when and how will I be notified?"
"What is your policy on physical restraints, and what alternatives do you try first?"
"How do you screen new residents for mental health and disability-related needs, and how do you provide the specialized services they require?"
"Who is on the team that builds each resident's care plan, and how quickly is it in place after admission?"
"How do you monitor residents' weight and eating, and what happens when someone starts losing weight?"
"How many hours a day is a registered nurse physically in the building, including weekends?"
"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
Mary Ann Morse Nursing & Rehabilitation	1.5 mi	Natick, MA	★★★★★	4/5
Adviniacare Newton Wellesley	2.4 mi	Wellesley, MA	★★★★☆	3/5
Beaumont Rehab & Skilled Nursing Ctr - Natick	3.1 mi	Natick, MA	★★★★☆	4/5
Skilled Nursing Facility at North Hill (the)	3.3 mi	Needham, MA	★★☆☆☆	3/5
Elizabeth Seton	3.5 mi	Wellesley, MA	★★★★☆	5/5
Eliot Center for Health and Rehabilitation	3.6 mi	Natick, MA	★★★☆☆	3/5
Briarwood Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center	3.8 mi	Needham, MA	★★★★☆	4/5
Royal Wayland Rehabilitation and Nursing Center	4.1 mi	Wayland, MA	★★★★★	5/5
Care One at Newton	5.0 mi	Newton, MA	★★☆☆☆	1/5
Stone Rehabilitation and Senior Living	5.4 mi	Newton Upper Falls, MA	★★★☆☆	3/5
Lasell House	5.6 mi	Newton, MA	★★★★★	5/5
Newbridge on the Charles Skilled Nursing Facility	5.7 mi	Dedham, MA	★★★★★	5/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in S Natick →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 225615.

The Care File

Visit checklist — Riverbend of South Natick

34 South Lincoln Street, S Natick, MA 01760 · 5086538330

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

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
☐ "Where do you post your daily staffing numbers, and can I see today's?"
☐ "If my family member falls or their condition changes, exactly when and how will I be notified?"
☐ "What is your policy on physical restraints, and what alternatives do you try first?"
☐ "How do you screen new residents for mental health and disability-related needs, and how do you provide the specialized services they require?"
☐ "Who is on the team that builds each resident's care plan, and how quickly is it in place after admission?"
☐ "How do you monitor residents' weight and eating, and what happens when someone starts losing weight?"
☐ "How many hours a day is a registered nurse physically in the building, including weekends?"
☐ "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 225615 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)