Sterling Care Bel Air
410 East McPhail Road, Bel Air, MD 21014 · Harford County · 155 certified beds · avg 137 residents/day · certified since Sep 16, 1997
Abuse citation flag (CMS)
Part of chain: STERLING CARE (6 facilities, chain avg rating 4.2★)
The abuse flag means inspectors cited this facility for abuse that caused harm to a resident within the past year, or potential for harm in each of the last two years. Source: CMS.
What health inspectors found (on-site government inspections — the most independent evidence available)
Health inspection rating: ★★☆☆☆2/5 · 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 · Aug 21, 2025 · F-0600 · triggered by a complaint
The facility did not protect residents from abuse or neglect. This covers physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect, by anyone — staff, other residents, or visitors.
Why it matters: Abuse and neglect cause direct physical and emotional harm and are among the most serious failures a nursing home can have.
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: Oct 1, 2025 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
▲ Actual harm, one-off · Aug 21, 2025 · F-0606 · triggered by a complaint
The facility hired someone with an official finding of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or theft against them. Facilities are not allowed to employ people with such findings.
Why it matters: Hiring someone with a history of abuse or theft puts every resident at risk.
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: Oct 1, 2025 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
All citations in the current public record (45)
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 12, 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 12, 2026 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not make sure its nurses and nurse aides had the skills and training needed to properly care for every resident. |
| Mar 12, 2026 | 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. |
| Mar 12, 2026 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not keep residents' personal and medical information private and confidential. |
| Mar 12, 2026 | 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, 2026 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own. |
| Mar 12, 2026 | 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. |
| Mar 12, 2026 | 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, 2026 | 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. |
| Mar 12, 2026 | 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. |
| Oct 17, 2025 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not make sure a transfer or discharge met the resident's needs and preferences, or did not properly prepare the resident to leave safely. · from a complaint |
| Aug 21, 2025 | ▲ G · Actual harm, one-off | The facility did not protect residents from abuse or neglect. This covers physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect, by anyone — staff, other residents, or visitors. · from a complaint |
| Aug 21, 2025 | ▲ G · Actual harm, one-off | The facility hired someone with an official finding of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or theft against them. Facilities are not allowed to employ people with such findings. · from a complaint |
| Aug 21, 2025 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility did not serve food and drinks that were appetizing, attractive, and at a safe and pleasant temperature. · from a complaint |
| Aug 21, 2025 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment, including safe support for residents' daily living needs. · from a complaint |
| Aug 21, 2025 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals. · from a complaint |
| Aug 21, 2025 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not protect residents' personal information or did not keep complete, accurate medical records that meet professional standards. · from a complaint |
| Aug 21, 2025 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not allow a resident's chosen representative — often a family member or someone with power of attorney — to exercise the resident's rights on their behalf. When a resident can't speak for themselves, their representative steps into that role. · from a complaint |
| Aug 21, 2025 | 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. · from a complaint |
| Aug 21, 2025 | 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. · from a complaint |
| Aug 21, 2025 | 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. · from a complaint |
| Aug 21, 2025 | 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. · from a complaint |
| Dec 13, 2024 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | The facility did not dispose of garbage and refuse properly. |
| Dec 13, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment, including safe support for residents' daily living needs. |
| Dec 13, 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. · from a complaint |
| Dec 13, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not serve meals and snacks at times that fit residents' needs, preferences, and requests, or did not offer nourishing alternatives for residents who want to eat outside scheduled meal times. |
| Dec 13, 2024 | 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. |
| Dec 13, 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. · from a complaint |
| Dec 13, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not give residents the required written notice of their rights, the facility's rules, the services offered, and what those services cost. · from a complaint |
| Dec 13, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | When a resident had a planned discharge, the facility did not make sure the necessary information was communicated to the resident and to the doctors or facility taking over their care. · from a complaint |
| Dec 13, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own. |
| Dec 13, 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. · from a complaint |
| Dec 13, 2024 | 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. |
| Dec 13, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide timely, quality laboratory tests to meet residents' needs. · from a complaint |
| Dec 13, 2024 | 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. · from a complaint |
| Jul 2, 2019 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not make sure its nurses and nurse aides had the skills and training needed to properly care for every resident. |
| Jul 2, 2019 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not observe each nurse aide's job performance or provide regular training as required. |
| Jul 2, 2019 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not make reasonable adjustments to fit each resident's individual needs and preferences — things like call buttons within reach, preferred wake-up times, or accessible room setups. |
| Jul 2, 2019 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not honor residents' right to share a room with their spouse or a roommate of their choosing, or moved residents to a different room without written notice beforehand. |
| Jul 2, 2019 | 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. |
| Jul 2, 2019 | 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. |
| Jul 2, 2019 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own. |
| Jul 2, 2019 | 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. |
| Jul 2, 2019 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide safe and appropriate pain management for a resident who needed it. |
| Jul 2, 2019 | 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. |
Inspection trend by year
Citations from standard inspections stayed about the same across the last two inspection cycles (8 → 10).
| Year | Citations | Serious (G–L) | Worst severity that year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 10 | 0 | E |
| 2024 | 13 | 0 | F |
| 2025 | 12 | 2 | G ▲ |
| 2026 | 10 | 0 | 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 | Maryland avg | U.S. avg | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day) | 3.13 | 3.83 | 3.95 | bottom 15% in Maryland; bottom 18% in the U.S. |
| Registered Nurse hours | 0.36 | 0.83 | 0.69 | bottom 4% in Maryland; bottom 16% in the U.S. |
| Weekend total nurse staffing | 2.94 | 3.43 | 3.50 | bottom 29% in Maryland; bottom 27% in the U.S. |
| Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted) | 0.36 | 0.63 | 0.48 | bottom 19% in Maryland; bottom 45% in the U.S. |
| Total nursing staff turnover (%) | 41.9 | 40.2 | 45.8 | bottom 49% in Maryland; top 41% in the U.S. |
| RN turnover (%) | 33.3 | 38.7 | 42.9 | top 34% in Maryland; 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 3.58, RN 0.41, weekend 3.35. Staffing rating: 2/5.
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 - Limited Liability company
| Owner / manager | Type | Role | Stake | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBF Holdings LLC | Organization | 5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest | 100% | 06/01/2022 |
| Frankel, Chaim | Individual | 5% or Greater Indirect Ownership Interest | — | 06/01/2022 |
| Jek Irrv Tr | Organization | 5% or Greater Indirect Ownership Interest | — | 06/01/2022 |
| NMJ Irrv Tr | Organization | 5% or Greater Indirect Ownership Interest | — | 06/01/2022 |
| Sava Acquisition LLC | Organization | 5% or Greater Indirect Ownership Interest | — | 06/01/2022 |
| Kagan, Jeffrey | Individual | W-2 Managing Employee | NOT APPLICABLE | 06/01/2022 |
| Kagan, Jeffrey | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 06/01/2022 |
Questions to ask on your visit
Generated from this facility's actual citation record — bring them to a tour and ask the administrator directly.
- "Tell me about this abuse or neglect citation — what happened, and what specific changes did you make afterward?"
- "How do you screen job applicants for past findings of abuse, neglect, or theft before hiring?"
- "How many residents here use oxygen or breathing equipment, and who checks that equipment each shift?"
- "How do you verify that your nurses and aides have the skills to care for residents with needs like my family member's?"
- "How do you record and honor each resident's treatment wishes and advance directives, and how do staff know about them?"
- "How do you protect residents' privacy, both in their medical records and in day-to-day care?"
- "Can you show me an example care plan, and how are families included when it's created and updated?"
- "How many aides are on each shift, and how do you make sure every resident gets timely help with bathing, dressing, and meals?"
- "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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Care Forest Hill | 1.8 mi | Forest Hill, MD | ★★★★★ | 4/5 | |
| Lorien Nsg & Rehab Ctr Belair | 3.6 mi | Bel Air, MD | ★★★★☆ | 4/5 | |
| Sterling Care Riverside | 7.7 mi | Belcamp, MD | ★★★★★ | 4/5 | |
| Glen Meadows Retirement Com. | 10.4 mi | Glen Arm, MD | ★★★★☆ | 2/5 | |
| Lorien Bulle Rock | 11.4 mi | Havre de Grace, MD | ★★★★★ | 5/5 | |
| Oak Crest Village | 12.7 mi | Parkville, MD | ★★★★☆ | 4/5 | |
| Stella Maris, INC. | 13.8 mi | Timonium, MD | ★★☆☆☆ | 2/5 | abuse |
| Franklin Woods Center | 14.1 mi | Baltimore, MD | ★★★★☆ | 4/5 | |
| Autumn Lake Healthcare at Loch Raven | 14.3 mi | Baltimore, MD | ★★☆☆☆ | 2/5 | |
| Autumn Lake Healthcare at Parkville | 14.3 mi | Baltimore, MD | ★★★★☆ | 4/5 | |
| Citizens Care Center | 14.3 mi | Havre de Grace, MD | ★★★★★ | 4/5 | |
| Oakwood SNF LLC | 14.7 mi | Middle River, MD | ★☆☆☆☆ | 1/5 |
Compare this facility with the 3 closest →
Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 215312.