Sterling Health Care and Rehab Center
318 South Orange Street, Media, PA 19063 · Delaware County · 164 certified beds · avg 149 residents/day · certified since Nov 29, 2002
Abuse citation flag (CMS)
Part of chain: NATIONWIDE HEALTHCARE SERVICES (7 facilities, chain avg rating 2.6★)
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: 2/5
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)
▲ Immediate jeopardy, repeated · Oct 25, 2024 · F-0600
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 (K): A life-threatening or extremely dangerous situation affected several residents. Among the most serious findings an inspection can produce.
Corrected: Feb 24, 2024 (Past Non-Compliance)
▲ Actual harm, one-off · Oct 25, 2024 · F-0689
The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.
Why it matters: This is one of the most common citations and directly relates to falls and injuries, which can be devastating for older adults.
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: Dec 6, 2024 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
▲ Actual harm, one-off · Dec 30, 2022 · F-0686
The facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving.
Why it matters: Bedsores are painful, can become deeply infected, and in serious cases can be life-threatening.
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: Feb 21, 2023 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
All citations in the current public record (34)
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 27, 2026 | 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 3, 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 |
| Oct 25, 2024 | ▲ K · Immediate jeopardy, repeated | 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. |
| Oct 25, 2024 | ▲ G · Actual 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. |
| Oct 25, 2024 | F · Potential for harm, facility-wide | 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. |
| Oct 25, 2024 | 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. |
| Oct 25, 2024 | 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. |
| Oct 25, 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. |
| Oct 25, 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. |
| Oct 25, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility was not managed in a way that uses its money, staff, and resources effectively and efficiently to care for residents. |
| Oct 25, 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. |
| Aug 21, 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. · from a complaint |
| Feb 8, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not provide pharmacy services that meet each resident's needs, or did not employ or contract with a licensed pharmacist. · from a complaint |
| Jan 23, 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. · from a complaint |
| Oct 27, 2023 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not observe each nurse aide's job performance or provide regular training as required. |
| Oct 27, 2023 | 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. |
| Oct 27, 2023 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not make sure its nurse aides had the skills needed to care for residents, including training in dementia care and abuse prevention. |
| Oct 27, 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. |
| Oct 27, 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. |
| Oct 27, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide necessary behavioral health care and services — support for residents' mental and emotional wellbeing, including conditions like depression and anxiety. |
| Oct 27, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | 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 30, 2022 | ▲ G · Actual harm, one-off | The facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving. |
| Dec 30, 2022 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not serve food and drinks that were appetizing, attractive, and at a safe and pleasant temperature. |
| Dec 30, 2022 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not educate residents and staff about COVID-19 vaccination, offer the vaccine to those eligible after that education, or properly document everyone's vaccination status. |
| Dec 30, 2022 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not honor residents' right to manage their own money and financial affairs. |
| Dec 30, 2022 | 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. |
| Dec 30, 2022 | 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 30, 2022 | 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. |
| Dec 30, 2022 | 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 30, 2022 | 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. |
| Dec 30, 2022 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | 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. |
| Dec 30, 2022 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | 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 30, 2022 | 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. |
| Dec 30, 2022 | 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. |
Inspection trend by year
Citations from standard inspections increased between the last two inspection cycles (7 → 9).
| Year | Citations | Serious (G–L) | Worst severity that year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 13 | 1 | G ▲ |
| 2023 | 7 | 0 | E |
| 2024 | 12 | 2 | K ▲ |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | D |
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | D |
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)
2 fines totaling $25,625.
| Date | Type | Amount / length |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 25, 2024 | Fine | $8,824 |
| Oct 25, 2024 | Fine | $16,801 |
Nurse staffing (from payroll records, adjusted for how much care residents need)
| Measure | This facility | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day) | 3.28 | 3.94 | 3.95 | bottom 28% in Pennsylvania; bottom 25% in the U.S. |
| Registered Nurse hours | 0.49 | 0.80 | 0.69 | bottom 23% in Pennsylvania; bottom 36% in the U.S. |
| Weekend total nurse staffing | 3.00 | 3.58 | 3.50 | bottom 28% in Pennsylvania; bottom 31% in the U.S. |
| Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted) | 0.36 | 0.56 | 0.48 | bottom 36% in Pennsylvania; bottom 44% in the U.S. |
| Total nursing staff turnover (%) | 51.3 | 44.5 | 45.8 | bottom 30% in Pennsylvania; bottom 34% in the U.S. |
| RN turnover (%) | 55.6 | 39.9 | 42.9 | bottom 22% in Pennsylvania; bottom 28% 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 3.51, RN 0.52, weekend 3.21. 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: 3/5 · long-stay residents: 4/5 · short-stay residents: 2/5
Who owns this facility
For profit - Corporation
| Owner / manager | Type | Role | Stake | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gelley, Leah | Individual | 5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest | 5% | 01/01/2013 |
| Gelley, Meir | Individual | 5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest | — | 07/01/2002 |
| Sterling Healthcare & Rehab Center LLC | Organization | 5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest | — | 07/01/2002 |
| Gelley, Meir | Individual | W-2 Managing Employee | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/01/2002 |
| Gelley, Meir | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/24/2006 |
| Sterling Healthcare & Rehab Center LLC | Organization | Operational/Managerial Control | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/01/2002 |
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?"
- "What is your falls rate, and what specific steps do you take to prevent falls and supervise residents at risk?"
- "How do you prevent bedsores for residents who can't move themselves, and how often are at-risk residents repositioned?"
- "If my family member falls or their condition changes, exactly when and how will I be notified?"
- "What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
- "Can we tour the resident rooms, bathrooms, and common areas today, including areas not on the usual tour route?"
- "If someone reports suspected abuse or neglect here, what happens in the first 24 hours?"
- "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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monticello House | 0.8 mi | Media, PA | ★★★★★ | 4/5 | |
| Wallingford Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Cen | 1.7 mi | Wallingford, PA | ★☆☆☆☆ | 1/5 | |
| Springfield Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center | 2.4 mi | Springfield, PA | ★★☆☆☆ | 2/5 | |
| Willowbrooke Court SKD Care Center at Lima Estates | 2.8 mi | Lima, PA | ★★★★★ | 5/5 | |
| Fair Acres Geriatric Center | 2.8 mi | Lima, PA | ★☆☆☆☆ | 2/5 | abuse |
| Willowbrooke Court-Granite | 2.9 mi | Media, PA | ★★★★★ | 5/5 | |
| Wesley Enhanced Living Main Line Rehab and SKD Nsg | 2.9 mi | Media, PA | ★★★★☆ | 3/5 | |
| Belvedere Center, Genesis Healthcare, the | 3.6 mi | Chester, PA | ★★★☆☆ | 3/5 | |
| HCC at White Horse Village | 4.4 mi | Newtown Square, PA | ★★★★★ | 5/5 | |
| William Hood Dunwoody Care Ctr | 4.7 mi | Newtown Square, PA | ★★★★★ | 5/5 |
Compare this facility with the 3 closest →
Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 396083.