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Nursing homes in Santa Cruz, CA
3 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified facilities in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz County overall has 7 certified facilities (county average rating 3.7/5). Across the 3 rated facilities here the average CMS overall rating is 3/5, against 3.16/5 across the 1,151 rated facilities elsewhere in California.
Local staffing, inspection dates and questions to ask →
In Santa Cruz
How to read this table: "Overall" is the CMS star rating, which combines inspections, staffing, and quality measures from resident assessments and claims; "Inspection" is the on-site health inspection rating — the most independent signal, and the one CMS grades on a curve against other facilities in the same state. Flags are federal abuse citations and Special Focus status.
| Facility | Location | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Flags | Fines (3y) | Beds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driftwood Healthcare Center - Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz | ★★★★☆ | 3/5 | 4/5 | — | 92 | |
| Redwood Grove Post Acute | Santa Cruz | ★★★☆☆ | 3/5 | 4/5 | — | 144 | |
| Santa Cruz Post Acute | Santa Cruz | ★★☆☆☆ | 1/5 | 3/5 | $161,912 | 149 |
What to check in Santa Cruz
These figures cover the 3 facilities in this city, excluding nearby alternatives. They describe published records, not current vacancies or a recommendation.
All bars start at zero. Exact values and supporting details remain below.
Both averages use the same 3 facilities, with equal weight per facility. 0 facilities are excluded because one or both values are unavailable. These are CMS case-mix-adjusted measures, not the hours any individual resident is guaranteed to receive.
Weekend staffing is lower than the all-week figure at 3 of these 3. Ask how weekend coverage and response times are maintained. This difference alone does not establish unsafe care.
- How recent is the inspection evidence? CMS marks 0 facilities here as having a most recent health inspection more than two years ago in this release. Ask for the latest inspection report and what has changed since it.
- Can the facility accept your payment arrangement? 3 of 3 facilities here are listed with Medicaid certification. Certification does not establish an available bed, your eligibility or the amount you will owe. Confirm directly and request an itemized written quote.
Check the facility-level figures behind this summary
| Facility | All-week hours | Weekend hours | Latest standard health survey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driftwood Healthcare Center - Santa Cruz | 4.75 | 4.46 | Dec 12, 2025 |
| Redwood Grove Post Acute | 5.28 | 4.93 | Feb 6, 2025 |
| Santa Cruz Post Acute | 3.75 | 3.50 | Mar 3, 2025 |
Hours use the same adjusted basis as the chart. A dash means unavailable. Survey dates are the latest standard health surveys reported in this CMS file; complaint investigations may have different dates. Calculation and verification details.
Nearby alternatives (within 20 miles)
| Facility | Distance | City | Overall | Inspection | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Coast Manor | 1.3 mi | Capitola, CA | ★★★★★ | 5/5 | |
| Watsonville Nursing Center | 12.0 mi | Watsonville, CA | ★★★☆☆ | 3/5 | |
| Watsonville Post Acute Center | 12.0 mi | Watsonville, CA | ★★★★★ | 4/5 | |
| Manresa Healthcare Center | 12.5 mi | Watsonville, CA | ★★★★☆ | 4/5 | |
| Vasona Creek Healthcare Center | 16.8 mi | Los Gatos, CA | ★★☆☆☆ | 3/5 | |
| The Terraces of Los Gatos | 17.2 mi | Los Gatos, CA | ★★★★★ | 5/5 | |
| Stonebrook Health and Rehabilitation | 18.0 mi | Los Gatos, CA | ★★★★★ | 4/5 | |
| Almaden Health and Rehabilitation Center | 18.0 mi | San Jose, CA | ★★★★☆ | 3/5 | |
| Woodlands Healthcare Center | 18.4 mi | Los Gatos, CA | ★★★★★ | 5/5 | |
| Saratoga Retirement Community Health Center | 18.4 mi | Saratoga, CA | ★★★★★ | 5/5 |
Distances are straight-line from the Santa Cruz area, based on CMS-published coordinates — driving distance will be longer. Inspection quality varies a lot even within one county: check each facility's page for what inspectors actually found.