Brickyard Healthcare - Valparaiso Care Center
251 Sturdy Rd, Valparaiso, IN 46383 · Porter County · (219) 462-6158
85 certified beds, about 78 residents a day · For profit - Corporation · Medicare and Medicaid since 1972
CMS Care Compare ratings, data as of September 1, 2026 · CCN 155137 · See it on Medicare.gov · Compare with other homes
The record in brief
At its most recent standard inspection, on July 25, 2025, inspectors cited 6 health deficiencies (the Indiana average is 7.2, the national average 9.2).
None of its 14 health citations since December 2023 was rated as actual harm or immediate jeopardy.
CMS lists no fines against this home in the last three years.
Nurses and nurse aides worked 3.42 hours per resident per day, against 3.69 across Indiana and 3.86 nationally. Registered nurses accounted for 0.82 of those hours.
36.8% of nursing staff left within the year CMS measured (Indiana average 45.9%).
CMS links it to Brickyard Healthcare, an affiliated group of 23 nursing homes.
Health inspections
Federal rules call for a standard inspection at least every 15 months, plus a visit whenever a complaint is filed. Each mark below is one citation, colored by how serious inspectors rated it. How to read a citation.
Under each citation, the quoted text is the inspector's own summary from the federal statement of deficiencies (CMS form 2567), word for word apart from a privacy scrub; CMS removes residents' and staff names before it publishes the text. The full notes are on Medicare.gov.
Where its citations fall on CMS's grid
CMS rates every citation by how much harm it caused (rows) and how many residents it touched (columns). The count in each box is this home's, across all 14 health citations on file.
July 25, 2025Standard inspection, Complaint inspection · 6 citations
- D Prevent the use of unnecessary psychotropic medications or use medications that may restrain a resident's ability to function.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure an indication or reason for use was documented prior to administering a PRN (as needed) anti-anxiety medication for 1 of 5 residents reviewed for unnecessary medications. (Resident 42)
- D Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review, and interview, the facility failed to ensure the Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment was accurately completed related to wandering behaviors for 1 of 18 MDS assessments reviewed. (Resident 78)
- D Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure care plans were implemented for 1 of 18 resident care plans reviewed. (Resident 13)
- D Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure physician's orders were followed for a respiratory assessment with administration of an as needed (PRN) nebulizer treatment for 1 of 5 resident's reviewed for unnecessary medications. (Resident 13)
- D Provide or obtain x-rays/tests when ordered and promptly tell the ordering practitioner of the results.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review and interview, the facility failed to obtain prompt diagnostic testing related to a doppler scan (ultrasound) for 1 of 1 resident reviewed for diagnostic testing. (Resident B)
- D Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review and interview, the facility failed to maintain clinical records that were complete and accurately documented related to inaccurate documentation of doppler scan test results for 1 of 1 resident reviewed for diagnostic testing. (Resident B)
October 4, 2024Standard inspection · 4 citations
- D Give residents a notice of rights, rules, services and charges.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure a resident was informed of resident rights and facility rules upon admission for 1 of 1 resident reviewed for resident rights. (Resident 225)
- D Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review, and interview, the facility failed to notify the physician timely related to ongoing respiratory symptoms and the inability to obtain a sample for ordered laboratory testing for 1 of 1 resident reviewed for respiratory care. (Resident 16)
- D Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure residents received medications as ordered related to following blood pressure parameters prior to administration for 1 of 5 residents reviewed for unnecessary medications (Resident 59) and 1 of 2 residents reviewed for pain. (Resident 177) The facility also failed to assess and monitor a skin discoloration for 1 of 3 residents reviewed for non-pressure skin conditions. (Resident 71)
- D Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review, and interview, the facility failed to ensure an indwelling Foley (urinary) catheter tubing and collection bag was kept off the floor for 1 of 1 resident reviewed for urinary catheters. (Resident 276)
December 15, 2023Standard inspection · 4 citations
- D Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure the Interim Administrator was notified immediately of a nasal fracture resulting from a resident to resident altercation for 1 of 2 residents reviewed for abuse. (Resident 36)
- D Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review, and interview, the facility failed to ensure Physician's Orders for lymphedema pumps were documented as completed for 1 of 4 residents reviewed for non-pressure skin conditions. (Resident 29).
- D Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review, and interview, the facility failed to provide the necessary care and treatment for respiratory services related to the improper use of an oxygen delivery mask for 1 of 1 random observations of an oxygen mask. (Resident 10)
- D Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review, and interview, the facility failed to ensure a medication error rate of less than 5% for 1 of 8 residents observed during medication pass. Seven errors were observed during 30 opportunities for errors during medication administration. This resulted in a medication error rate of 23%. (Resident 36)
Fire safety inspections
3 fire safety citations on file: 1 on July 25, 2025, 2 on December 15, 2023.
Every fire safety citation3 citations
- E Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.
- E Have an enclosure around a vertical opening shaft.
- E Install an approved automatic sprinkler system.
Fines and payment denials
CMS lists no fines or payment denials against this home in the last three years. The national average is 0.9 fines per home.
Staffing
Hours of care per resident per day, from the payroll records every home sends CMS. Higher means more staff time with each resident.
| Measure | This home | Indiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| All nursing staff (RN, LPN and aides) | 3.42 | 3.69 | 3.86 |
| Registered nurses | 0.82 | 0.67 | 0.69 |
| All nursing staff on weekends | 3.02 | 3.25 | 3.42 |
| Nurse aides | 1.83 | ||
| Licensed practical nurses | 0.78 | ||
| Nursing staff turnover (share who left in a year) | 36.8% | 45.9% | 45.8% |
| Registered nurse turnover | 13.3% | 40.3% | 42.9% |
| Administrators who left | 0 |
CMS expects 4.11 hours a day for residents as sick as this home's (its case-mix figure). The staffing star compares the two.
Staffing by quarter, from daily payroll records
Every nursing home sends CMS its staff hours for each day (the Payroll Based Journal). Here they are added up by quarter. The latest quarter is the one behind the figures above. In January to March 2026, nursing staff hours per resident were 3.58 on weekdays and 3.02 on weekends, 16% lower on weekends (nationally, weekends ran 15% lower). Contract or agency staff worked 1.1% of nursing hours, against 5.3% nationally. Total nursing hours per resident went from 3.44 in April to June 2025 to 3.42 in January to March 2026.
| Quarter | All nursing staff | Registered nurses | Weekdays | Weekends | Contract staff share | Days with no RN hours | Residents a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.42 | 0.82 | 3.58 | 3.02 | 1.1% | 0 of 90 | 78 |
| Oct to Dec 2025 | 3.51 | 0.81 | 3.64 | 3.19 | 2.2% | 0 of 92 | 77 |
| Jul to Sep 2025 | 3.30 | 0.80 | 3.46 | 2.91 | 3.3% | 0 of 92 | 80 |
| Apr to Jun 2025 | 3.44 | 0.75 | 3.62 | 2.98 | 2.5% | 0 of 91 | 78 |
| United States, Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.75 | 0.62 | 3.92 | 3.33 | 5.3% | 0.5% of days | |
| Indiana, Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.63 | 0.62 | 3.80 | 3.19 | 3.4% | 0.4% of days |
Hours per resident per day: staff hours in the quarter divided by resident days (the daily census CMS derives from resident assessments). Registered nurses include the director of nursing and RNs with administrative duties; aides include nurse aides in training and medication aides, as in CMS's own staffing measure. How these are calculated.
Quality measures
The measures CMS uses for the quality star. Lower is better for every one of them.
| Measure | This home | Indiana | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 7.5 | 11.0 | 13.9 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.8 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 1.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 1.8 | 3.9 | 3.2 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication Short Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 1.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 7.0 | 11.9 | 14.1 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 2.1 | 3.6 | 4.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 11.2 | 13.6 | 15.4 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 27.3 | 22.2 | 23.8 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 8.8 | 10.8 | 12.0 |
| Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 1.9 |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.8 |
Owners and operators
Legal business name: HENDRICKS COUNTY HOSPITAL. CMS links this home to Brickyard Healthcare, a group of 23 nursing homes averaging 2.7 stars overall.
| Name | Role | Type | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydow, Tiffany | Contracted managing employee | Individual | 10/17/2022 | |
| Engels, Erin | Corporate director | Individual | 10/25/2014 | |
| Gentry, Mark | Corporate director | Individual | 01/12/2022 | |
| Starkey, Tyler | Corporate director | Individual | 08/01/2020 | |
| Waite, John | Corporate director | Individual | 08/01/2020 | |
| Whicker, Timothy | Corporate director | Individual | 01/12/2022 | |
| Fenoughty, Deanna | Corporate officer | Individual | 07/10/2023 | |
| Valpariaso Operating LLC | Operational/managerial control | Organization | 09/01/2012 |
As listed in the CMS ownership file, which names owners with a 5% or greater stake and the people and companies with operational or managerial control.
Questions to ask on a visit
Chosen from this home's own inspection record.
- How do you prevent falls and pressure injuries, and how are families told when one happens?Inspectors cited 5 problems in this area, most recently on July 25, 2025: "Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals."
- When is the care plan meeting, and can family attend it?Inspectors cited 3 problems in this area, most recently on July 25, 2025: "Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment."
- How are allegations of abuse or neglect reported and investigated, and who tells the family?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on July 25, 2025: "Prevent the use of unnecessary psychotropic medications or use medications that may restrain a resident's ability to function."
- How do residents and families raise a complaint or grievance, and how fast is it answered?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on October 4, 2024: "Give residents a notice of rights, rules, services and charges."
- Who is on the floor on Saturday and Sunday, and how many residents does each aide care for?Weekend nurse staffing here was 3.02 hours per resident per day, below the Indiana average of 3.25.
Other nursing homes nearby
- Life Care Center of the Willows Valparaiso, 1.3 mi · 1 of 5 stars · 37 citations
- Avalon Springs Health Campus Valparaiso, 2.1 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 28 citations
- Valparaiso Care & Rehabilitation Valparaiso, 2.2 mi · 1 of 5 stars · 30 citations
- Life Care Center of Valparaiso Valparaiso, 3.1 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 17 citations
- Ignite Medical Resort Chesterton Chesterton, 8.2 mi · 1 of 5 stars · 68 citations
- Addison Pointe Health & Rehabilitation Center Chesterton, 9.2 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 22 citations
- Chesterton Manor Chesterton, 9.4 mi · 1 of 5 stars · 33 citations
- Brickyard Healthcare - Portage Care Center Portage, 10.1 mi · 2 of 5 stars · 29 citations
Indiana contacts for a concern about a nursing home
These are the official offices in Indiana. NursingHomeClear cannot take or act on complaints.
- Inspections and complaints: Indiana Department of Health, Division of Long-Term Care, the state agency that inspects nursing homes for CMS and takes complaints about care.
- Resident advocate: Indiana Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, 800-622-4484. The long-term care ombudsman is a free, confidential advocate for residents and families, set up under the federal Older Americans Act.
- State inspection reports: Indiana Department of Health, Nursing Home Report Cards, where Indiana publishes its own records on licensed homes.
Common questions
- What is Brickyard Healthcare - Valparaiso Care Center's Medicare star rating?
- CMS rates Brickyard Healthcare - Valparaiso Care Center 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 for health inspections, 3 for staffing and 4 for quality measures (CMS data as of September 1, 2026).
- How many deficiencies did Brickyard Healthcare - Valparaiso Care Center get at its last inspection?
- 6 health deficiencies at the standard inspection on July 25, 2025. The Indiana average is 7.2.
- Has Brickyard Healthcare - Valparaiso Care Center been fined?
- CMS lists no fines in the last three years.
- Does Brickyard Healthcare - Valparaiso Care Center accept Medicaid?
- It is certified to take Medicaid (CMS lists it as "Medicare and Medicaid"). Certification does not mean a Medicaid bed is open: ask the admissions office.
- Who owns Brickyard Healthcare - Valparaiso Care Center?
- CMS lists 8 owners and managers, and links the home to Brickyard Healthcare. Legal business name: HENDRICKS COUNTY HOSPITAL.
Sources
- Ratings, staffing and fines: CMS Provider Information, released September 30, 2026, data as of September 1, 2026.
- Citations: CMS Health Deficiencies and Fire Safety Deficiencies.
- Owners: CMS Ownership. Penalties: CMS Penalties.
- Staffing by quarter: CMS Payroll Based Journal Daily Nurse Staffing, April 2025 to March 2026, summed by NursingHomeClear.
- Inspector summaries: CMS Full Statement of Deficiencies (CMS-2567 text), data as of September 1, 2026. Each quote is the part of the statement before the detailed findings.
- Inspection reports with the inspectors' full notes are on this home's Medicare.gov page.
- Something wrong on this page? Ask for a correction. We fix errors in our copy of the data; findings themselves can only be changed by CMS and the state.
- NursingHomeClear is independent and not affiliated with CMS, Medicare or any state agency. This page reports federal records; it does not rate, recommend or endorse any home, and it is not medical or legal advice.