Home / Pennsylvania / Nazareth
Northampton County-Gracedale
Gracedale Avenue, Nazareth, PA 18064 · Northampton County · (610) 746-1900
688 certified beds, about 490 residents a day · Government - County · Medicare and Medicaid since 1980
CMS abuse icon: cited for abuse in a recent inspection Certified for Medicaid Certified for Medicare
Overall
1 of 5
Health inspections
1 of 5
Staffing
3 of 5
Quality measures
1 of 5
CMS note: The accuracy of the data for this rating could not be validated by CMS.
CMS Care Compare ratings, data as of September 1, 2026 · CCN 395476 · See it on Medicare.gov · Compare with other homes
The record in brief
At its most recent standard inspection, on May 1, 2026, inspectors cited 3 health deficiencies (the Pennsylvania average is 10, the national average 9.2).
Of 22 health citations since May 2024, 6 were rated as actual harm or immediate jeopardy to residents (4 immediate jeopardy).
CMS lists 4 fines totaling $144,328 in the last three years; the largest was $91,202, and the latest is dated May 1, 2026.
Nurses and nurse aides worked 3.68 hours per resident per day, against 3.89 across Pennsylvania and 3.86 nationally. Registered nurses accounted for 0.47 of those hours.
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.
205/24
604/25
106/25
109/25
409/25
110/25
110/25
305/26
305/26
Potential for minimal harm Potential for more than minimal harm Actual harm Immediate jeopardy Found on a complaint visit
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 22 health citations on file.
Severity
Isolated
Pattern
Widespread
Immediate jeopardy
3J
1K
0L
Actual harm
2G
0H
0I
Potential for more than minimal harm
14D
2E
0F
Potential for minimal harm
0A
0B
0C
May 14, 2026Complaint inspection · 3 citations
- J Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Inspectors wroteBased on facility policy review, clinical record review, review of facility documentation, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to provide adequate supervision to monitor a resident's whereabouts, prevent an elopement (unauthorized departure from the facility), and ensure that medications were administered as documented for one of six sampled residents. (Resident 1) In addition, the facility failed to provide adequate supervision to a resident with known behaviors and a history of substance abuse (Resident 2). This failure resulted in an Immediate Jeopardy situation.
- D Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to implement and develop a comprehensive care plan to meet the current needs for one of six sampled residents. (Resident 2)
- D Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review, policy review, facility documentation review, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure that a licensed practical nurse (LPN) maintained professional standards of quality care in following the established policies and procedures of the facility set forth in the Pennsylvania Code Title 49 Professional and Vocational standards for one of six residents sampled for medication administration. (Resident 1)
May 1, 2026Standard inspection · 3 citations
- D Prevent the use of unnecessary psychotropic medications or use medications that may restrain a resident's ability to function.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure that residents were free from potential chemical restraints for two of five sampled residents who were ordered psychotropic medications. (Residents 18 and 361)
- D Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to complete an accurate Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment for two of 37 sampled residents. (Resident 24 and 377)
- D Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure physicians' orders were implemented for four of 37 sampled residents. (Residents 9, 10, 171, 234)
October 17, 2025Complaint inspection · 1 citation
- G Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
Inspectors wroteBased on facility policy review, clinical record review, facility documentation review, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure that residents were free from abuse for two of ten sampled residents (Residents 2 and 4), resulting in physical harm for one resident. (Resident 2)
October 2, 2025Complaint inspection · 1 citation
- J Provide the required documentation or notification related to the resident's needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies.
Inspectors wroteBased on facility policy review, clinical record review, review of facility documentation, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure that a provider (physician or designee) was notified in a timely manner of a resident who left the facility against medical advice (AMA). In addition, the facility failed to ensure that a resident was capable of safely making the decision to independently discharge from the facility without interventions or services for one of six sampled residents (Resident 1). This failure resulted in an Immediate Jeopardy situation.
September 23, 2025Complaint inspection · 4 citations
- K Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Inspectors wroteBased on facility policy review, clinical record review, review of facility documentation, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to provide adequate supervision to monitor a resident's whereabouts and prevent an elopement (unauthorized departure from the facility) for one of ten sampled residents at risk for elopement. (Resident 2) In addition, the facility failed to provide required education to staff related to elopement prevention on nursing unit Tower 3, affecting 29 residents assessed as at risk for elopement. This failure resulted in an Immediate Jeopardy situation.
- E Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and a review of facility documentation, it was determined that the facility failed to provide sufficient and competent staff needed to implement a resident's care plan interventions. (Resident 2)
- E Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently.
Inspectors wroteBased on review of facility job descriptions, clinical record review, and review of facility documentation, it was determined that the Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) and Director of Nursing (DON) did not effectively manage the facility to ensure that adequate interventions and supervision were provided to prevent the elopement of two of 10 sampled residents. (Residents 1 and 2) In addition, the NHA and DON failed to ensure staff education was completed as indicated in their Immediate Jeopardy Action Plan on nursing unit Tower 3, affecting 29 residents at risk for elopement.
- D Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and staff interview it was determined that the facility failed to develop and/or implement a comprehensive care plan that addressed individual resident needs as identified in the comprehensive assessment for two of ten sampled residents. (Residents 1, 2)
September 19, 2025Complaint inspection · 1 citation
- J Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Inspectors wroteBased on facility policy review, clinical record review, review of facility documentation, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to provide adequate supervision to monitor a resident's whereabouts and prevent an elopement (unauthorized departure from the facility) for one of seven sampled residents at risk for elopement. (Resident 1) This failure resulted in an Immediate Jeopardy situation.
June 25, 2025Complaint inspection · 1 citation
- G Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
Inspectors wroteBased on facility policy review, clinical record review, review of facility documentation, and resident interview, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure that residents were free from physical and/or mental abuse for three of 10 sampled residents. (Residents 1, 2, 3)
April 16, 2025Standard inspection · 6 citations
- D Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to complete an accurate Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment for one of 36 sampled residents. (Resident 322)
- D Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to provide physician ordered treatments for one of five sampled residents with pressure ulcers. (Resident 308)
- D Provide appropriate foot care.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review, observation, review of facility documentation, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to provide nail care to promote foot health for one of 36 sampled residents. (Resident 397)
- D Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to implement treatment and services to prevent a further decrease in range of motion for two of eight sampled residents with limited range of motion. (Residents 21 and 380)
- D Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
Inspectors wroteBased on a review of facility policy and observation, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure that medications/biologicals were securely stored in a medication or treatment cart on one of 12 nursing units. (Tower 5)
- D Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Inspectors wroteBased on facility policy review, observation, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to store food in a sanitary manner on two of 12 nursing units. (Northwest 1 and Northwest 2) In addition, the facility failed to distribute resident meal trays in a sanitary manner on one of 12 nursing units. (Northeast 1)
May 2, 2024Standard inspection · 2 citations
- D Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and observation, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure that physician's orders were implemented for one of 37 sampled residents. (Resident 5)
- 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 facility policy review, clinical record review, and observation, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure that adequate catheter care was provided for one of four sampled residents with an indwelling urinary catheter. (Resident 5)
Fire safety inspections
15 fire safety citations on file: 6 on April 16, 2025, 5 on May 2, 2024, 4 on June 8, 2023.
Every fire safety citation15 citations
- F Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
- E Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.
- E Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
- E Properly select, install, inspect, or maintain portable fire extinguishes.
- E Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
- E Have proper medical gas storage and administration areas.
- E Have properly located and lighted "Exit" signs.
- E Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating.
- D Properly select, install, inspect, or maintain portable fire extinguishes.
- D To conduct inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors by qualified individuals.
- C Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.
- E Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.
- D Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
- D Install properly constructed and protected linen or trash chutes.
- C Meet other general requirements.
Fines and payment denials
| Date | Penalty | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2026 | Fine | $21,756 |
| September 19, 2025 | Fine | $9,113 |
| September 19, 2025 | Fine | $91,202 |
| June 25, 2025 | Fine | $22,257 |
A payment denial means Medicare and Medicaid stopped paying for new admissions for that period.
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 | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| All nursing staff (RN, LPN and aides) | 3.68 | 3.89 | 3.86 |
| Registered nurses | 0.47 | 0.79 | 0.69 |
| All nursing staff on weekends | 3.24 | 3.53 | 3.42 |
| Nurse aides | 2.02 | ||
| Licensed practical nurses | 1.18 | ||
| Nursing staff turnover (share who left in a year) | not reported | 44.5% | 45.8% |
| Registered nurse turnover | not reported | 39.9% | 42.9% |
| Administrators who left | 4 |
CMS expects 3.03 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 3.86 on weekdays and 3.24 on weekends, 16% lower on weekends (nationally, weekends ran 15% lower). Contract or agency staff worked 58.0% of nursing hours, against 5.3% nationally. Total nursing hours per resident went from 3.62 in April to June 2025 to 3.68 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 | 3.68 | 0.47 | 3.86 | 3.24 | 58.0% | 0 of 90 | 490 |
| Oct to Dec 2025 | 3.06 | 0.51 | 3.22 | 2.65 | 51.9% | 0 of 92 | 493 |
| Jul to Sep 2025 | 3.41 | 0.52 | 3.60 | 2.95 | 57.5% | 0 of 92 | 492 |
| Apr to Jun 2025 | 3.62 | 0.55 | 3.82 | 3.12 | 57.6% | 0 of 91 | 491 |
| United States, Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.75 | 0.62 | 3.92 | 3.33 | 5.3% | 0.5% of days | |
| Pennsylvania, Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.69 | 0.65 | 3.82 | 3.34 | 11.3% | 0.1% 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 | Pennsylvania | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 17.9 | 16.8 | 13.9 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 4.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication Short Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 3.9 | 1.4 | 1.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 18.1 | 17.0 | 14.1 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 20.8 | 22.5 | 23.8 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 14.8 | 9.5 | 12.0 |
| Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.9 |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 1.8 |
Owners and operators
Legal business name: COUNTY OF NORTHAMPTON.
| Name | Role | Type | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erickson, Larry | W-2 managing employee | Individual | 06/20/2023 | |
| McCord, Doreen | W-2 managing employee | Individual | 03/26/2021 | |
| Stewart-King, Jennifer-Dana | W-2 managing employee | Individual | 12/19/2018 | |
| Erickson, Larry | Corporate director | Individual | 06/20/2023 | |
| Stewart-King, Jennifer-Dana | Corporate director | Individual | 12/19/2018 | |
| McCord, Doreen | Corporate officer | Individual | 03/26/2021 | |
| Stewart-King, Jennifer-Dana | Corporate officer | Individual | 12/19/2018 |
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 9 problems in this area, most recently on May 14, 2026: "Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents."
- When is the care plan meeting, and can family attend it?Inspectors cited 5 problems in this area, most recently on May 14, 2026: "Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured."
- How are allegations of abuse or neglect reported and investigated, and who tells the family?Inspectors cited 3 problems in this area, most recently on May 1, 2026: "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 1 problem in this area, most recently on October 2, 2025: "Provide the required documentation or notification related to the resident's needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies."
- Who is on the floor on Saturday and Sunday, and how many residents does each aide care for?Weekend nurse staffing here was 3.24 hours per resident per day, below the Pennsylvania average of 3.53.
- How long has the current administrator been here?CMS counts 4 administrators who left in the period it measured.
Other nursing homes nearby
- Moravian Hall Square Health and Wellness Center Nazareth, 1.1 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 7 citations
- Country Meadows Nursing Center of Bethlehem Bethlehem, 4.4 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 3 citations
- Easton Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Easton, 5.4 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 22 citations
- Kirkland Village Bethlehem, 5.9 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 9 citations
- Advanced Health Care of Hanover Bethlehem, 5.9 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 21 citations
- New Eastwood Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center Easton, 5.9 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 8 citations
- Northampton Post Acute Easton, 6.2 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 15 citations
- Gardens for Memory Care at Easton, the Easton, 7.2 mi · 3 of 5 stars · 11 citations
Pennsylvania contacts for a concern about a nursing home
These are the official offices in Pennsylvania. NursingHomeClear cannot take or act on complaints.
- Inspections and complaints: Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Nursing Care Facilities, the state agency that inspects nursing homes for CMS and takes complaints about care.
- Resident advocate: Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, Department of Aging, 717-783-8975. 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: Pennsylvania Department of Health Nursing Care Facility Locator, where Pennsylvania publishes its own records on licensed homes.
Common questions
- What is Northampton County-Gracedale's Medicare star rating?
- CMS rates Northampton County-Gracedale 1 out of 5 stars overall, with 1 for health inspections, 3 for staffing and 1 for quality measures (CMS data as of September 1, 2026).
- How many deficiencies did Northampton County-Gracedale get at its last inspection?
- 3 health deficiencies at the standard inspection on May 1, 2026. The Pennsylvania average is 10.
- Has Northampton County-Gracedale been fined?
- Yes. CMS lists 4 fines totaling $144,328 in the last three years.
- Does Northampton County-Gracedale 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 Northampton County-Gracedale?
- CMS lists 7 owners and managers. Legal business name: COUNTY OF NORTHAMPTON.
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.