Home / North Dakota / Cando
Towner County Living Ctr
228 1st Ave, Cando, ND 58324 · Towner County · (701) 968-2600
28 certified beds, about 27 residents a day · Non profit - Corporation · Medicare and Medicaid since 1980
CMS Care Compare ratings, data as of September 1, 2026 · CCN 355068 · See it on Medicare.gov · Compare with other homes
The record in brief
At its most recent standard inspection, on January 14, 2026, inspectors cited 5 health deficiencies (the North Dakota average is 5.6, the national average 9.2).
None of its 13 health citations since September 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 4.31 hours per resident per day, against 4.42 across North Dakota and 3.86 nationally. Registered nurses accounted for 1.45 of those hours.
50.0% of nursing staff left within the year CMS measured (North Dakota average 48.8%).
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 13 health citations on file.
January 14, 2026Standard inspection, Complaint inspection · 5 citations
- E Provide sufficient support personnel to safely and effectively carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, review of facility policy, review of resident council minutes, review of the facility assessment, review of the dietary schedule, and staff interview, the facility failed to ensure sufficient staff for meal service in 1 of 1 dining room. Failure to serve resident meals in a timely manner did not enhance the dining experience for the facility's residents.
- E Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, review of resident council meeting minutes, review of facility policy, and resident and staff interviews, the facility failed to take actions aimed at performance improvement and, after implementing those actions, measure its success, and track performance to ensure that improvements are identified and sustained. Failure to perform Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Program (QAPI) for continued resident concerns placed all residents at risk for not having their needs met.
- D Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Inspectors wroteBased on review of the facility reported incident (FRI) investigation, record review, review of facility policy, and staff and resident interviews, the facility failed to ensure each resident received adequate supervision to prevent accidents for 1 of 1 sampled resident (Resident #4) investigated for a fall. Failure to ensure staff provided hands on assistance with ambulation resulted in a fall with injury to Resident #4 and has the potential for all residents who require hands on assistance with ambulation to experience falls and/or injury.
- D Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, review of facility policies, and staff interview, the facility failed to ensure food is stored in accordance with professional standards for food service sanitation in 1 of 1 kitchen. Failure to ensure food is stored, prepared and served in a sanitary environment, and to ensure sanitary strips are not expired, may result in contamination of foods and foodborne illness.
- D Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review, review of facility policy, and staff interview, the facility failed to follow standards of infection control and prevention for 1 of 1 sampled resident (Resident #3) observed during cares. Failure to apply appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when providing care to residents in enhanced barrier precautions (EBP) has the potential to spread infection to residents, staff and visitors.
September 25, 2024Standard inspection · 2 citations
- E Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, review of facility policy, and resident and staff interviews, the facility failed to serve beverages at palatable temperatures in 1 of 2 meals observed. Failure to serve foods at palatable temperatures to residents may result in decreased intake, weight loss, and inadequate nutrition.
- 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 observation, record review, review of facility policy, and staff interview, the facility failed to ensure accurate labeling of medications for 1 of 2 sampled residents (Resident #22) with a gastrostomy tube (G-tube)observed during medication pass. Failure to ensure appropriate labeling of medications placed residents at risk for medication errors and/or injury.
September 7, 2023Standard inspection, Complaint inspection · 6 citations
- E Ensure a licensed pharmacist perform a monthly drug regimen review, including the medical chart, following irregularity reporting guidelines in developed policies and procedures.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review, review of facility policy, and staff interview, the facility failed to ensure the consultant pharmacist completed and reported the drug regimen reviews at least monthly for 5 of 5 sampled residents (Resident #2, #5, #6, #7, and #16) selected for unnecessary medication review. Failure to complete and report drug regimen reviews may result in residents receiving unnecessary medications and experiencing adverse consequences related to the medications.
- D Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review, review of the North Dakota Provider Manual for Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) and Level of Care Screening Procedures for Long Term Care Services, and staff interview, the facility failed to complete a status change assessment for 1 of 1 sampled resident (Resident #7) reviewed for PASRR. Failure to complete a change in status assessment with a newly diagnosed mental illness and/or change in treatment may result in the delivery of care and services that are inconsistent with residents' needs.
- 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, review of facility policy, and staff interview, the facility failed to review and revise the comprehensive care plan to reflect the current status for 1 of 12 sampled residents (Resident #4). Failure to review and revise the care plan limited staffs' ability to communicate needs and ensure continuity of care.
- D Ensure each resident receives and the facility provides food prepared in a form designed to meet individual needs.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review, and staff interview, the facility failed to provide food in a form to meet individual needs for 1 of 1 sampled resident with an order for ground meat (Resident #76). Failure to provide ground meat as ordered may result in reduced intakes and chewing/swallowing difficulties.
- D Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, facility policy, and staff interview, the facility failed to serve, prepare, and store food in a safe and sanitary manner for 1 of 1 kitchen. Failure to label and date food with the expiration date, discard expired food, and ensure dishware and food is free from dust/debris increased the risk for contamination and has the potential to result in foodborne illness to residents, staff, and visitors.
- D Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation and review of facility policy, the facility failed to follow standards of infection control for 2 of 7 sampled residents (Resident #6 and #14) observed while receiving toileting assistance. Failure to follow infection control practices regarding hand hygiene during cares has the potential for transmission of communicable diseases and infections to residents, staff, and visitors.
Fire safety inspections
5 fire safety citations on file: 3 on January 14, 2026, 2 on September 7, 2023.
Every fire safety citation5 citations
- F Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.
- F Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
- F Ensure that testing and maintenance of electrical equipment is performed.
- F Conduct testing and exercise requirements.
- E Provide properly protected cooking facilities.
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 | North Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| All nursing staff (RN, LPN and aides) | 4.31 | 4.42 | 3.86 |
| Registered nurses | 1.45 | 0.93 | 0.69 |
| All nursing staff on weekends | 3.79 | 3.80 | 3.42 |
| Nurse aides | 2.54 | ||
| Licensed practical nurses | 0.33 | ||
| Nursing staff turnover (share who left in a year) | 50.0% | 48.8% | 45.8% |
| Registered nurse turnover | 20.0% | 40.3% | 42.9% |
| Administrators who left | not reported |
CMS expects 3.05 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 4.52 on weekdays and 3.79 on weekends, 16% lower on weekends (nationally, weekends ran 15% lower). Contract or agency staff worked 20.2% of nursing hours, against 5.3% nationally. Total nursing hours per resident went from 4.29 in April to June 2025 to 4.31 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 | 4.31 | 1.45 | 4.52 | 3.79 | 20.2% | 0 of 90 | 27 |
| Oct to Dec 2025 | 4.39 | 1.48 | 4.60 | 3.86 | 23.3% | 0 of 92 | 27 |
| Jul to Sep 2025 | 4.32 | 1.50 | 4.55 | 3.76 | 17.7% | 0 of 92 | 28 |
| Apr to Jun 2025 | 4.29 | 1.48 | 4.50 | 3.74 | 24.7% | 0 of 91 | 28 |
| United States, Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.75 | 0.62 | 3.92 | 3.33 | 5.3% | 0.5% of days | |
| North Dakota, Jan to Mar 2026 | 4.57 | 0.92 | 4.81 | 3.96 | 11.7% | 0.2% 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.
Staff pay reports
Staff pay at this home
No staff pay figure for this home has passed review yet. A figure appears only after at least 5 reports from at least 3 different people, sent over at least 60 days, have passed review.
Official wage estimates for North Dakota
| Job | Median | Middle half | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota, all employers | |||
| CNAs (nursing assistants) | $22.03 | $17.51 to $23.06 | 6,840 |
| LPNs and LVNs | $29.95 | $28.03 to $31.26 | 1,920 |
| Registered nurses | $38.81 | $33.47 to $44.75 | 11,340 |
| United States, nursing care facilities | |||
| CNAs (nursing assistants) | $20.67 | $17.91 to $22.55 | 534,270 |
| LPNs and LVNs | $33.86 | $30.05 to $37.40 | 188,210 |
| Registered nurses | $41.11 | $37.85 to $47.68 | 142,270 |
Hourly wages; the middle half runs from the 25th to the 75th percentile. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. BLS has no separate estimate for medication aides. These are survey estimates for whole occupations, not figures for any one home.
Quality measures
The measures CMS uses for the quality star. Lower is better for every one of them.
| Measure | This home | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 11.0 | 19.8 | 13.9 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 0.8 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 5.6 | 2.6 | 1.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 3.2 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 11.4 | 17.6 | 14.1 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 1.3 | 4.9 | 4.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 17.0 | 22.7 | 15.4 |
| Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.9 |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
Short-term rehab results
For a stay to recover after a hospital visit, these are the results CMS publishes for Towner County Living Ctr's Medicare short-stay residents. How to read these, and what Medicare pays for.
CMS reports none of these results for this home: The number of residents or resident stays is too small to report. Call the facility to discuss this quality measure.
Source: CMS Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program - Provider Data, released 2026-09-30. Better, no different and worse are CMS's own comparisons with the national rate, after adjusting for how sick residents were. Medians of homes and the state counts are worked out by us from the same file.
Owners and operators
Legal business name: TOWNER COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER INC.
| Name | Role | Type | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belzer, Thomas | Corporate director | Individual | 10/26/2005 | |
| Bjornstad, Randina | Corporate director | Individual | 11/01/2014 | |
| Farbo, Michael | Corporate director | Individual | 11/01/2010 | |
| Gibbens, Michelle | Corporate director | Individual | 08/26/2020 | |
| Peters, John | Corporate director | Individual | 11/01/2012 | |
| Westlind, Gregory | Corporate director | Individual | 10/26/2005 | |
| Wolsky, David | Corporate director | Individual | 01/21/2008 | |
| Belzer, Thomas | Corporate officer | Individual | 11/22/2023 | |
| Bucher, Ben | Corporate officer | Individual | 05/31/2024 | |
| Larson, Tammy | Corporate officer | Individual | 05/31/2024 | |
| Westlind, Gregory | Corporate officer | Individual | 11/22/2023 | |
| Wolsky, David | Corporate officer | Individual | 11/22/2023 | |
| Bucher, Ben | Operational/managerial control | Individual | 04/01/2015 | |
| Gehrtz, Jenna | Operational/managerial control | Individual | 04/14/2024 | |
| Larson, Tammy | Operational/managerial control | Individual | 04/01/2008 | |
| Peterson, Mark | Operational/managerial control | Individual | 11/01/2015 |
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.
- Can we see a week of menus and the kitchen, and how are special diets handled?Inspectors cited 5 problems in this area, most recently on January 14, 2026: "Provide sufficient support personnel to safely and effectively carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service."
- What changed in infection control since the last inspection, and who on staff is the infection preventionist?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on January 14, 2026: "Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program."
- How are medications reviewed, and how often are antipsychotic or sedating drugs used?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on September 25, 2024: "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."
- When is the care plan meeting, and can family attend it?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on September 7, 2023: "Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed."
- Who is on the floor on Saturday and Sunday, and how many residents does each aide care for?Weekend nurse staffing here was 3.79 hours per resident per day, below the North Dakota average of 3.80.
North Dakota contacts for a concern about a nursing home
These are the official offices in North Dakota. NursingHomeClear cannot take or act on complaints.
- Inspections and complaints: North Dakota Health and Human Services, Health Facilities Unit, the state agency that inspects nursing homes for CMS and takes complaints about care.
- Resident advocate: North Dakota Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, (855) 462-5465. 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: North Dakota Deficiency Statement Search, where North Dakota publishes its own records on licensed homes.
Common questions
- What is Towner County Living Ctr's Medicare star rating?
- CMS rates Towner County Living Ctr 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 3 for health inspections, 5 for staffing and 4 for quality measures (CMS data as of September 1, 2026).
- How many deficiencies did Towner County Living Ctr get at its last inspection?
- 5 health deficiencies at the standard inspection on January 14, 2026. The North Dakota average is 5.6.
- Has Towner County Living Ctr been fined?
- CMS lists no fines in the last three years.
- Does Towner County Living Ctr 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 Towner County Living Ctr?
- CMS lists 16 owners and managers. Legal business name: TOWNER COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER INC.
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.