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C
Below Standard

NORTHWOOD REHABILITATION & HEALTHCARE CENTER

1010 VARNUM AVENUE · LOWELL, MA 01854

9784588773 · For profit - Corporation

123 beds116.7 residents135 staff
CMS Five-Star Ratings
Overall
★★★★★
Staffing
★★★★★
Quality
★★★★★
Inspections
★★★★★
Staffing Grades
C
Below Standard
Total Staff
C
Below Standard
RN Staff
C
Below Standard
Overall
✗CMS Benchmark(≥ 3.48 HPRD)
✗RN Recommendation(≥ 0.75 HPRD)
✗Research Standard(≥ 4.10 HPRD)
📋

What This Means in Plain English

NORTHWOOD REHABILITATION & HEALTHCARE CENTER receives an overall staffing grade of C (Below Standard). With 3.0476 total nurse hours per resident per day, this facility falls below the CMS staffing benchmark of 3.48 HPRD and has RN staffing of 0.4739 HPRD, below the recommended 0.75. It is 0.85 HPRD below the national average.

Weekend staffing stays relatively consistent — dropping 9.49% compared to weekdays. The facility has low agency staff usage (0.05% of hours), suggesting a mostly permanent workforce.

Staffing levels have remained relatively stable over recent quarters.

🔍 Areas of Concern (2)

🚨Does not meet the CMS staffing benchmark of 3.48 HPRD. Current: 3.0476 HPRD — needs 0.43 more hours per resident per day.
⚠️RN staffing (0.4739 HPRD) is below the research-recommended minimum of 0.75 HPRD. This means less clinical oversight per resident.

✨ Strengths (4)

✅No days with zero registered nurse hours this quarter
✅Low agency staff usage (0.05%) — mostly permanent, familiar staff
✅Consistent weekend staffing — only 9.49% drop-off
✅Highly consistent day-to-day staffing levels
Total Nurse HPRD
3.0476hrs/resident/day▼ 0.85
CMS benchmark: 3.48
RN HPRD
0.4739hrs/resident/day▼ 0.21
Recommended: 0.75
Weekend Drop-off
9.49%
3.1316 weekday → 2.8345 weekend
Agency Staff
0.05%
0.19% of RN hours from contractors
Days with Zero RN
0days this quarter
4+ days = auto 1-star
CNA HPRD
1.8929hrs/resident/day
Direct care aides
LPN HPRD
0.6808hrs/resident/day
Licensed practical nurses
Consistency
0.2425std dev
Lower = more predictable

HPRD Over Time

Total nurse staffing hours per resident per day, by quarter

Total HPRD (shaded area)RN HPRDCMS Benchmark (3.48) — staffing standardResearch Standard (4.10) — recommended level

How Does This Facility Compare?

Compared to county, state, and national averages for total nurse HPRD

vs. Middlesex County Average-0.93 HPRD
3.98
03.05 HPRD
vs. Massachusetts State Average-0.82 HPRD
3.87
03.05 HPRD
vs. National Average-0.85 HPRD
3.90
03.05 HPRD
■ Colored bar = this facility · | Black line = average · Based on 2025Q3 data

Nearby Facilities

Compare with other nursing homes in the area

FacilityDistanceGradeTotal HPRDRN HPRDCMS Rating
NORTHWOOD REHABILITATION & HEALTHCARE CENTER ★
LOWELL · This facility
—
C
3.04760.4739★☆☆☆☆
FAIRHAVEN HEALTHCARE CENTER
LOWELL
1 mi
D
3.51630.2751★★☆☆☆
CARE ONE AT LOWELL
LOWELL
3.4 mi
F
3.6330.2487★★★☆☆
Vantage at Lowell LLC
LOWELL
4.2 mi
D
3.61480.2959★★☆☆☆
NEVINS NURSING & REHABILITATION CENTER
METHUEN
11.1 mi
C
3.86010.4668★☆☆☆☆
CARLETON-WILLARD VILLAGE RETIREMENT & NURSING CTR
BEDFORD
11.3 mi
A+
5.13441.0469★★★★☆

Inspection History & Penalties

Health inspection results from state surveys — most recent first

4
Inspections
54
Total Deficiencies
$165,780
Fines Assessed
Aug 29, 2024Health
18 deficiencies cited· Includes actual harm
▼
Jun 5, 2024Health
1 deficiency cited
▼
Aug 10, 2023Health
14 deficiencies cited· Includes actual harm
▼
Sep 26, 2022Health
21 deficiencies cited· Includes actual harm
▼

Penalty History

Aug 29, 2024Fine
$85,178
Aug 10, 2023Fine
$80,602
CMS Severity Scale
A–C: No Harm / PotentialD–F: No Harm but ConcernG–H: Actual HarmI–L: Immediate Jeopardy

Source: CMS Staffing & Quality Data — 2025Q3 · data.cms.gov

Staffing grades are based on CMS-published thresholds and research recommendations. CMS is not affiliated with and does not endorse this website.