Northampton County-Gracedale
Gracedale Avenue, Nazareth, PA 18064
Northampton County-Gracedale, a 688-bed government - county nursing facility in Nazareth, PA, holds a 1-star CMS overall rating - below the 3.0-star national average, ranking #629 of 652 rated homes in PA on CMS overall stars (with health+staffing+quality tie-breaks), with nurse staffing below the national norm. 6 inspection findings reached the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy level.
CMS combines health inspections, nurse-staffing levels, and clinical quality measures into the overall star rating, read the components below; they often tell a sharper story than the headline.
Phone: 6107461900
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- 1 / 5
- Much below average · CMS overall · nat'l 3.0
- #629 of 652
- In-state rank among rated PA homes
- 3.68
- About average · nurse hrs/day · nat'l 3.86
- 22
- Inspection findings · 6 serious
If a nursing-home resident is in immediate danger, call 911.
For elder abuse or neglect concerns, contact your state's Adult Protective Services (search "APS" + your state) or call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116. For facility advocacy, reach your Long-Term Care Ombudsman. CMS ratings and inspection data below are a research screen, not an emergency channel.
The verdict
Northampton County-Gracedale, a 688-bed government - county nursing facility in Nazareth, PA, holds a 1-star CMS overall rating - below the 3.0-star national average, ranking #629 of 652 rated homes in PA on CMS overall stars (with health+staffing+quality tie-breaks), with nurse staffing below the national norm. 6 inspection findings reached the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy level.
- 1 / 5
- CMS overall · national 3.0
- #629 of 652
- In-state rank among rated PA homes
- 3.68
- Nurse hrs/resident-day · national 3.86
- 22
- Inspection findings · 6 serious
CMS force-curves overall stars within each state; read health, staffing, and quality sub-ratings alongside the headline.
In-state ownership mix · peer inventory
How 656 PA nursing homes split by ownership sector
This facility is recorded as Government - County. Sector buckets collapse CMS ownership_type into For-profit, Nonprofit, and Government, orthogonal to the RN/LPN/CNA hour bar below.
Health Inspection
Staffing
Quality Measures
Long-Stay Quality
Facility Information
- Provider Number
- 395476
- Ownership
- Government - County
- Provider Type
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Beds
- 688
- Residents
- 490
- In Hospital
- No
- County
- Northampton
- Last Inspection
- May 1, 2026
- Special Focus
- SFF Candidate
Staffing Data
How the 3.68 total nursing hours per resident-day are staffed:
- RN Hours
- 0.47 (nat'l avg: 0.69)
- LPN Hours
- 1.18
- CNA Hours
- 2.02
- Total Nursing Hours
- 3.68 (nat'l avg: 3.86)
- PT Hours
- 0.04
What the CMS Record Reveals About Northampton County-Gracedale
According to CMS Nursing Home Compare, Northampton County-Gracedale ranks #629 of 652 rated nursing homes in PA on overall stars (tie-broken by health+staffing+quality, then fewer fines). Northampton County-Gracedale operates 688 certified beds in Nazareth, PA with approximately 490 residents currently in care, and carries a CMS overall rating of 1 out of 5 stars (health inspection 1★ · staffing 3★ · quality 1★).
The inspection file contains 22 deficiency records from recent surveys, of which 6 reached the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy threshold on the CMS scope-and-severity grid. This provider has been fined 4 times by CMS, for a combined $144K. Reported nurse staffing runs 3.68 total hours per resident day (national average 3.86); RN hours specifically are 0.47 per resident day. This facility is flagged as an SFF Candidate, a larger pool of providers eligible for the Special Focus Facility program but not currently selected (states have a limited number of active SFF slots); it remains under normal, not enhanced, oversight.
Classified as "Government - County" ownership and operating as a "Medicare and Medicaid" provider, Northampton County-Gracedale falls into a category where comparative context matters.
Why sub-scores and the CMS methodology matter
The overall score is a composite of three weighted sub-ratings published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: health inspection results, staffing levels, and quality measures. Because CMS caps the overall score at the health-inspection tier and then adjusts up or down based on staffing and quality, the sub-scores often tell a sharper story than the headline star count alone, a 3-star facility with weak inspection history reads differently from one held back by thin staffing.
National research consistently shows that ownership structure, staffing hours, and turnover are the three operational levers that correlate most strongly with resident outcomes, ratings and fines are lagging indicators of those upstream choices. The staffing metric in particular is the one most strongly tied to resident outcomes in peer-reviewed literature.
For families evaluating this facility, the CMS record should be read alongside a site visit, direct conversation with current residents and their families, and review of the state health department's most recent inspection report, the star rating is a starting point, not a verdict. All data on this page is sourced from CMS Provider Data and the Nursing Home Compare program; always verify the same record on Medicare.gov Care Compare and with the facility or your state survey agency before making placement decisions.
Deficiency History (22 most recent)
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 22, 2026
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 29, 2026
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 19, 2026
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: May 31, 2026
Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: May 31, 2026
Prevent the use of unnecessary psychotropic medications or use medications that may restrain a resident's ability to function.
Category: Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies
Corrected: May 31, 2026
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
Category: Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies
Corrected: Dec 3, 2025
Provide the required documentation or notification related to the resident's needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies.
Category: Resident Rights Deficiencies
Corrected: Oct 6, 2025
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Sep 25, 2025
Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently.
Category: Administration Deficiencies
Corrected: Sep 25, 2025
Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Category: Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Corrected: Sep 25, 2025
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Sep 25, 2025
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Sep 22, 2025
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
Category: Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies
Corrected: Aug 1, 2025
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Category: Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 2, 2025
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.
Category: Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 2, 2025
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.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 2, 2025
Provide appropriate foot care.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 2, 2025
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 2, 2025
Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 2, 2025
Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 15, 2024
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 15, 2024
Quality Measures
| Measure | Type | Score | Used in Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased | Long Stay | 17.9% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder | Long Stay | 0.6% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection | Long Stay | 1.3% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury | Long Stay | 4.2% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened | Long Stay | 18.1% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers | Long Stay | 5.0% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication | Long Stay | N/A | Yes |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication | Short Stay | 3.9% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who lose too much weight | Long Stay | 6.1% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms | Long Stay | 3.7% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who were physically restrained | Long Stay | 0.0% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine | Long Stay | 91.7% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antianxiety or hypnotic medication | Long Stay | 21.6% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine | Long Stay | 97.2% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with new or worsened bowel or bladder incontinence | Long Stay | 23.6% | No |
| Percentage of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine | Short Stay | 63.9% | No |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine | Short Stay | 39.3% | No |
Penalty History 4 penalties totaling $144K
| Date | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2026 | Fine | $22K |
| Sep 19, 2025 | Fine | $9K |
| Sep 19, 2025 | Fine | $91K |
| Jun 25, 2025 | Fine | $22K |
Nationwide facilities with similar scale or staffing
Two data-derived peer sets for Northampton County-Gracedale, both outside PA so the neighborhoods are not the same-state geography list below.
Similar bed count
Nearest CMS certified bed counts outside PA (688 beds here).
Similar staffing hours
Nearest CMS adjusted total nurse hours per resident day outside PA (4.66 here).
Nearby Nursing Homes in PA
655 other nursing homes are on record in PA; 6 are shown here.
Abbeyville Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Cent
Lancaster, PA
Abington Manor
Clarks Summit, PA
Acadia Nursing and Rehab Center
Aliquippa, PA
Accela Rehab and Care Center at Somerton
Philadelphia, PA
Accela Rehab and Care Center at Springfield
Glenside, PA
Advanced Health Care Of Hanover
Bethlehem, PA
Understanding Nursing Home Data
What the CMS records show for Northampton County-Gracedale
The health, staffing, and quality sub-ratings above often diverge from the CMS overall headline. Use those components and the inspection findings to read the full file, not the overall star alone.
- The PA registry aggregates state averages and the highest-rated homes in this cohort. View PA registry
- Peer homes near 688 beds show how CMS stars vary at a similar scale in PA. Compare a similar-size peer
- CMS publishes separate fields for inspections, nurse staffing hours, and quality measures; the guide explains how each star is computed. How CMS ratings work
CMS refreshes Nursing Home Compare quarterly (current extract: August 2026). PlainNursing describes published records; it does not establish suitability, availability, admissions, or individual outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall CMS rating for Northampton County-Gracedale?
Where does Northampton County-Gracedale rank among nursing homes in PA?
What are the staffing levels at Northampton County-Gracedale?
How many beds does Northampton County-Gracedale have?
Does Northampton County-Gracedale have any deficiencies on record?
Has Northampton County-Gracedale received any fines or penalties?
Who owns Northampton County-Gracedale?
When was Northampton County-Gracedale last inspected?
What quality measures are tracked for Northampton County-Gracedale?
Data Sources
Data source: CMS Nursing Home Compare. Ratings, staffing, deficiency, quality measure, and penalty data are from CMS Provider Data. For informational purposes only. Verify the same CCN on Medicare.gov Care Compare and with the facility or your state health department.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
