12 of the 44 Medicare-certified nursing homes in Delaware (27%) are independently owned, and all are listed below. They average 5.48 nursing hours per resident per day, 1.13 hours above the 4.35 for every home in Delaware. Nurse staff turnover runs 36.9%, 4.4 points lower than the 41.3% across all homes there. Jeanne Jugan Residence in Newark grades highest at A (92 out of 100).
How independently owned homes in Delaware compare
This group set against every nursing home in Delaware, from the current CMS release.
Nursing hours per resident per day
5.48
All homes in Delaware: 4.35
Better than the local average
Nurse staff turnover
36.9%
All homes in Delaware: 41.3%
Better than the local average
Average ElderGrade score
72.9/100
All homes in Delaware: 73.7/100
Worse than the local average
Grade spread
A
B
C
D
3 grade A, 3 grade B, 4 grade C, 2 grade D,
The best-graded independently owned home in Delaware is
Jeanne Jugan Residence
in Newark, DE, grade A, 92/100.
Every independently owned nursing home in Delaware
Jeanne Jugan Residence runs on a nonprofit model with 40 certified beds, and the staffing numbers back it up: 6.78 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 76% above the national average. Weekends dip about 17% below weekdays, which is worth asking about if your family visits then, but overall retention is strong, 29.3% turnover against a national 45.8% means caregivers tend to stay. The tradeoff shows up in the inspection record: 14 deficiencies on file, none at harm or jeopardy level, though 2 are abuse-related and should be questioned directly. With a 4/5 inspection rating, 5/5 staffing, and a recent April 2026 survey, the fundamentals hold up well.
Stonegates runs on unusually heavy staffing, 5.96 nurse hours per resident day against a national average of 3.86. That's not a rounding quirk; it's roughly half again as much hands-on time as the typical home, and turnover at 26.4% sits well under the 45.8% national figure, meaning the people providing that care tend to stay. Weekends thin out about 14% from weekday levels, worth asking about if your visits fall on Saturdays or Sundays. The caution sits in the inspection record: 20 deficiencies, one serious enough to involve harm or jeopardy, one abuse-related, and a $48,696 fine. The most recent inspection came in December 2025, so the picture is current.
Encore At Foulk runs a tight ship on staffing. At 3.91 nurse hours per resident day, it sits just above the national average of 3.86, and its staff turnover of 13.3% is remarkably low next to the 45.8% national figure, that kind of retention usually means people stay because the place is run well. Weekend coverage dips about 10% below weekday levels, worth asking about if your family visits on Saturdays or Sundays. The inspection record is strong too: a five-star health inspection rating, last survey dated April 2026, and no abuse-related deficiencies. Twelve total deficiencies with one at the harm level and a single $13,544 fine are not nothing, but they're modest for a nursing home this size.
Kentmere runs on decent staffing for a nonprofit home: 4.51 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 17% above the national average, and weekend coverage dips only about 7% below weekdays. Turnover sits at 39.4%, better than the 45.8% national figure, and the most recent inspection was in December 2025, so the record is current. What holds it back is the deficiency history, 33 citations on the active record, including one at the harm level and five tied to abuse. One fine totaling $8,278 has been assessed. The staffing is there; the compliance side is where the questions are.
Encore At Wilmington runs 82 certified beds under corporate ownership, and its nurse staffing sits at 3.95 hours per resident day, just slightly above the national average of 3.86. That edge narrows on weekends, when coverage drops about 13% below the home's own weekday level, and staff turnover is 51.3% against a national average of 45.8%. The inspection record is where the real weight sits: 59 deficiencies, including 2 at the harm or jeopardy level and 2 tied to abuse, plus two fines totaling $32,394. The most recent inspection was June 2025. Strong quality-measure scores don't erase that paper trail.
Exceptional Care For Children is a 46-bed nonprofit in Newark, and its inspection record looks strong: five stars on health inspections, a May 2024 survey, and only three deficiencies on the current record, none of which rose to harm or jeopardy. One of those three is abuse-related, which is worth asking about directly, since even a single flag in that category matters more than the count suggests. What likely holds the overall picture back is size and staffing, not inspection findings, small pediatric-focused homes can struggle to match national staffing averages per resident. Ask about turnover and who covers nights before deciding.
Kutz Rehabilitation And Nursing has real staffing depth, 5.15 nurse hours per resident day, about a third more than the national average, and that's the strongest thing it has going for it. But the compliance record is heavy: 61 deficiencies, four of them at harm or jeopardy level and nine tied to abuse, plus two fines totaling $168,019. Staff turnover sits at 75.3% against a national 45.8%, meaning most of the people providing that generous staffing are new or on their way out, and weekend coverage drops about 17% below weekday levels. The 1-out-of-5 inspection rating fits that picture. Ask about the abuse findings and who's actually on the floor on Saturdays.
Gilpin Hall runs on a nonprofit model with 96 beds, and its staffing is the clearest strength here: 4.95 nurse hours per resident day, about 28% above the national average, with a 5/5 staffing rating and turnover at 27.8% versus 45.8% nationally. Weekend coverage dips roughly 9% below weekday levels, which matters if your visits or care concerns cluster around Saturdays and Sundays. The harder question is the inspection record, 23 deficiencies on file, 7 of them abuse-related, none at the harm or jeopardy level, and the most recent inspection was August 2025. Strong staffing and a thin inspection history can coexist; ask what those abuse citations involved before deciding.
The Delaware Veterans Home runs on unusually heavy nurse staffing, 7.08 hours per resident day, roughly 83% above the national figure, and its quality measure and staffing ratings both come back at the top of CMS's scale. That's the case for the place. The case against sits in the inspection record: 21 deficiencies, two of them serious enough to involve harm or jeopardy, three tied to abuse, and $118,757 in fines across two penalties. Staff turnover runs 54%, above the national average, and weekend coverage drops about 11% from weekday levels. The most recent inspection was March 2026. Strong day-to-day care numbers, a troubled survey history, and a workforce that keeps changing.
Newark Manor runs on a for-profit, individually owned model, and its staffing is the strongest part of the picture: 4.27 nurse hours per resident day, about 11% above the national average, which is why it earns top marks on that measure alone. The catch is that weekends run roughly 13% thinner than weekdays, so coverage can shift depending on when you visit. Turnover sits at 32.8%, lower than the national 45.8%, which suggests a relatively stable crew. But the health inspection record is weaker, 26 deficiencies, including three tied to abuse and two at the harm level, with the last inspection in January 2024. Good staffing, real compliance problems.
Encore At Parkside has 53 deficiencies on its current record, three of them at the harm or jeopardy level and two tied to abuse. That's the number that matters most here, because CMS has placed the home in its Special Focus Facility program, a designation reserved for homes with a persistent pattern of serious problems. The inspection star rating sits at 1 out of 5, and the last survey was in January 2026. Nurse staffing runs 3.51 hours per resident day, about 9% under the national average, with weekends roughly 14% thinner than weekdays. Staff turnover is 38.9%, better than the 45.8% national figure, and ownership changed within the past year.
State-run and sitting in Smyrna, this home has 175 certified beds and a nursing staff that's roughly two and a half times the national average, 10.25 hours per resident day against 3.86. Turnover runs 17.5%, well under the national 45.8%, though weekend coverage dips about 17% below its own weekday level. Those numbers sit alongside a harder fact: 11 deficiencies on the current record, three of them serious enough to put residents at risk of harm, plus two fines totaling $59,947, and CMS has placed the home in its Special Focus Facility program. The last inspection was January 9, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many independently owned nursing homes are there in Delaware?
There are 12 independently owned Medicare-certified nursing homes in Delaware, 27% of the 44 nursing homes there.
Are independently owned nursing homes better staffed?
In Delaware they average 5.48 total nursing hours per resident per day, against 4.35 for all nursing homes in Delaware, a difference of +1.13 hours. Staff turnover averages 36.9% against 41.3%.
Which independently owned nursing home grades best in Delaware?