31 of the 78 Medicare-certified nursing homes in Maine (40%) are independently owned, and all are listed below. 7 of the 31 graded homes earn an A and 1 earn a D or F. Nurse staff turnover runs 48.8%, 2.1 points higher than the 46.7% across all homes there. Piper Shores in Scarborough grades highest at A (96 out of 100).
How independently owned homes in Maine compare
This group set against every nursing home in Maine, from the current CMS release.
Nursing hours per resident per day
4.39
All homes in Maine: 4.34
Better than the local average
Nurse staff turnover
48.8%
All homes in Maine: 46.7%
Worse than the local average
Average ElderGrade score
79.3/100
All homes in Maine: 78.2/100
Better than the local average
Grade spread
A
B
7 grade A, 22 grade B, 1 grade C, 1 grade D,
The best-graded independently owned home in Maine is
Piper Shores
in Scarborough, ME, grade A, 96/100.
Gray Birch runs a nonprofit home in Augusta with 77 certified beds, and its nurse staffing sits at 4.73 hours per resident day, roughly 23% above the national average of 3.86. Weekends dip about 12% below its own weekday coverage, and turnover at 48% edges past the national 45.8%, so the strong weekday numbers come with some churn behind them.
The health inspection record shows 27 deficiencies, including one at the harm or jeopardy level and one abuse-related citation, though the last survey was in January 2026. Federal staffing and inspection ratings land at 5 and 4 stars, while the quality measure rating sits at just 1, worth asking the staff directly about, since those measures track things like falls, infections, and antipsychotic use.
Madigan Estates sits in Houlton with 99 certified beds and a for-profit corporate owner. Nurse staffing runs 3.95 hours per resident day, a bit above the national average, and the 42.6% turnover rate is slightly better than typical, though weekend coverage drops about 8% below weekday levels. Inspections are recent, from May 2025, and the health inspection rating is strong at 4 out of 5. The quality measure rating, though, is 2 out of 5, and the record shows 25 deficiencies, including one at the harm or jeopardy level and five related to abuse. One fine totaling $11,450 has been levied.
Breakwater Commons runs a for-profit shop under an LLC, with 96 certified beds in Rockland. The nurse staffing number is genuinely good, 4.89 hours per resident day, roughly 27% above the national average, but weekends dip about 7% below the home's own weekday level, so coverage isn't uniform across the week.
The harder issue is turnover: 68.4% annually against a national average of 45.8%, meaning most of the people providing that care are relatively new to the building. Add a 2-out-of-5 inspection rating, 57 deficiencies on the current record including 5 tied to abuse, and two fines totaling $11,998, and you have a home where the day-to-day staffing hours look strong on paper while the inspection history and workforce churn raise real questions worth asking about directly.
Ledgewood Manor runs about 4.04 nurse hours per resident each day, roughly 5% above the national average, though weekends dip about 6% below what the home staffs during the week. The current record shows 33 deficiencies, including one at the harm or jeopardy level and one abuse-related citation, which matters more than a three-star inspection rating suggests. Ownership is for-profit and individual, and the last inspection was February 2025, so the record is recent. If you're considering this home, ask directly how the abuse finding was resolved and what weekend coverage actually looks like on the floor.
Cummings Health Care Facility runs 34 beds in Howland, and its nurse staffing comes in at 4.10 hours per resident day, roughly 6% above the national average. That number is doing real work here, because weekends dip about 7% below the home's own weekday coverage, so the margin over average shrinks when you need it most. The inspection record shows 29 deficiencies, one of them serious enough to reach harm or jeopardy level, though none involve abuse; a single fine of $8,824 rounds that out. The last state visit was June 2025, so the picture is current. A for-profit corporation owns it. Federal staffing stars sit at 2 out of 5 despite the raw hours, worth asking why.
High View Rehabilitation and Living Center runs on decent nurse hours, 4.09 per resident day, about 6% above the national average, so you might assume staffing carries the place. The catch is weekends, when coverage drops roughly 12% below what the home staffs on weekdays, and turnover sits at 49%, higher than the 45.8% national figure. Inspections are where the picture darkens: a 1-out-of-5 health inspection rating, 32 deficiencies on record with 4 serious enough to involve harm or jeopardy, and $17,917 in fines. CMS has placed this for-profit home in its Special Focus Facility program, a designation reserved for homes with a persistent pattern of trouble.
Barron Center is city-owned and licensed for 219 beds, and its nurse staffing runs about 5.3 hours per resident day, roughly 37% above the national average of 3.86. Weekends dip about 13% below its own weekday levels, though. The bigger red flag is turnover: 96.2% of staff leave annually, more than double the national 45.8%, meaning the people providing that generous bedside time are constantly being replaced. Inspections look solid, 4 of 5 stars, last visit August 2025, 19 deficiencies with none at the harm level, though two are abuse-related, and one fine totaling $8,278. Quality measures score just 2 of 5.
Pinnacle Health & Rehab in Canton runs a corporation-owned, 47-bed home where the nurses' hours look good on paper, 4.14 per resident day, about 7% above the national average, and that's the strongest part of the picture. Weekends thin out roughly 12% below weekday coverage, though, and turnover sits at 56.7% against a national 45.8%, meaning more than half the staff left within the year. The current record carries 31 deficiencies, one tied to abuse, with the last inspection in November 2025. Staffing earns 4 stars, but inspections and quality measures each earn 2, which is where the C comes from.
Forest Hill Manor runs about 3.99 nurse hours per resident per day, a bit above the national average of 3.86, but weekend coverage drops roughly 16% below what it provides on weekdays. The nonprofit home has 45 certified beds and a recent inspection on record as of March 2026, with 28 deficiencies logged, including one at the harm level and two tied to abuse. One fine totaling $13,627 has been assessed. Its inspection rating sits at 4 out of 5 stars, though the quality measure score is 2 out of 5 and staffing lands at 3. The mix matters here: a clean-ish inspection history alongside weaker clinical quality numbers and thinner weekend staffing is what pulls the overall picture down.
Bangor Nursing & Rehabilitation Center runs a 60-bed nonprofit home where the aides and nurses show up, staffing sits just above the national average at 3.95 hours per resident day, though weekends dip about 9% below weekdays. The trouble shows up elsewhere. Staff turnover is 63.9%, well past the 45.8% national figure, and the inspection record carries 61 deficiencies, including one at the harm level and two tied to abuse, with a $12,831 fine attached. The most recent inspection was January 2026. A stable aide who knows a resident matters, but on this record, the care quality and inspection results are where a family should look hardest.
Waterville Center for Health and Rehab has enough nurses on paper, 4.83 hours per resident day, roughly 25% above the national average, but the care record tells a different story. State and federal inspectors have cited 45 deficiencies, including four at the level where residents were actually harmed or put in immediate jeopardy and five tied to abuse. That's why CMS has placed this home in its Special Focus Facility program, the agency's watchlist for the country's most troubled nursing homes, and why a single fine has already reached $83,038. Staff turnover sits at 50.4% against a national average of 45.8%, and weekend coverage drops about 8% below weekday levels. Ownership is a for-profit limited liability company. The most recent inspection was August 28, 2025.
Frequently asked questions
How many independently owned nursing homes are there in Maine?
There are 31 independently owned Medicare-certified nursing homes in Maine, 40% of the 78 nursing homes there.
Are independently owned nursing homes better staffed?
In Maine they average 4.39 total nursing hours per resident per day, against 4.34 for all nursing homes in Maine, a difference of +0.05 hours. Staff turnover averages 48.8% against 46.7%.
Which independently owned nursing home grades best in Maine?
Piper Shores in Scarborough, ME, grade A, 96 out of 100.
Does being independently owned mean a nursing home is safe?
No. Of the 31 graded independently owned homes in Maine, 7 grade A and 1 grade D or F.
Do independently owned nursing homes in Maine accept Medicaid?