All 13 Medicare-certified nursing homes in Pasadena,
side by side on the things that separate them: how many nursing hours each resident gets, how much of the
staff leaves each year, and what inspectors found on their last visit.
Villa Gardens runs 5.06 nursing hours per resident day, roughly a third more than the national average, and its staff turnover sits at 21.8 percent against a national 45.8, that kind of retention usually means residents see the same faces month to month. Weekend coverage dips about 11 percent below its own weekday level, so ask how that plays out on Saturdays. The 31 deficiencies on record include nothing at the harm level and nothing abuse-related, which matters more than the raw count, though a 3/5 inspection rating suggests some of those findings weren't trivial. The last survey was December 2025, so the picture is current.
The Bellefontaine Healthcare Center runs 130 certified beds in Pasadena under for-profit LLC ownership, and its staffing sits at 4.02 nurse hours per resident day, about 4% above the national average, though weekends drop roughly 8% below its own weekday level. Turnover at 35.2% is meaningfully better than the 45.8% national figure. What pulls it down is the inspection record: 52 deficiencies, one serious enough to involve harm or jeopardy, and a 2/5 health inspection rating, with the last survey in May 2025. Quality measures score 5/5, but that's self-reported data, not a surveyor's eyes on the building. One fine totaling $14,414.
Pasadena Grove runs 4.17 nurse hours per resident day, about 8% over the national average, and its staff turnover sits at 29.7%, well below the 45.8% national figure. That stability matters, though weekend coverage dips roughly 11% below weekday levels. The inspection record is where the picture darkens: 75 deficiencies on file, including one at the harm level and eight tied to abuse. The last inspection was April 2026. Ownership is a for-profit LLC, and there's one fine totaling $4,233. Strong staffing numbers and a clean fine record don't cancel out an inspection history with abuse citations in it. Ask about those directly.
The Californian Pasadena runs 82 beds as a for-profit LLC, and its nurses put in 5.26 hours per resident day, roughly a third more than the national average. That looks good until you notice weekends dip about 20% below its own weekday coverage, so the hours aren't spread evenly across the week. Staff turnover sits at 54.5% against a national 45.8%, meaning more than half the nursing staff leaves each year. On inspections, 56 deficiencies appear on the current record, including one at harm level and two tied to abuse, though the most recent inspection was February 2026, so the picture is fairly current.
Foothill Heights runs 4.22 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 9% above the national average, but weekends drop about 10% below its own weekday level, so the coverage your family sees on a Tuesday isn't what shows up on a Sunday. That staffing number earned only 2 of 5 stars from CMS, and turnover sits at 50.9% against a national 45.8%, meaning half the nursing staff leaves within a year. The inspection record shows 60 deficiencies, including 4 tied to abuse, though none at the harm or jeopardy level, and $9,390 in fines. A 3/5 inspection rating with a May 2026 survey is reasonably current, but the pattern worth asking about is consistency, not averages.
Saint Vincent Healthcare runs 78 beds in Pasadena under for-profit limited liability ownership, and its nurse staffing sits just barely above the national average, 3.90 hours per resident day against 3.86. That thin margin narrows further on weekends, when coverage drops about 8% below the home's own weekday levels. What stands out is retention: 22.4% annual turnover is less than half the national rate of 45.8%, which suggests a steadier crew than most places manage. The tradeoff shows up in quality measures, which score near the bottom, and a record of 50 deficiencies, none at harm or jeopardy level, none abuse-related. The most recent inspection was in November 2025.
The staffing number is what stands out here. Pasadena Park Healthcare and Wellness Center holds a 1-out-of-5 staffing rating, well below average, even as its inspection and quality measures sit at 3 out of 5. That gap matters more than the overall picture: California requires more direct care hours than most states, so falling short on staffing is a real signal at a 99-bed for-profit home.
The record shows 53 deficiencies, none at the harm level, but two tied to abuse. Inspectors last visited in May 2024. With a limited liability company running the place, ask direct questions about who's on the floor overnight and how complaints get handled.
Brighton Care Center runs 99 beds in Pasadena under for-profit LLC ownership, and its nurse staffing sits at 4.18 hours per resident day, about 8% above the national average of 3.86. That's the good news. Weekends drop roughly 14% below the home's own weekday level, and annual turnover is 50.5% against a national 45.8%, so the coverage you see on paper isn't always the coverage your family member gets. The inspection record is the bigger concern: 73 deficiencies, including one at the harm level and four abuse-related. All three CMS star ratings land at 2 out of 5. A recent inspection date doesn't erase that history, ask directly what changed.
Staffing at Camellia Gardens looks strong on paper, 5.14 nurse hours per resident day, roughly a third more than the national average, but the numbers behind that figure are mixed. Weekends run about 7% thinner than weekdays, and CMS gives the home just one star for staffing, which suggests the hours aren't reaching residents the way the total implies. The inspection record is heavier than you'd want: 59 deficiencies, four tied to abuse, though none rose to the level of actual harm or jeopardy, and the single fine on file is small at $1,747. This for-profit LLC was last inspected in April 2026, which is recent. Ask about weekend coverage and those abuse-related citations before deciding.
Cedar Pine Post Acute runs 4.10 nurse hours per resident day, a bit above the national average of 3.86, though weekends dip roughly 10% below its own weekday coverage. Staff turnover sits at 35.4%, better than the 45.8% national figure, and the last inspection was recent, in May 2025. The trouble is what those inspections keep finding: 89 deficiencies on the current record, including 7 tied to abuse and 2 serious enough to put residents in harm's way. A single $9,113 fine looks light against that pattern, and under a for-profit corporation, the staffing strength isn't offsetting a 1-out-of-5 inspection rating. Strong quality scores can't carry a home with this citation history.
Pasadena Nursing Center runs 52 beds as a for-profit LLC, and its nurse staffing averages 4.73 hours per resident day, about 22% above the national average of 3.86. That's a real strength, though weekends dip roughly 10% below the home's own weekday levels, and annual turnover sits at 60.7% against a national 45.8%. The inspection record is where the concern lives: 82 deficiencies, one at harm or jeopardy level, and 11 abuse-related, drawing three fines totaling $23,160. Its most recent inspection was in April 2026. High bedside hours paired with heavy turnover and that deficiency history is a mixed picture, worth asking about staff retention and how the abuse-related findings were resolved.
Gem Tcu has 75 certified beds in Pasadena and runs a for-profit operation under an LLC. Total nurse staffing comes in at 4.47 hours per resident day, roughly 16% above the national average, but that number looks less steady when you see weekends run about 12% below weekdays, and annual turnover hits 59.7% against a national average of 45.8%. More than half the nursing staff leaves each year. The inspection record is where this home really struggles: 87 deficiencies, including 2 at the harm or jeopardy level and 4 tied to abuse, drawing a $27,808 fine. CMS rated its last inspection 1 out of 5 stars, and that inspection was recent, November 2025.
Golden Rose Care Center has 99 certified beds and enough nurses on paper, 4.41 hours per resident day, roughly 14% above the national average, but the inspection record tells a different story. The current file lists 129 deficiencies, including four at the level where residents were actually harmed or put in jeopardy, and ten tied to abuse. State and federal surveyors fined this for-profit corporate home 22 times for a total of $175,941.
Staffing holds up better than most on turnover, at 43.1% against a national 45.8%, though weekend coverage drops about 7% below its own weekday levels. The last inspection was June 5, 2025. A 1-out-of-5 health inspection rating with that many harm-level findings is the number that matters most here.