All 11 Medicare-certified nursing homes in Aurora,
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.
Beth Israel At Shalom Park runs on numbers families rarely see in one place. Nurse staffing sits at 4.13 hours per resident day, above the national average, though weekends dip about 11% below the home's own weekday levels, worth asking about if your visits fall on Saturdays or Sundays. Annual turnover of 14.1% is far below the national rate, meaning the people caring for residents tend to stay. The inspection record shows just two deficiencies, none involving harm or abuse, with a recent survey. Three five-star CMS ratings across health inspections, quality measures, and staffing round out a picture of steady, well-staffed care under nonprofit church ownership.
Life Care Center of Aurora runs 166 beds under corporate ownership, and the staffing numbers are its strongest card: 4.16 nurse hours per resident per day, roughly 8% above the national average. Turnover sits at 27.3%, well under the 45.8% national figure, which matters because consistent caregivers tend to know residents' routines. The tradeoffs show up elsewhere. Inspectors have logged 23 deficiencies, two serious enough to involve harm or jeopardy, and one fine of $33,222. Weekend staffing drops about 13% below weekday levels, so coverage isn't uniform across the week. A recent inspection and top marks on quality measures round out a home that's generally solid but has real compliance history worth asking about directly.
Advanced Health Care of Aurora runs 4.95 nurse hours per resident day against a national average of 3.86, so you're looking at roughly 28% more hands-on time than the typical home. Weekend coverage does dip about 10% below its own weekday level, which is worth asking about if your family tends to visit or need answers on Saturdays and Sundays. Staff turnover sits at 31%, notably below the national 45.8%, meaning the people caring for residents are more likely to still be there next year. Seven deficiencies on record, one at harm level, none tied to abuse, and the most recent inspection was October 2024.
Garden Terrace runs 120 certified beds in Aurora under corporate for-profit ownership, and the staffing numbers hold up reasonably well, 3.92 nurse hours per resident day sits just above the national average, and turnover at 31.6% is well below the 45.8% typical elsewhere, which matters for whether your family sees the same faces month to month. Weekend coverage drops about 10% from weekday levels, so visit timing is worth thinking about. Inspections came back at 4 of 5 stars and the most recent was May 2025, but the record shows 12 deficiencies, 4 of them abuse-related, none at harm or jeopardy level. That mix is the real story here.
Highland Park Rehabilitation & Care Center runs 110 certified beds in Aurora under for-profit LLC ownership, and its staffing sits at 3.60 nurse hours per resident day, about 7% under the national average of 3.86. Weekends run roughly 11% leaner than weekdays, so coverage thins out right when families tend to visit. Turnover is 40.7%, which is actually better than the 45.8% national figure, so the same faces are more likely to stay. Inspections in December 2024 turned up 22 deficiencies, including one at the harm level and two tied to abuse, which is worth asking about directly. The quality measures look strong; the inspection record is where the questions live.
Veterans Community Living Center At Fitzsimons runs 180 certified beds in Aurora and pays for more nursing hours than most homes, 4.67 per resident day against a national average of 3.86, with weekends dipping roughly 9% below its own weekdays. The catch sits in the workforce numbers: 94% annual turnover, more than double the national 45.8%, meaning the people delivering that above-average care are largely new to the building. On inspections, there are 18 deficiencies on record, including one at the harm level and two tied to abuse, plus a $34,467 fine; the most recent inspection was November 2024. Ownership is for-profit, individual.
Hampden Hills runs 3.17 nurse hours per resident per day against a national average of 3.86, roughly 18% leaner, with weekends about 7% thinner than weekdays. The trade-off is retention: 22.6% annual turnover looks good next to the 45.8% national figure, so whoever is on the floor tends to stay. The current record carries 42 deficiencies, one abuse-related, none flagged at harm or jeopardy level, and the last inspection was January 2025, recent enough to trust. Ownership is a for-profit corporation, so margin pressure is a fair thing to keep in mind.
Lowry Hills runs leaner on nursing hours than most homes, 3.30 per resident day against a national average of 3.86, and weekends dip about 7% below its own weekday coverage, so the thinnest shifts are the ones families tend to visit. Turnover sits at 38.5%, better than the 45.8% national figure, which suggests some stability in who's actually at the bedside. What pulls the record down is the inspection side: 50 deficiencies on file, eight serious enough to reach harm or jeopardy, three tied to abuse, all under for-profit individual ownership. The last state visit was May 2024, and fines total just $2,516, small money against a long list.
Aviva At Fitzsimons runs a for-profit shop with 100 beds in Aurora, and the staffing numbers tell two stories at once. Aide and nurse time totals 4.92 hours per resident day, roughly 27% above the national average, which is real coverage on paper. What undercuts it is churn: 61.4% annual turnover against a national 45.8%, meaning a large share of the people providing that care are new or on their way out, and weekends run about 7% thinner than weekdays. Inspectors have cited 24 deficiencies, two serious enough to put residents at risk of harm, and fined the home $14,743 across two penalties. The most recent inspection was October 2024.
The Springs at St. Andrews Village in Aurora runs 3.64 nurse hours per resident day against a national average of 3.86, and weekends dip about 12% below what the home staffs on weekdays. That thin coverage shows up in the federal staffing rating of 1 out of 5, and 60% annual turnover means the aides and nurses working those shifts are often new. The 21 deficiencies on record include one at the harm level, with a $14,220 fine. Quality scores look strong at 5 out of 5, but that's largely self-reported MDS data, while the staffing number is payroll-verified. Worth asking how the home covers weekends.
University Heights Care Center is a for-profit home in Aurora with 105 certified beds, and its numbers point in different directions. Inspectors have cited 50 deficiencies on its current record, including three at the harm or jeopardy level and six tied to abuse, and its health inspection rating sits at 1 out of 5. Staffing tells a more mixed story: nurse hours run about 2.93 per resident day, roughly 24 percent under the national average, and weekends dip about 15 percent below the home's own weekday levels, though turnover of 27.7 percent is well below the national 45.8 percent. The most recent inspection was in August 2025, and fines total $9,315.