76/100
Above average
Avalon Healthcare Bellingham
3121 Squalicum Parkway, Bellingham, WA 98225
- Certified beds
- 105
- Occupancy
- 63%
- Ownership
- For-profit
- Accepts
- Medicare + Medicaid
What to ask about before you visit
These are findings in the public CMS record for this home. They are not our opinion, each one comes straight from a federal inspection or enforcement file.
$32,298 in federal fines
CMS has fined this facility across 1 penalty action(s).
Our read on Avalon Healthcare Bellingham
Avalon Healthcare Bellingham runs a 105-bed for-profit operation in Whatcom County, and its staffing numbers are the strongest thing going for it: 4.50 nurse hours per resident day, about 17% above the national average, though weekends dip roughly 15% below its own weekday coverage. The tradeoff is retention, 52.3% annual turnover, higher than the 45.8% national rate, and a current record showing 29 deficiencies, including two at the harm or jeopardy level and two tied to abuse, plus one fine of $32,298. Inspections are recent, from December 2025, and the federal ratings split: four stars for health inspections and staffing, five for quality measures. Strong care numbers, but the deficiency record is what pulls the overall picture down.
Written from the CMS figures for this home shown further down this page. Nothing here is paid for or supplied by the home.
How this grade was calculated
Every point is shown. Nothing is weighted behind the scenes, the full formula is on How we grade.
A full pentagon is full marks. The shape shows what kind of good or bad a home is, two homes can share a score and look nothing alike.
Inspection safety
30/30Citations from state health inspections over the last three surveys, weighted by how much harm CMS says they caused.
- →No citations recorded in the last 3 years
Staffing
17/30Nursing hours per resident per day, adjusted for how sick the residents are, plus RN cover and weekend consistency.
- →3.75 total nurse hours per resident per day (national median 3.77)
- →1.21 RN hours per resident per day
- →Weekend staffing drops 15% against weekdays
Staff stability
9/15How much of the nursing team leaves in a year. High turnover means a resident rarely sees the same face twice.
- →52% of nursing staff left in the last year
Resident outcomes
15/15The CMS quality-measure rating, built from resident outcomes like falls, pressure ulcers, infections and antipsychotic use.
- →5 of 5 stars on the CMS quality-measure rating
Enforcement history
5/10Fines and payment denials CMS has imposed. A denial of payment means CMS stopped paying for new admissions.
- →$32,298 in federal fines across 1 action(s)
Staffing, against the national average
Full detailHours of nursing care each resident receives per day. The marker on each bar is the national average.
RNs are the licence level most likely to catch a resident deteriorating.
The shift most families visit, and the one thinned first.
The share of nursing staff who left over the last year.
Recent inspection findings
Last standard health inspection: December 5, 2025 (11 months ago). No citations were recorded.
No health-inspection citations on record for this facility in the current CMS release.
Who owns this home
Full recordPart of AVALON HEALTH CARE, which operates 16 homes. Staffing budgets are usually set at chain level, not in the building.
What families say
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Common questions about Avalon Healthcare Bellingham
What is the ElderGrade for Avalon Healthcare Bellingham? +
Avalon Healthcare Bellingham holds an ElderGrade of B (76 out of 100), which we describe as "above average". The grade combines its inspection citations, nurse staffing levels, staff turnover, resident outcomes and enforcement history from the federal CMS record.
How many nursing hours does each resident get at Avalon Healthcare Bellingham? +
Residents receive an average of 4.50 nursing hours per day across all nursing staff, against a national average of 3.86 hours.
Has Avalon Healthcare Bellingham been cited for harming residents? +
No. None of the 0 citations on record were scored at the levels CMS uses to indicate actual harm or immediate jeopardy.
Does Avalon Healthcare Bellingham accept Medicaid? +
Yes, Avalon Healthcare Bellingham is certified to accept Medicaid, which is the programme that pays for long-term custodial care once a resident meets their state's income and asset limits.
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