All 6 Medicare-certified nursing homes in New Bedford,
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.
Sacred Heart runs a tight ship on the staffing side. Nurse coverage sits at 3.86 hours per resident day, essentially the national average, but the weekend dip is only about 7%, which is smaller than what a lot of homes show. Turnover is the real standout: 27.3% against a national average of 45.8%, meaning far fewer people are cycling out the door. The tradeoff shows up in the record. Nineteen deficiencies on file, none at harm or jeopardy level, but one is abuse-related, so ask about that specifically. The last inspection was August 2025, and a 4-star health inspection rating suggests the surveyors didn't find anything serious. Quality measures land midrange at 3 stars.
Care One At New Bedford runs a 154-bed for-profit operation where the nursing hours come in around 3.60 per resident day, roughly 7% under the national average, and weekends dip about 10% below what the home staffs on weekdays. Turnover sits at 29.9%, well under the national 45.8%, which suggests people stick around longer here than at many places. The trade-off shows up in the record: 29 deficiencies, one tied to abuse, though none rose to harm or jeopardy level. Inspectors were last in on August 5, 2025. The staffing rating and the stable workforce are real strengths; the survey history is what keeps this from scoring higher.
The Oaks runs 122 beds in New Bedford under for-profit LLC ownership, and its staffing sits at 3.66 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 5% under the national average of 3.86. Weekends dip about 10% below its own weekday coverage, so your visit timing matters. What stands out is turnover at 28.7%, well under the national 45.8%, which suggests a steadier crew than most. Fourteen deficiencies are on record, none at harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, with the most recent inspection in March 2026. Federal ratings put health inspections and quality measures at 4 of 5 stars each, staffing at 3.
Hathaway Manor runs 142 beds as a nonprofit, and its nurse staffing sits at 3.67 hours per resident day, roughly 5% under the national average of 3.86. Weekends drop about 15% below its own weekday coverage, so the thinnest shifts land when families tend to visit. The inspection record is the heavier concern: 49 deficiencies, including 6 at harm or jeopardy level and 6 tied to abuse, with three fines totaling $34,887 and a 2/5 inspection rating. Staff turnover of 45.7% is essentially the national rate, so retention isn't the outlier here, the survey history is. The most recent inspection was January 2025.
Brandon Woods of New Bedford has more nursing hours per resident than the typical home, 4.35 a day against a national average of 3.86, but that staffing edge comes with a catch: weekends run about 11% thinner than weekdays, and nearly half the nursing staff turns over each year. The inspection record is the real problem. Eighty deficiencies are on file, including eight at the harm or jeopardy level and ten tied to abuse, with one fine totaling $464,490. CMS has placed this for-profit, individually owned home in its Special Focus Facility program, a designation reserved for the country's most persistently troubled nursing homes. The last inspection was December 16, 2024.
Vantage Health & Rehab of New Bedford runs on 2.45 nurse hours per resident per day, roughly a third below the national average, and weekends are thinner still, about 23% less coverage than weekdays. Staff turnover sits near 70%, well above the 45.8% national figure, which means the people caring for residents are often new and still learning the building. The record shows 31 deficiencies, including one at the harm level and three tied to abuse, plus a $9,318 fine. Ownership is for-profit through a limited liability company, and the most recent inspection was in February 2026. Low staffing, high turnover, and a serious deficiency record usually travel together.