Braintree Manor Healthcare's Medicare Rating Raises Care Quality Concerns

Braintree Manor Healthcare has a 2-out-of-5-star Medicare rating, placing it among the lowest-rated nursing homes in the area. The 177-bed facility received federal fines totaling $216,044 over three years due to care violations and poor rehabilitation outcomes.

The facility shows mixed results. Long-term residents maintain strong daily activity levels at 92.4%, but the facility reports a 44.6% anti-psychotic medication use rate—significantly higher than recommended. This suggests some residents may be over-medicated.

Medicare data shows the facility provides average long-term care but struggles with rehabilitation programs and medication management. Federal assessments found gaps between required care standards and what the facility actually delivers.

• Braintree Manor Healthcare: services and capacity
• Medicare data reveals quality concerns
• Resident and family accounts show mixed care quality
• The facility has high staff turnover and reports incomplete training among caregivers. This reflects a persistent problem in senior care: staffing instability. Consistent, well-trained staff matter for safety and care quality. The data suggests urgent staffing problems that directly affect residents' daily experience.
• Semi-private rooms cost about $300 per day; private rooms run $350 to $450 daily. Prices vary by service level.
• Building conditions and safety protocols
• Medicare data and staff shortages shape care quality
• FAQs

Braintree Manor Healthcare: services and capacity

Located at 1102 Washington Street, Braintree Manor offers short-term rehabilitation and long-term care. Its rehabilitation programs focus on recovery after surgery and helping patients transition from hospital to home. Staff provide 24-hour skilled nursing care for residents who need continuous support.

Nurses provide 0.3 hours of direct care per resident daily. They administer medications, assist with daily activities, and supervise residents continuously. The facility also offers specialized care protocols and maintains 12 to 16 hours of nursing coverage for non-ambulatory patients.

Braintree Manor is one of four nursing homes in town. It has:

• 162 resident spaces
• 144 Medicare-certified beds
• 96 nursing rooms
• 33,034 square feet of patient care space
• 24,030 square feet for resident rooms and nursing stations

Current staffing maintains one caregiver for every five residents, serving adults 55 and older.

The Neurorehabilitation Program, started in 2002, treats patients with neurological conditions. Services include speech, occupational, and physical therapy, along with mental health support and nutritional guidance.

Medicare data show strong preventive care results: fewer than one hospitalization per 1,000 resident days. The facility reports 64.09% of residents received pneumonia vaccines. Other services include podiatry, wound care, and specialized medical needs.

Medicare data reveals quality concerns

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rates Braintree Manor 2 out of 5 stars, placing it in the bottom 20-40% of Massachusetts nursing homes. Category ratings are:

• Health inspections: 2 out of 5 stars
• Quality measures: 3 out of 5 stars
• Nursing staff levels: 3 out of 5 stars
• RN staffing: 3 out of 5 stars

The facility operates with staff shortages. Nurses provide 3 hours and 23 minutes of care per resident daily, below state and national averages of 3 hours and 46 minutes. The facility reports 0.31 staff hours and 3.87 nurse hours per resident per day.

Serious understaffing incidents have occurred. During one shift, two nursing assistants cared for 39 residents, resulting in missed meals and delayed assistance.

Health inspectors cited multiple violations. The facility failed to protect residents' rights to dignified care and self-determination. Problems included:

• Poor abuse prevention policies
• Inadequate respiratory care
• Weak infection prevention protocols

Investigators found cases where insufficient supervision led to improper resident restraint. Federal regulators imposed fines exceeding $100,000, indicating ongoing compliance failures.

Resident outcomes are mixed. The facility reported no falls with major injuries, but its 44.6% anti-psychotic medication rate has raised concerns. Short-term patients visit emergency rooms at a rate of 2.47 per 1,000 resident days.

Resident and family accounts show mixed care quality

Penny Shaw, 77, reports serious care problems at Braintree Manor. As a total-care resident, she has missed multiple breakfasts and waited hours for basic assistance due to staffing shortages. "We need quality, safe, respectful, individualized care," Shaw says.

Some residents point to recent improvements. A visitor noted better personal care standards and a more welcoming environment since a new nursing director took over. Residents' grooming and daily routines visibly improved.

Family feedback is sharply divided. One family member praised the "loving and caring" staff. Others report serious lapses, including an ICU transfer without notifying the family.

Multiple families raised concerns about:

• Poor communication from social workers
• Unclean conditions
• Insufficient resident supervision

Department of Public Health investigations confirmed systemic problems. Two nursing assistants managed care for 39 residents during one morning shift. Regulators cited violations including:

• Violating resident dignity rights
• Failed abuse prevention
• Inadequate accident prevention

The facility appointed a new director to address these issues. Fall prevention protocols and quality controls have since improved.

Residents continue reporting stolen personal items during night shifts. Language barriers between staff and non-English-speaking residents create additional communication problems.

Staff numbers show high turnover and training gaps

Braintree Manor employs 151 full-time equivalent workers, including:

• 43 Certified Nurse Aides (90,379 annual hours)
• 27 Licensed Practical Nurses (55,165 hours)
• 5 Registered Nurses (10,875 hours)
• 14 Dietary Staff members (28,198 hours)

Sign-on bonuses reach $10,500 for full-time RNs and $5,000 for part-time positions. Several nursing and support roles remain unfilled.

Nursing staff turnover is 51.3%, exceeding the state average of 44.4%. Shortages have led to two nursing assistants covering 39 residents during some shifts.

Total nursing staff departures hit 45.1%, placing the facility 5% below state and 14% below national averages. Weekend staffing maintains weekday levels.

State regulations require comprehensive staff training. Required topics include:

• Independent living principles
• Resident rights
• Emergency protocols
• Communication techniques
• Food safety

Staff must complete 10 hours of annual training, including 2 hours on Alzheimer's and dementia care. Personal care workers need 54 initial training hours before working with residents. Qualified nurses evaluate staff performance twice yearly.

The Staff Development Coordinator must hold an RN license, CPR certification, and infection control credentials. One coordinator oversees 1,754 hours of training annually. Ongoing education covers abuse reporting, behavioral management, teamwork, and clinical skills.

Braintree Manor Healthcare: costs and payment options

Monthly rates range from $1,970 to $12,395, averaging $7,182 before discounts. Daily rates start at $121.

Primary revenue sources are:

• MassHealth Fee-for-Service: $2,635,014 yearly
• MassHealth Managed Care: $17,087
• Senior Care Options: $95,420
• Medicaid Out-of-State: $12,217,601

Total facility revenue is $16,461,479. Other income sources include prescription drugs ($16,102), therapy services ($161,877), and laboratory work ($2,822).

The facility accepts Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, long-term care coverage, VA benefits, and direct payment. Medicare covers short-term rehabilitation up to 100 days following a three-day hospital stay. Medicaid covers long-term care after insurance and personal savings are exhausted.

Annual operating costs break down as:

• Nursing: $5,685,324
• Administration: $3,529,692
• Variable expenses: $6,408,866
• Capital and fixed costs: $626,061

Families struggling with payment can access bridge loans, VA programs, life insurance conversions, personal loans, and home sale proceeds. The facility offers payment plans and free financial counseling.

Financial assistance programs consider:

1. Individual financial need
2. Federal Poverty Guidelines
3. Available resources

Automatic aid covers homeless individuals, estates of deceased residents with no assets, mentally incapacitated residents without representatives, and recent Medicaid recipients.

The facility reviews multiple income sources for eligibility, including wages, benefits, and investments. Qualifying residents receive 50-75% discounts on emergency and necessary care.

Braintree Manor occupies 33,034 square feet and houses 177 beds. The facility was renovated throughout 2024 with updated common areas and fresh décor. The building includes fire suppression systems and secure entry points.

State inspectors flagged maintenance problems, including failed pest control, unsafe resident areas, and problematic food storage. The Department of Public Health also documented cleanliness issues, including failures to follow cleaning protocols and address structural safety problems.

The facility has 50 beds currently available, with 24,030 square feet dedicated to resident rooms and nursing stations. Facilities include dedicated rehabilitation areas and activity spaces.

• Recent safety improvements include:
• 24/7 nursing oversight, regular safety checks, and emergency protocols
• Updated infection controls, strict PPE use, COVID-19 isolation procedures, and enhanced cleaning
• Secured entrances, emergency alerts, and fire protection equipment

The facility's latest on-site inspection resulted in perfect safety scores. Management secured adequate protective equipment for staff and residents.

• A Limited Liability Company owns and operates the nursing home. Resident and family councils oversee facility conditions and care quality, ensuring management addresses concerns promptly.
• Unsafe resident areas
• Problematic food storage conditions

Department of Public Health reports documented widespread cleanliness problems. The nursing home failed to maintain infection controls, follow cleaning protocols, and fix structural safety issues.

The facility strengthened security measures through:

Resident monitoring systems include 24/7 nursing oversight, regular safety checks, and emergency protocols.

Updated infection controls requiring strict PPE use, COVID-19 isolation procedures, and enhanced cleaning routines.

Safety infrastructure includes secured entrances, emergency alerts, and fire protection equipment.

Recent safety audits show marked improvements. The facility earned perfect scores during its latest on-site inspection. Management secured adequate protective equipment supplies for staff and residents.

A Limited Liability Company owns and operates the nursing home. Resident and family councils help oversee facility conditions and resident care quality. These groups ensure management addresses maintenance and safety concerns promptly.

Medicare data and staff shortages shape care quality

Federal regulators fined Braintree Manor $216,044 over three years while it maintained a 2-out-of-5-star rating. The facility has mixed performance: adequate long-term care but concerning rehabilitation metrics.

Staff shortages remain a critical issue. Recent reports documented two nursing assistants handling 39 residents, creating gaps in basic care. The new nursing director has implemented protocols showing early improvement in resident care and activity programs.

Monthly costs range from $1,970 to $12,395, comparable to other area facilities. Medicare covers short-term rehabilitation. For long-term care, families can use VA benefits and other payment options.

The facility operates specialized programs and fall prevention measures. However, current staffing challenges and quality metrics raise concerns about rehabilitation services. Families considering basic long-term care should maintain active oversight of resident care.

FAQs

Q1. What is Braintree Manor's Medicare rating? Braintree Manor has a 2-out-of-5-star rating, placing it in the lower 20-40% of Massachusetts nursing homes.

Q2. What specialized programs does the facility offer? The Neurorehabilitation Program, established in 2002, serves people with neurological disorders. Services include speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, mental health support, and nutritional counseling.

Q3. How does staffing compare to state averages? The facility provides 3 hours and 23 minutes of nursing care per resident daily, below the Massachusetts and national average of 3 hours and 46 minutes. Nursing turnover is 51.3%, exceeding the state average of 44.4%.

Q4. What are monthly costs? Monthly rates range from $1,970 to $12,395, averaging $7,182 before discounts. Daily rates start at $121.

Q5. What recent improvements has the facility made? A new nursing director has improved care standards and resident grooming. The facility updated common areas and passed its latest on-site safety audit with perfect scores.