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Key information
Novato Healthcare Center is a 181-bed nursing home in Novato. Medicare rates it 1 out of 5 stars overall, with 1 for health inspections, 3 for staffing and 2 for quality of care.
Care on offer includes a hospice program, an Alzheimer's program, occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech pathology. It is certified by Medicare and Medi-Cal, and has been since 2007. The nearest hospital, Novato Community Hospital, which has an emergency room, is 0.9 miles away.
Inspectors have visited 137 times since November 2023, most recently on October 13, 2026. Federal inspectors cited 119 deficiencies in that time (3 actual harm and 116 potential for harm). State health inspectors (CDPH) cited 2 citations in that time (1 class B and 1 administrative penalty). Regulators looked into 210 complaints in that time (58 substantiated, 9 partially substantiated, 37 unsubstantiated and 106 without a recorded outcome). Medicare imposed 4 penalties (listed amounts total $119,968) in that time (3 civil money penalties and 1 payment denial). The state health department (CDPH) imposed 2 penalties totalling $27,000 in that time (2 fines). Medicare flags this home with an abuse icon. Medicare lists it as a Special Focus Facility candidate.
From April to June 2026, each resident received 3.75 hours of nursing care a day on average, 0.49 of them from registered nurses.
Rating and inspection report
Official rating
- Medicare health inspections1/5 · Much below average
- Medicare quality measures (long stay)3/5 · Average
- Medicare quality measures2/5 · Below average
- Medicare quality measures (short stay)1/5 · Much below average
- Medicare staffing3/5 · Average
- State inspections12 serious citations in 3 years
Care & pricing
Care available
- Licensed capacity
- 181 beds
- State license
- CA 010000355 · Active
Pricing
- Average daily charge (Medicare cost report): $464 per dayNursing home
Payment types accepted
Daily life
Details
- CMS Special Focus Facility candidate
Facilities
- For-profit ownership (limited liability company)
- State-licensed skilled nursing facility (California CDPH)
Services
- Alzheimer's program
- Dementia /
memory care - Family council
- Hospice care on site
- Hospice program
- Licensed nurse on site 24/
7 - Medication administration by staff
- Outpatient services
- Physical, occupational or speech therapy
- Resident council
Safety and security
- Automatic sprinklers throughout the building
Policies
- Accepts Medicaid (Medi-Cal)
- Accepts Medicare
Come and see for yourself
The best way to know if a place is the right fit is to experience it in person. Arrange a visit to explore the space, get a feel for daily life there, and ask any questions along the way.
Reviews and listings
What families and listing sites say.
Ratings on other sites
- 3.5/5
- 4.5/5
Reviews
- Google1/5
DO NOT SEND YOUR LOVED ONE HERE. A loved one was transferred from the hospital here for rehab and continuing his recovery from a stroke on a Friday afternoon. We came by to visit the following morning. Cognitively there is nothing wrong with him, the stroke affected his left side so he wasn't able to stand, walk or use his left arm or hand in any significant way. Although the stroke didn't affect his right side, he was still weak and needed assistance with drinking, eating, any personal hygiene, etc. He had barely had any liquids since coming to the facility and only had a few bites of dinner and breakfast because he did not receive the assistance that he needed. He said that he had not been given any medication. He has necessary medications for morning and night so at this point he's already missed two scheduled doses of several medications. I went to the nurse's station to ask them specifically about this. His nurse didn't seem capable of using the computer so another nurse looked him up (it was clear that this wasn't part of *her* duties, that she was basically doing me a favor, her attitude did not go unnoticed) and confirmed that he had not had any medication since arriving. I asked when he could get his prescriptions and was told "sometime after 2pm." Neither of these nurses seemed to care that he had missed two doses. Literally couldn't have cared less. I asked when his physical therapy was to begin, (should be daily) and was told he would need to be assessed first, (not till Monday). I went to the physical therapy room and found one employee and asked her about this, she shared that only the Director performs the assessments and she doesn't work weekends. It was unclear why he would need an assessment since instructions were sent on Friday and would have included his current levels of ability and course of treatment. I received basically the same answers when I asked about his speech therapy. I asked how often he could expect to receive physical therapy and was told most patients have 2-4 times per week. I don't understand how they expect anyone to get better with that weak of a schedule. I asked to speak to the person in charge and it took a while for the "Day Manager" to show up. The "Day Manager" doesn't appear to be a real position or anyone with any authority, just the senior person on site who can't do anything or answer questions, no real authority. The stench in his room was horrific. I alerted a nurse that his roommate needed attention. 20 minutes later someone came in to mop the floor, I explained the floor wasn't the issue, the gentleman needed to be taken care of. He could be heard asking for his bath and was told it wasn't bath day. He needed changing and definitely needed a bath. Again, not one person on staff seemed to care. Pushing the call button is meaningless. The corridor had several patients parked in wheelchairs staring off into space. No one speaking to them, no one asking if they needed anything, no one walking them around to go outside and get some fresh air, no one helping them with fluids, no one caring. I understand that staffing a facility can be challenging, but a few things that I expect as minimums are taking care of patient's physical needs. Making sure they are eating, drinking, clean, and are getting their medications in a timely manner. IDC if it's the weekend, these things are a 24/7 job. I expect someone of real authority to be on site 7 days a week. If everyone in upper management only wants to work M-F then maybe they chose the wrong career. We chose to bring him home instead of leaving him here. He may have only been in this facility for less than 24 hours, but his condition had already started to deteriorate. It was clear that not only would he never improve here, but that he likely would have died from their neglect. Taking him home was not a decision made lightly, we are not healthcare professionals, but we knew that this was our only option. This literally was a life or death decision.
Read full reviewSep 23, 2026
- Google3/5
Living at Novato Healthcare Center has been a good experience for me. The staff are kind and quick to help, and the building looks clean and well cared for. The other residents are friendly and instill a real sense of community.
Read full reviewJul 1, 2026
- Google5/5
I was a former resident at Novato Healthcare Center, and the staff treated me with real kindness. The activities and games helped keep my days well-balanced, and the other residents were great company. It felt comfortable and easy to settle in.
Read full reviewJun 21, 2026
- Google5/5
The staff made me feel welcomed from day one. The nurses were caring and helpful, the therapists were encouraging, and the facility was always clean and comfortable. Everyone treated me with respect and genuinely cared about my recovery. I highly recommend this facility to anyone needing short-term rehabilitation.
Read full reviewJun 4, 2026
- Google5/5
My family and I are incredibly grateful for the care and compassion shown by the staff at this facility. From the nursing team to therapy, social services, and administration, everyone treated us with kindness, respect, and professionalism. The staff was friendly and consistently went above and beyond to ensure comfort, safety, and quality care. The facility was clean, welcoming, and well-maintained, and communication with our family was always timely and helpful. It was evident that the team genuinely cares about their residents and works hard to create a positive environment. Thank you to everyone for your dedication, patience, and support during our stay. We highly recommend this facility to anyone seeking skilled nursing and rehabilitation services
Read full reviewJun 4, 2026
- Google5/5
As a former resident at Novato Healthcare Center, I really appreciated the staff. They were patient, friendly, and quick to help without making me feel rushed. The care felt distinctive in a down-to-earth way, and I felt comfortable there.
Read full reviewJun 4, 2026
- Google5/5
As a family member of a resident, Novato Healthcare Center has made a hard time feel a lot more manageable. The staff are steady and kind, and the therapy team keeps him working toward his goals. We celebrate the good days.
Read full reviewJun 1, 2026
- Google5/5
Living at Novato Healthcare Center has been a low-risk, comfortable experience for me. The Activities & Games keep my days busy and fun, and it’s nice having something to look forward to. Staff are kind and check in often.
Read full reviewMay 29, 2026
- Caring.com3/5
Novato Healthcare smelled like urine at times when you go in the door, but it's clean. The staff was nice, but they should give us more calls and update us on our love ones. They don't call us enough, but they do call when they fall.
Read full reviewVisitor
Nov 23, 2016
- Caring.com4/5
My mother went twice to Novato Healthcare a month each time. The physical therapy was very good. They had plenty of staff, so the patient wasn't waiting a long time. The facility was old and hadn't been updated. The food wasn't very good. There was a van that came and picked them up and took them to the grocery store or to the drugstore. The rooms were OK.
Read full reviewFamily member
May 8, 2015
- Caring.com5/5
my wife was in the dementia unit for 3 1/2 years until october 2013 and i visited her on a daily basis so i was able to observe the activity of the staff at all times of the day. it was my observation that the care and caring of the staff was far beyond what i expected. they took a personal interest in each of the patients, handled them with gentleness, treated them with dignity and took care of them medically with true professionalism. i highly recommend this facility.
Read full reviewFamily member
Jul 18, 2014
- Caring.com2/5
My father fell and fractured his spine in May of 2012. He needed assistance to get in and out of bed and general care. He had a surgical procedure to correct the fracture and then needed rehab care. The rehab care at this facility was excellent. But that is the only good thing I can say. They ignored him most of the time. He required diabetic meals which I arranged with the head cook to provide but the staff never bothered to get them to him. They just brought whatever was served to the general public. I complained a almost every day but the problem was not corrected. They would not allow him to get out of bed after his procedure, even though he could sit up in a wheel chair. He was allowed to sit in his own waste when he wet his diaper at night. They claimed that because the pager system was broken, they didn't know he needed them. It was constantly going off so they ignored it. Apparently, they did not do rounds. My father called me at 1:30 am to ask me to come and change him. I would never put anyone I cared about in that facility.
Read full reviewFurious D. · Family member
Feb 14, 2014
Location
1565 Hill Rd, Novato, CA 94947