Fayette Health and Rehabilitation Center

It is a federally certified skilled nursing facility, which means licensed nurses are in the building around the clock. It serves people recovering after a hospital stay (short-term rehabilitation) and people who need daily nursing help for the long term. We could not verify a building-specific list of specialty programs from a facility website, so ask the admissions team what programs — like therapy, wound care, or dementia support — are offered today.

It has 156 certified beds and about 123 residents on a typical day, which makes it larger than most nursing homes. A bigger building can mean more staff and services in-house, but it is still worth asking exactly who will care for your family member and how often the same caregivers are assigned.

The overall rating is 1 of 5 stars — the lowest possible. That score is driven by 1-star health inspections; staffing and quality of care measures each earned 4 stars. The latest inspection cycle listed 18 deficiencies, down from 34 the cycle before, plus one federal fine of $162,159 and one payment denial. Star ratings come from official government health inspections and reporting — they are a regulatory measure, not family reviews.

Not automatically, but take it seriously. The low score comes from inspection findings, while day-to-day staffing levels and quality measures rate 4 stars. Ask the administrator to walk you through the most recent inspection report item by item, what was fixed, and how they keep it fixed — the number of deficiencies did fall from 34 to 18 between cycles. Then judge whether the answers are specific and honest.

Federal ownership records list it with the CommuniCare network, a for-profit group that operates 121 facilities across six states, and the building is organized as a corporation. The chain's national website no longer lists its Maryland buildings, so ask the staff who runs the home today and whether anything is changing.

Ask what led to the $162,159 fine and the payment denial, and what changed afterward. Ask how many nurses and aides are on duty at night and on weekends, and how the home handles registered-nurse turnover, which is reported at 63.6 percent a year. Also ask which specialty programs are active right now and who currently operates the building. The phone number in official records is (410) 727-3947.