The 10 Worst Nursing Homes in Delaware

  Worst Nursing Homes in Delaware By City

Every city in Delaware has its own set of challenges and standards when it comes to nursing home care. To help you find the information most relevant to your location, we've compiled city-specific rankings of the worst-rated nursing homes. Click on the links below to explore the detailed lists for each city.

Worst Nursing Homes in Dover

• Country Club Center I (176)
• Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely. (2025-05-06)
• Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (2025-05-06)
• New Dawn Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center (124)
• Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater. (2025-03-14)
• Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors. (2025-03-14)
• Excel Care at Dover (112.25)
• Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems. (2024-08-16)
• Provide at least two remote exits on each floor or fire section of the building. (2024-08-16)
• Hennis Care Centre of Dover (89.75)
• Assess the resident completely in a timely manner when first admitted, and then periodically, at least every 12 months. (2025-06-10)
• Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights. (2025-06-10)
• Complete Care at Silver Lake LLC (76)
• Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments. (2025-03-06)
• Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody. (2025-03-06)
• Cadia Rehabilitation Capitol (71)
• Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody. (2025-01-24)
• Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident. (2025-01-24)
• Bay Terrace Rehabilitation and Health Center (68)
• Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights. (2025-04-10)
• Properly hold, secure, and manage each resident's personal money which is deposited with the nursing home. (2025-04-10)
• Westminster Village Health (46)
• Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals. (2024-12-09)
• Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment. (2024-12-09)
• Park Village Health Care Center Inc (44.75)
• Notify the resident or the resident?s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident?s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave. (2024-05-10)
• PASARR screening for Mental disorders or Intellectual Disabilities (2024-05-10)
• Dover Care Center (35)
• Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities. (2023-11-08)
• Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody. (2023-11-08)

Worst Nursing Homes in Wilmington

• Wilmington Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (474)
• Honor the resident's right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice. (2025-01-15)
• Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (2025-01-15)
• Pike Creek Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (397)
• Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs. (2024-12-20)
• Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments. (2024-11-11)
• Autumn Care of Myrtle Grove (323.5)
• Honor the resident's right to organize and participate in resident/family groups in the facility. (2025-05-14)
• Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. (2025-05-14)
• Aperion Care Wilmington (268.75)
• Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody. (2025-05-14)
• Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (2025-05-08)
• Springs Rehabilitation at Brandywine (178)
• Have power receptacles that are properly grounded. (2025-03-10)
• Provide exit doors that are held open by devices that will automatically close on the activation of a fire alarm or smoke detector. (2025-01-15)
• Azalea Health and Rehab Center (153)
• Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. (2024-08-07)
• Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (2024-07-12)
• Kutz Rehabilitation and Nursing (118.75)
• Install smoke barrier doors that can resist smoke for at least 20 minutes. (2024-04-16)
• Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke. (2024-04-16)
• Shipley Living (117.5)
• Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system. (2024-09-17)
• Meet requirements for sections of health care facilities separated by fire resistive construction. (2024-09-17)
• Willow Brook Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center (101)
• Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. (2025-03-31)
• Install an approved automatic sprinkler system. (2024-11-20)
• August Healthcare at Wilmington (95)
• Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed. (2025-06-11)
• Have an alternate power supply for its alarm system. (2024-06-17)

Worst Nursing Homes in Middletown

• Oak Hill Center For Rehabilitation and Nursing (189)
• Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered. (2024-12-16)
• Allow resident to participate in the development and implementation of his or her person-centered plan of care. (2024-12-16)
• Majestic Care of Middletown LLC (182.75)
• Provide appropriate colostomy, urostomy, or ileostomy care/services for a resident who requires such services. (2025-03-12)
• Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident. (2025-03-12)
• Grand Islander Center (125.25)
• Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. (2025-05-22)
• Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality. (2025-05-22)
• Cadia Rehabilitation Broadmeadow (112.5)
• Provide or obtain laboratory tests/services when ordered and promptly tell the ordering practitioner of the results. (2025-04-14)
• Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident?s preferences and goals. (2025-04-14)
• Water's Edge Center For Health and Rehab (99.25)
• Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. (2025-01-20)
• Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. (2024-08-09)
• Wadsworth Glen Health Care and Rehabilitation Cent (91)
• Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident?s preferences and goals. (2025-03-03)
• Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights. (2024-07-31)
• Hawthorn Glen Nursing Center (89)
• Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (2024-12-27)
• Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (2024-09-06)
• Apple Rehab Middletown (88)
• Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights. (2025-01-22)
• Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems. (2024-12-31)
• The Laurels of Middletown (62)
• Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely. (2024-08-06)
• Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment. (2024-08-06)
• Royal Middletown Nursing Center (46)
• Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality. (2025-05-01)
• Respond appropriately to all alleged violations. (2025-05-01)

Worst Nursing Homes in Newark

• Sinai Post Acute Nursing and Rehab Center (615.5)
• Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals. (2024-09-05)
• Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. (2024-09-05)
• Embassy of Newark (157.5)
• Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs. (2024-10-25)
• Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights. (2024-10-24)
• New Vista Nursing and Rehabilitation Ctr (146)
• Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating. (2024-06-03)
• Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems. (2024-05-13)
• Millcroft Living (139.25)
• Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system. (2025-04-01)
• Have stairways and smokeproof enclosures used as exits that meet safety requirements. (2025-04-01)
• Forest Hills Center For Rehabilitation and Healing (138.75)
• Have elevators that firefighters can control in the event of a fire. (2024-02-09)
• Encode each resident?s assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment. (2024-01-26)
• Flint Ridge Nrsg and Rehab Ctr (129)
• Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals. (2025-05-27)
• Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted (2025-05-27)
• Altercare Newark South Inc. (109.25)
• Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing. (2025-06-09)
• Honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive. (2025-06-09)
• Excelcare at Newark LLC (81)
• Honor the resident's right to organize and participate in resident/family groups in the facility. (2025-03-31)
• Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered. (2025-03-31)
• Altercare Newark North Inc. (78)
• Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable. (2025-03-21)
• Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. (2025-03-21)
• Newark Manor Nursing Home (27)
• Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident?s preferences and goals. (2025-03-07)
• Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody. (2025-02-19)

Worst Nursing Homes in Lewes

• Excelcare at Lewes LLC (51)
• Have proper medical gas storage and administration areas. (2025-04-30)
• Add doors in an exit area that do not require the use of a key from the exit side unless in case of special locking arrangements. (2025-04-30)
• The Moorings at Lewes (3)
• Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited. (2024-02-21)
• Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. (2024-02-21)

  Related Lists and Resources

While it's important to be aware of the lowest-rated facilities, we also provide resources to help you find the best care available. Check out our other lists to find top-rated nursing homes and facilities that excel in specific areas.

• Best Nursing Homes in Delaware
• Analysis of Nursing Homes in Delaware

  Making Informed Decisions

Understanding our rankings and how they are derived can empower you to make better choices for your loved ones. Remember, a low rating in one area doesn't necessarily mean a facility is entirely unsuitable; it's a starting point for further investigation.

  Tips for Evaluating Nursing Homes in Delaware:

• Schedule visits to potential facilities
• Speak with staff and residents
• Review recent inspection reports
• Consider the specific needs of your loved one

Disclaimer: NursingHomeDatabase.com does not have a relationship, either commercial or otherwise, with any of the skilled nursing facilities referred to on this site. This is an independent resource that tries to make more and better information available to the public.

  More Resources for Families

Navigating the world of nursing home care can be overwhelming. Here are some resources to help you make the best decisions for your family:

• The Role of Family in Nursing Home Care
• Navigating Medicaid for Nursing Home Care
• How to Handle a Nursing Home Discharge
• Understanding Nursing Home Ratings and What They Mean
• Questions to Ask During a Nursing Home Visit

  How We Compile Nursing Home Ratings in Delaware

Every month, we rank all of the skilled nursing facilities in Delaware. These rankings are based on data provided by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid measures ("CMS"), including the CMS 5-Star Rating System and the Health Inspection Scores. The list of the Worst Skilled Nursing Facilities in Delaware is based on the weighted overall health inspection score which is a composite of CMS's three most recent skilled nursing home inspection scores weighted to give the most recent inspection more importance.

The CMS 5-Star Rating System rates skilled nursing facilities from one to five stars, with one star being the lowest and five stars being the highest. The rating system also rates Delaware nursing homes across five different dimensions including overall rating, health inspection rating, quality measures rating, overall staffing rating, and RN staffing rating (RN is an acronym for Registered Nurse).

In addition to the 5-Star Rating System, CMS provides numerical metrics that summarize:

• Health Inspection Domain. The health inspection rating is based on the three most recent standard surveys for each nursing home, results from any complaint investigations during the most recent three-year period, and any repeat revisits needed to verify that required corrections have brought the facility back into compliance. CMS calculates a weighted deficiency score based on points assigned to health deficiencies identified in each active provider’s current health inspection survey and the two prior surveys (including revisits), as well as deficiency findings from the most recent three years of complaint investigations. More recent surveys are weighted more heavily than older surveys: the most recent period (cycle 1) is assigned a weighting factor of 1/2, the previous period (cycle 2) has a weighting factor of 1/3, and the second prior survey (cycle 3) has a weighting factor of 1/6. The weighted time period scores are then summed to create the survey score for each facility.
• Staffing Domain. Using multiple reporting methods, CMS calculates the amount of time that the nursing staff spends with residents. This is measured across multiple dimensions, one each for three different levels of nursing, including Registered Nurses (“RNs”), Licensed Practical Nurses (“LPNs”), and Certified Nursing Assistants (“CNAs”), plus one metric that totals all contributions. These metrics are expressed in hours per resident per day. CMS also provides state-level and national averages for the metrics to allow for additional comparisons.
• Quality Measures Domain. A set of quality measures (QMs) has been developed from MDS-based indicators to describe the quality of care provided in nursing homes. These measures address a broad range of functioning and health status in multiple care areas. The facility rating for the QM domain is based on performance on a subset of 11 (out of 18) of the QMs. Ratings for the QM domain are calculated using the three most recent quarters for which data are available. This time period specification was selected to increase the number of assessments available for calculating the QM rating, increasing the stability of estimates and reducing the number of facilities that do not have enough data to report QM ratings.
• Abuse Flag. Abuse is always a concern in skilled nursing facilities. To highlight the issue, CMS has extracted this feature as its own flag. Facilities with an actual abuse event or where the potential for abuse has been shown for the past two years are flagged. The Health Inspection Score is capped at 2-stars for nursing homes that have been flagged for abuse.

Skilled nursing facilities that are new and do not have at least two surveys completed are not rated by CMS. These facilities may have health inspection scores that can be used to evaluate the facility.

One complication in Delaware nursing home inspections is the COVID-19 pandemic. Although inspections should be performed every 12 months, COVID has decreased this frequency. While CMS admits that only in “rare cases” do these inspections increase to 15 months, our analysis suggests that this time frame may be even longer. This report shows that the time between inspections is now just under 500 days (more than sixteen months). There are now hundreds of skilled nursing homes in the United States that have not been inspected in more than 24 months. This list shows the skilled nursing homes with the longest period since being inspected. According to the CMS data, these homes have not been inspected since 2018!