CARLSBAD BY THE SEA
Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.
Carlsbad By The Sea has received a Trust Grade of A+, which indicates it is an elite facility with top-tier care. It ranks #35 out of 1,155 nursing homes in California, placing it in the top half, and is #5 out of 81 in San Diego County, meaning only four local options are better. The facility is improving, with issues decreasing from 8 in 2023 to 4 in 2024, and it has a low staff turnover rate of 9%, which is significantly better than the state average. Although there are no fines recorded, which is a positive sign, recent inspector findings raised concerns about food safety and sanitation practices in the kitchen, as well as the lack of a care plan for a resident who is hard of hearing. Overall, while Carlsbad By The Sea has strong staffing and no fines, families should be aware of the sanitation issues that need to be addressed.
- Trust Score
- A+
- In California
- #35/1155
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Better
- Staff Stability ✓ Good
- 9% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 39 points below California's 48% average. Staff who stay learn residents' needs.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most California facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ○ Average
- Each resident gets 39 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — about average for California. RNs are the most trained staff who monitor for health changes.
- Violations ⚠ Watch
- 12 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
The Good
-
4-Star Staffing Rating · Above-average nurse staffing levels
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5-Star Quality Measures · Strong clinical quality outcomes
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Low Staff Turnover (9%) · Staff stability means consistent care
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Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
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No fines on record
-
Staff turnover is low (9%)
39 points below California average of 48%
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, quality measures, staff retention, fire safety.
The Bad
Part of a multi-facility chain
Ask about local staffing decisions and management
The Ugly 12 deficiencies on record
Dec 2024
4 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0655
(Tag F0655)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure a care plan for hard of hearing (HOH - Hard of hearing) was ...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Accident Prevention
(Tag F0689)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to provide staff supervision during an Activity of daily ...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0761
(Tag F0761)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure all medications were locked for one of two medication carts (Medication Cart #1).
This failure had the potential for Me...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on observation, interview, and record review the facility failed to store food safely when it:
1.
Left a vegan meatball, fruit, vegetables, and other food debris under prep table for 2 days.
2....
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Dec 2023
2 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0578
(Tag F0578)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to have a policy for advanced directives (a written docu...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Pharmacy Services
(Tag F0755)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to reconcile discontinued controlled medications (medications that are regulated by the government due to the likelihood for bei...
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Jan 2023
6 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
MDS Data Transmission
(Tag F0640)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure discharge Minimum Data Set Assessments (MDS, an assessment t...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Tube Feeding
(Tag F0693)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure that one licensed nurse (LN): 1. Checked residual (liquid feeding that is not absorbed) of tube feed (liquid feeding gi...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Pharmacy Services
(Tag F0755)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to : 1. Reconcile 2 of 3 sampled residents' (27 & 132) Co...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0849
(Tag F0849)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure one resident (Resident 1) who received hospice services, had...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure that one licensed nurse (LN) disinfected a glucometer (machine that measures blood sugar) according to facility policy....
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to ensure sanitary conditions were met in the kitchen when:
1) Stored food was not consistently labeled and dated.
2) Stored foo...
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Understanding Severity Codes (click to expand)
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
- "Can I speak with families of current residents?"
- "What's your RN coverage like on weekends and overnight?"
Our Honest Assessment
- • Grade A+ (95/100). Above average facility, better than most options in California.
- • No major safety red flags. No abuse findings, life-threatening violations, or SFF status.
- • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most California facilities.
- • 9% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 39 points below California's 48% average. Staff who stay learn residents' needs.
- • 12 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
About This Facility
What is Carlsbad By The Sea's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns CARLSBAD BY THE SEA an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is considered much above average nationally. Within California, this rating places the facility higher than 99% of the state's 100 nursing homes. This rating reflects solid performance across the metrics CMS uses to evaluate nursing home quality.
How is Carlsbad By The Sea Staffed?
CMS rates CARLSBAD BY THE SEA's staffing level at 4 out of 5 stars, which is above average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 9%, compared to the California average of 46%. This relatively stable workforce can support continuity of care.
What Have Inspectors Found at Carlsbad By The Sea?
State health inspectors documented 12 deficiencies at CARLSBAD BY THE SEA during 2023 to 2024. These included: 12 with potential for harm.
Who Owns and Operates Carlsbad By The Sea?
CARLSBAD BY THE SEA is owned by a non-profit organization. Non-profit facilities reinvest revenue into operations rather than distributing to shareholders. The facility is operated by FRONT PORCH, a chain that manages multiple nursing homes. With 33 certified beds and approximately 26 residents (about 79% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in CARLSBAD, California.
How Does Carlsbad By The Sea Compare to Other California Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in California, CARLSBAD BY THE SEA's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 3.2, staff turnover (9%) is significantly lower than the state average of 46%, and health inspection rating (5 stars) is much above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Carlsbad By The Sea?
Based on this facility's data, families visiting should ask: "Can I visit during a mealtime to observe dining assistance and food quality?" "How do you handle medical emergencies, and what is your hospital transfer rate?" "Can I speak with family members of current residents about their experience?"
Is Carlsbad By The Sea Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, CARLSBAD BY THE SEA has a clean safety record: no substantiated abuse findings (meaning no confirmed cases of resident harm), no Immediate Jeopardy citations (the most serious violation level indicating risk of serious injury or death), and is not on the Special Focus Facility watch list (a federal program monitoring the lowest-performing 1% of nursing homes). The facility has a 5-star overall rating and ranks #1 of 100 nursing homes in California. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Carlsbad By The Sea Stick Around?
Staff at CARLSBAD BY THE SEA tend to stick around. With a turnover rate of 9%, the facility is 36 percentage points below the California average of 46%. Low turnover is a positive sign. It means caregivers have time to learn each resident's needs, medications, and personal preferences. Consistent staff also notice subtle changes in a resident's condition more quickly.
Was Carlsbad By The Sea Ever Fined?
CARLSBAD BY THE SEA has no federal fines on record. CMS issues fines when nursing homes fail to meet care standards or don't correct problems found during inspections. The absence of fines suggests the facility has either maintained compliance or corrected any issues before penalties were assessed. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review recent inspection reports for the full picture.
Is Carlsbad By The Sea on Any Federal Watch List?
CARLSBAD BY THE SEA is not on any federal watch list. The most significant is the Special Focus Facility (SFF) program, which identifies the bottom 1% of nursing homes nationally based on persistent, serious quality problems. Not being on this list means the facility has avoided the pattern of deficiencies that triggers enhanced federal oversight. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review the facility's inspection history directly.