ORCHARDS SKILLED NURSING
Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.
Orchards Skilled Nursing in Ladera Ranch, California, holds a Trust Grade of B+, indicating it is above average and recommended for families considering care options. It ranks #152 out of 1,155 facilities statewide, placing it in the top half of California nursing homes, and #10 of 72 in Orange County, which means only nine local options are better. The facility is improving, with the number of issues identified decreasing from 17 in 2024 to 10 in 2025, and it has a strong staffing rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with a 36% turnover rate that is below the state average. Notably, there have been no fines recorded, and it enjoys better RN coverage than 75% of California facilities, ensuring more thorough medical oversight. However, there are concerns regarding food safety in the kitchen. Recent inspections revealed that the facility has failed to meet sanitary requirements, such as ensuring proper food labeling and dating, which could lead to foodborne illnesses. Additionally, there were issues with kitchen utensils and cutting boards not being kept in a sanitary condition, heightening the risk of cross-contamination. While the overall quality of care appears strong, families should weigh these weaknesses carefully when considering Orchards Skilled Nursing for their loved ones.
- Trust Score
- B+
- In California
- #152/1155
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Better
- Staff Stability ○ Average
- 36% turnover. Near California's 48% average. Typical for the industry.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most California facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ✓ Good
- Each resident gets 53 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — more than average for California. RNs are trained to catch health problems early.
- Violations ⚠ Watch
- 39 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
The Good
-
5-Star Staffing Rating · Excellent nurse staffing levels
-
4-Star Quality Measures · Strong clinical quality outcomes
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
-
Staff turnover below average (36%)
12 points below California average of 48%
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, quality measures, fire safety.
The Bad
10pts below California avg (46%)
Typical for the industry
Part of a multi-facility chain
Ask about local staffing decisions and management
The Ugly 39 deficiencies on record
Apr 2025
10 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 interview, medical record review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure a copy of the advance directiv...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Quality of Care
(Tag F0684)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, medical record review, and P&P review, the facility failed to provide the necessary services to...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Respiratory Care
(Tag F0695)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, medical record review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to provide the necessary re...
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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, facility document review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure the licensed n...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0838
(Tag F0838)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview and facility document review, the facility failed to ensure the Facility Assessment addressed or included the...
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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, medical record review, facility document review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to provide the...
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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, medical record review, facility document review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to implement the infection control practices designed to provide a safe a...
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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, facility document review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure the sanitary requirements were met in the kitchen as evidenced by:
* The facility fail...
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MINOR
(B)
Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact
Deficiency F0583
(Tag F0583)
Minor procedural issue · This affected multiple residents
Based on observation, interview, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure the residents' medical records were safeguarded to protect the confidential health information of the residents ...
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MINOR
(B)
Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact
Medical Records
(Tag F0842)
Minor procedural issue · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview, medical record review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure the medical record for one of ...
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Apr 2024
17 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0554
(Tag F0554)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, clinical record review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure one of 13 final ...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Notification of Changes
(Tag F0580)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview, medical record review, and the facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure the notification of change...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0658
(Tag F0658)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure services provided met the professional standards of care for one when LVN 4 failed to properly take a blood pres...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0692
(Tag F0692)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview, medical record review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure the timely intervention for on...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Respiratory Care
(Tag F0695)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, medical record review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure one of one final ...
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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, medical record review, facility document review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed t...
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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
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure the proper disposal and storage of medic...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0801
(Tag F0801)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview, facility personnel file, and facility document review, the facility failed to ensure the Food and Nutrition Services Director who was responsible to oversee the main k...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Menu Adequacy
(Tag F0803)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview, and facility document review, the facility failed to ensure the resident menu was followed when the puree procedure for meat and vegetables was not followed. This fail...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0806
(Tag F0806)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to honor the food preference for one of two sample...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0813
(Tag F0813)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure the P&P for the resident's food brought by the visitors was followed.
* The facility failed to ensure the safe f...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Medical Records
(Tag F0842)
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 the complete and accurate medical records for three of six r...
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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
2. Review of the facility's P&P titled Hand Washing and Hand Hygiene dated 11/2020 showed all personnel shall follow the handwashing/hand hygiene procedures to help prevent the spread of infections to...
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CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Based on observation, interview, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure the food safety and sanitary requirements were met in the kitchen as evidenced by:
* The facility failed to ensu...
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MINOR
(B)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact
Comprehensive Care Plan
(Tag F0656)
Minor procedural issue · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview, medical record review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure the comprehensive plan of care...
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MINOR
(B)
Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact
Deficiency F0657
(Tag F0657)
Minor procedural issue · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview, medical record review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure the comprehensive plan of care...
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MINOR
(B)
Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact
Garbage Disposal
(Tag F0814)
Minor procedural issue · This affected multiple residents
Based on observation, interview, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to store trash in a sanitary manner as evidenced by:
* The facility failed to ensure the green organic trash container an...
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Aug 2023
12 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 interview, medical record review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed obtain and maintain the copy of advance ...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Comprehensive Care Plan
(Tag F0656)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, medical record review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to develop the comprehensiv...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Quality of Care
(Tag F0684)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, medical record review, facility document review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed t...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0700
(Tag F0700)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, medical record review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure two of 12 final s...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Medication Errors
(Tag F0758)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** 3. Review of the facility's P&P titled Psychotropic Medication Use revised 10/2018 showed thebehavior monitoring shall be initia...
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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
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** 3. Review of the facility's P&P titled Storage of Medications dated 10/2018 showed drugs shall be accessible only to personnel d...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Medical Records
(Tag F0842)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview and medical record review, the facility failed to maintain the accurate medical record for one of the 12 fina...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0909
(Tag F0909)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, medical record review, and facility document review, the facility failed to ensure residents' e...
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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, facility document review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure the sanitary requirements were met in the kitchen as evidenced by:
* The facility fai...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Room Equipment
(Tag F0908)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, facility document review, and equipment instruction manual, the facility failed to maintain ess...
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MINOR
(B)
Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact
Pharmacy Services
(Tag F0755)
Minor procedural issue · This affected multiple residents
Based on interview, medical record review, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to ensure the accurate documentation of one wasted medication on the Controlled Drug Record for one nonsampled r...
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MINOR
(B)
Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact
Garbage Disposal
(Tag F0814)
Minor procedural issue · This affected multiple residents
Based on observation, interview, and facility P&P review, the facility failed to dispose and store trash in a sanitary manner.
* The facility's one of two trash dumpsters was overflowing with garbage...
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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 B+ (80/100). 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.
- • 36% turnover. Below California's 48% average. Good staff retention means consistent care.
- • 39 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
About This Facility
What is Orchards Skilled Nursing's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns ORCHARDS SKILLED NURSING 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 Orchards Skilled Nursing Staffed?
CMS rates ORCHARDS SKILLED NURSING's staffing level at 5 out of 5 stars, which is much above average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 36%, compared to the California average of 46%. This relatively stable workforce can support continuity of care.
What Have Inspectors Found at Orchards Skilled Nursing?
State health inspectors documented 39 deficiencies at ORCHARDS SKILLED NURSING during 2023 to 2025. These included: 32 with potential for harm and 7 minor or isolated issues.
Who Owns and Operates Orchards Skilled Nursing?
ORCHARDS SKILLED NURSING is owned by a for-profit company. For-profit facilities operate as businesses with obligations to shareholders or private owners. The facility is operated by CONTINUING LIFE, a chain that manages multiple nursing homes. With 49 certified beds and approximately 39 residents (about 80% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in LADERA RANCH, California.
How Does Orchards Skilled Nursing Compare to Other California Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in California, ORCHARDS SKILLED NURSING's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 3.2, staff turnover (36%) is significantly lower than the state average of 46%, and health inspection rating (4 stars) is above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Orchards Skilled Nursing?
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 Orchards Skilled Nursing Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, ORCHARDS SKILLED NURSING 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 Orchards Skilled Nursing Stick Around?
ORCHARDS SKILLED NURSING has a staff turnover rate of 36%, which is about average for California nursing homes (state average: 46%). Moderate turnover is common in nursing homes, but families should still ask about staff tenure and how the facility maintains care continuity when employees leave.
Was Orchards Skilled Nursing Ever Fined?
ORCHARDS SKILLED NURSING 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 Orchards Skilled Nursing on Any Federal Watch List?
ORCHARDS SKILLED NURSING 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.