La Bella of Sterling
Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.
La Bella of Sterling has received a Trust Grade of D, indicating below-average performance with some concerning issues. They rank #380 out of 665 facilities in Illinois, placing them in the bottom half, and #5 out of 7 in Whiteside County, meaning there are only two facilities in the county that are better. Unfortunately, the facility's situation has worsened significantly, with issues increasing from 3 in 2024 to 11 in 2025. While staffing turnover is at 0%, which is a strength, the overall staffing rating is poor at 1 out of 5 stars, and they face fines totaling $54,998, which is average but still notable. Specific incidents include a failure to ensure that the activity program is led by a qualified professional and a lack of proper sanitation checks for the dishwasher, both of which raise concerns about the quality of care provided to residents.
- Trust Score
- D
- In Illinois
- #380/665
- Safety Record
- Moderate
- Inspections
- Getting Worse
- Staff Stability ○ Average
- Turnover data not reported for this facility.
- Penalties ⚠ Watch
- $54,998 in fines. Higher than 99% of Illinois facilities. Major compliance failures.
- Skilled Nurses ○ Average
- Each resident gets 31 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — about average for Illinois. RNs are the most trained staff who monitor for health changes.
- Violations ⚠ Watch
- 16 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
The Good
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
Facility shows strength in fire safety.
The Bad
Below Illinois average (2.5)
Below average - review inspection findings carefully
Above median ($33,413)
Moderate penalties - review what triggered them
The Ugly 16 deficiencies on record
Mar 2025
11 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Safe Environment
(Tag F0584)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation and interview the facility failed to ensure a residents room was maintained in a comfortable homelike environment. This applies to 1 of 12 residents (R33) reviewed for resident ri...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0679
(Tag F0679)
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 ensure activities that meet residents physical, menta...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0742
(Tag F0742)
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 implement, develop, and provide resident centered ment...
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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 ensure medications were administered as ordered and fai...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Drug Regimen Review
(Tag F0756)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** 3. The Pharmacy Recommendation Review from 2/1/25 to 2/28/25 shows recommendations for R33 to discontinue hydroxyzine PRN (as ne...
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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** 2. R31's Physician Order Sheets dated March 2025 shows order date of 11/21/24 for hydroxyzine tablet give two tablets every six ...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0740
(Tag F0740)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based observation, interview and record review the facility failed to provide behavioral health care services for residents with...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0745
(Tag F0745)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview and record review the facility failed to ensure medically related social services were provided ...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0883
(Tag F0883)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on interview and record review the facility failed to ensure the pneumonia vaccine was consented or declined prior to administration.
This applies to 4 of 5 residents (R34, R35, R12 and R39) re...
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CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0680
(Tag F0680)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to ensure the facility's activity program was directed by a qualified professional. This failure has the potential to affect all...
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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 record review the facility failed to ensure the dishwasher sanitation solution was checked at the recommended level prior to use.
This applies to all 43 residents ...
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May 2024
2 deficiencies
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 ensure medications were administered in accordance with manufacturer's directions; failed to monitor residents during medicati...
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CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Staffing Data
(Tag F0851)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Based on interview and record review the facility failed to ensure RN (Registered Nurse) staffing data was accurately entered in the Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) system.
This applies to all 42 residen...
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Jan 2024
1 deficiency
CONCERN
(F)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Accident Prevention
(Tag F0689)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to ensure resident safety by utilizing portable space he...
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Apr 2023
2 deficiencies
CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Pharmacy Services
(Tag F0755)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, and record review the facility failed to reconcile controlled medications and failed to ensure ...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0761
(Tag F0761)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to remove resident medications from storage and failed t...
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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
- • Licensed and certified facility. Meets minimum state requirements.
- • 16 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
- • $54,998 in fines. Extremely high, among the most fined facilities in Illinois. Major compliance failures.
- • Grade D (45/100). Below average facility with significant concerns.
About This Facility
What is La Bella Of Sterling's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns La Bella of Sterling an overall rating of 2 out of 5 stars, which is considered below average nationally. Within Illinois, this rating places the facility higher than 0% of the state's 100 nursing homes. A rating at this level reflects concerns identified through health inspections, staffing assessments, or quality measures that families should carefully consider.
How is La Bella Of Sterling Staffed?
CMS rates La Bella of Sterling's staffing level at 1 out of 5 stars, which is much below average compared to other nursing homes.
What Have Inspectors Found at La Bella Of Sterling?
State health inspectors documented 16 deficiencies at La Bella of Sterling during 2023 to 2025. These included: 16 with potential for harm.
Who Owns and Operates La Bella Of Sterling?
La Bella of Sterling is owned by a for-profit company. For-profit facilities operate as businesses with obligations to shareholders or private owners. The facility operates independently rather than as part of a larger chain. With 70 certified beds and approximately 41 residents (about 59% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in STERLING, Illinois.
How Does La Bella Of Sterling Compare to Other Illinois Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Illinois, La Bella of Sterling's overall rating (2 stars) is below the state average of 2.5 and health inspection rating (3 stars) is at the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting La Bella Of Sterling?
Based on this facility's data, families visiting should ask: "Can you walk me through typical staffing levels on day, evening, and night shifts?" "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?" These questions are particularly relevant given the below-average staffing rating.
Is La Bella Of Sterling Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, La Bella of Sterling 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 2-star overall rating and ranks #100 of 100 nursing homes in Illinois. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at La Bella Of Sterling Stick Around?
La Bella of Sterling has not reported staff turnover data to CMS. Staff turnover matters because consistent caregivers learn residents' individual needs, medications, and preferences. When staff frequently change, this institutional knowledge is lost. Families should ask the facility directly about their staff retention rates and average employee tenure.
Was La Bella Of Sterling Ever Fined?
La Bella of Sterling has been fined $54,998 across 1 penalty action. This is above the Illinois average of $33,629. Fines in this range indicate compliance issues significant enough for CMS to impose meaningful financial consequences. Common causes include delayed correction of deficiencies, repeat violations, or care failures affecting resident safety. Families should ask facility leadership what changes have been made since these penalties.
Is La Bella Of Sterling on Any Federal Watch List?
La Bella of Sterling 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.