ESSENTIA HEALTH HOMESTEAD
Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.
Essentia Health Homestead has a Trust Grade of B, indicating it is a good choice for care, but not exceptional. It ranks #165 out of 337 facilities in Minnesota, placing it in the top half, and #2 out of 4 in Itasca County, meaning only one local option is better. The facility is experiencing a worsening trend, with the number of issues increasing from 2 in 2024 to 7 in 2025. Staffing is a strength, with a 4-star rating and a remarkable 0% turnover, indicating stable and experienced staff, along with good RN coverage that exceeds 80% of state facilities. However, the facility has been noted for concerns such as failing to provide hand sanitizer in the dining room, which could risk infection, and issues with mail delivery affecting residents' access to packages. Overall, while there are notable strengths in staffing and trust grade, families should be aware of the rising number of concerns.
- Trust Score
- B
- In Minnesota
- #165/337
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Worse
- Staff Stability ○ Average
- Turnover data not reported for this facility.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Minnesota facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ✓ Good
- Each resident gets 88 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — more than 97% of Minnesota nursing homes. RNs are the most trained staff who catch health problems before they become serious.
- Violations ○ Average
- 9 deficiencies on record. Average for a facility this size. Mostly minor or procedural issues.
The Good
-
4-Star Staffing Rating · Above-average nurse staffing levels
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, fire safety.
The Bad
Near Minnesota average (3.2)
Meets federal standards, typical of most facilities
Part of a multi-facility chain
Ask about local staffing decisions and management
The Ugly 9 deficiencies on record
Jul 2025
2 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
📢 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
Report Alleged Abuse
(Tag F0609)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview and document review the facility failed to report allegations of drug diversion to the state agency (SA) and ...
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MINOR
(C)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact
Abuse Prevention Policies
(Tag F0607)
Minor procedural issue · This affected most or all residents
Based on interview and document review the facility failed to develop policies and procedures for when to report a suspected crime to law enforcement. This had the potential to affect all residents re...
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Mar 2025
5 deficiencies
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** Based on interview and document review the facility failed to identify a diagnosis for a medication for 1 of 5 residents (R4) re...
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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 document review the facility failed to ensure medications were properly labeled to prevent medication errors for 1 of 7 residents (R11) observed during medication p...
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CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0576
(Tag F0576)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview the facility failed to ensure residents' mail and packages were delivered on Saturdays for 2 of 2 residents (...
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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 document review, the facility failed to accurately submit hours for the payroll-based journal system (PB&J) staffing data to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Th...
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MINOR
(C)
Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact
Staffing Information
(Tag F0732)
Minor procedural issue · This affected most or all residents
Based on observation, interview and document review, the facility failed to ensure required nurse staffing information was consistently posted on a daily basis. This had potential to affect all 20 res...
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May 2024
2 deficiencies
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** R20:
R20's admission Minimum Data Set (MDS) dated [DATE], indicated R20 had severe cognitive impairment with a diagnosis of non-...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to ensure that residents dining in the main dining room were given an opportunity to sanitize their hands prior to meal consumpt...
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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
- • No major safety red flags. No abuse findings, life-threatening violations, or SFF status.
- • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Minnesota facilities.
- • No major red flags. Standard due diligence and a personal visit recommended.
About This Facility
What is Essentia Health Homestead's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns ESSENTIA HEALTH HOMESTEAD an overall rating of 3 out of 5 stars, which is considered average nationally. Within Minnesota, this rating places the facility higher than 0% of the state's 100 nursing homes. This mid-range rating indicates the facility meets federal standards but may have areas for improvement.
How is Essentia Health Homestead Staffed?
CMS rates ESSENTIA HEALTH HOMESTEAD's staffing level at 4 out of 5 stars, which is above average compared to other nursing homes.
What Have Inspectors Found at Essentia Health Homestead?
State health inspectors documented 9 deficiencies at ESSENTIA HEALTH HOMESTEAD during 2024 to 2025. These included: 7 with potential for harm and 2 minor or isolated issues.
Who Owns and Operates Essentia Health Homestead?
ESSENTIA HEALTH HOMESTEAD is owned by a non-profit organization. Non-profit facilities reinvest revenue into operations rather than distributing to shareholders. The facility is operated by ESSENTIA HEALTH, a chain that manages multiple nursing homes. With 32 certified beds and approximately 22 residents (about 69% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in DEER RIVER, Minnesota.
How Does Essentia Health Homestead Compare to Other Minnesota Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Minnesota, ESSENTIA HEALTH HOMESTEAD's overall rating (3 stars) is below the state average of 3.2 and health inspection rating (3 stars) is at the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Essentia Health Homestead?
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 Essentia Health Homestead Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, ESSENTIA HEALTH HOMESTEAD 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 3-star overall rating and ranks #100 of 100 nursing homes in Minnesota. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Essentia Health Homestead Stick Around?
ESSENTIA HEALTH HOMESTEAD 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 Essentia Health Homestead Ever Fined?
ESSENTIA HEALTH HOMESTEAD 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 Essentia Health Homestead on Any Federal Watch List?
ESSENTIA HEALTH HOMESTEAD 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.