BERKS COUNTY HOME- BERKS HEIM
Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.
Berks County Home - Berks Heim has received a Trust Grade of B+, indicating it is above average and recommended for families considering care for their loved ones. It ranks #7 out of 653 facilities in Pennsylvania, placing it in the top half, and is the best option among 15 facilities in Berks County. The facility's performance has been stable, with 4 issues reported in both 2023 and 2024, and it has a strong staffing rating of 5/5 stars and a low turnover rate of 25%, which is much better than the state average of 46%. While it has no fines on record, indicating solid compliance, there are areas of concern; recent inspections found that a resident suffered a bone fracture due to inadequate supervision, and there were issues with food storage practices that could lead to contamination. Overall, Berks Heim presents a mix of strengths in staffing and compliance, but families should be aware of the specific care concerns highlighted in the inspection findings.
- Trust Score
- B+
- In Pennsylvania
- #7/653
- Safety Record
- Moderate
- Inspections
- Holding Steady
- Staff Stability ✓ Good
- 25% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 23 points below Pennsylvania's 48% average. Staff who stay learn residents' needs.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Pennsylvania facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ✓ Good
- Each resident gets 49 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — more than average for Pennsylvania. RNs are trained to catch health problems early.
- Violations ⚠ Watch
- 20 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
-
Low Staff Turnover (25%) · Staff stability means consistent care
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
-
Staff turnover is low (25%)
23 points below Pennsylvania average of 48%
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, quality measures, staff retention, fire safety.
The Bad
No Significant Concerns Identified
This facility shows no red flags. Among Pennsylvania's 100 nursing homes, only 1% achieve this.
The Ugly 20 deficiencies on record
Sept 2024
4 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Assessment Accuracy
(Tag F0641)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on clinical record review and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to complete an accurate Minimum ...
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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
Based on clinical record review and review of facility documentation, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure that assessed safety interventions were in place to prevent falls for one of ...
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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** Based on clinical record review and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to document the rationale for th...
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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 facility policy review, observation, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to store foods in a sanitary manner in the dietary department to prevent the potential for...
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Oct 2023
4 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Resident Rights
(Tag F0550)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation and resident interview, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure that meals were served in a ma...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0558
(Tag F0558)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on clinical record review, observation, and resident interview, it was determined that the facility failed to accomodate resident needs by providing access to the call bell system and personal i...
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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
Based on clinical record review and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure physician's orders were implemented for one of 37 sampled residents. (Resident 137)
Findings i...
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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
Accident Prevention
(Tag F0689)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on clinical record review, observation, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure that saf...
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Nov 2022
12 deficiencies
1 Harm
SERIOUS
(G)
Actual Harm - a resident was hurt due to facility failures
Accident Prevention
(Tag F0689)
A resident was harmed · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on clinical record review, facility documentation review, observation, and staff interview, it was determined that the fac...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0553
(Tag F0553)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on clinical record review, and resident and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed include a resident...
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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 clinical record review, observation and resident interview, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure that a homelike environment was maintained for one of 36 sampled residents (Re...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Comprehensive Assessments
(Tag F0636)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on clinical record review, it was determined that the facility failed to complete a comprehensive assessment for one of 36...
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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
Based on clinical record review and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to develop a comprehensive care plan that addressed individual resident needs as identified in the compr...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0657
(Tag F0657)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on clinical record review, incident report review and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to revis...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0676
(Tag F0676)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on clinical record review, and staff and resident interview, it was determined that the facility failed to provide service...
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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, clinical record review, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to provide an acti...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Pressure Ulcer Prevention
(Tag F0686)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on facility policy review, clinical record review, staff interview, and observation, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure pressure ulcer treatments were done in accordance with f...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0688
(Tag F0688)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on clinical record review and observation, it was determined that the facility failed to provide treatment and services to...
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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 facility policy review, clinical record review, observation, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility f...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0692
(Tag F0692)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on facility policy review, clinical record review, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to monitor and assess nutrition status for three of seven sampled residents at ...
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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+ (83/100). Above average facility, better than most options in Pennsylvania.
- • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Pennsylvania facilities.
- • 25% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 23 points below Pennsylvania's 48% average. Staff who stay learn residents' needs.
- • 20 deficiencies on record, including 1 serious (caused harm) violation. Ask about corrective actions taken.
About This Facility
What is Berks County Home- Berks Heim's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns BERKS COUNTY HOME- BERKS HEIM an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is considered much above average nationally. Within Pennsylvania, 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 Berks County Home- Berks Heim Staffed?
CMS rates BERKS COUNTY HOME- BERKS HEIM's staffing level at 5 out of 5 stars, which is much above average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 25%, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 46%. This relatively stable workforce can support continuity of care.
What Have Inspectors Found at Berks County Home- Berks Heim?
State health inspectors documented 20 deficiencies at BERKS COUNTY HOME- BERKS HEIM during 2022 to 2024. These included: 1 that caused actual resident harm and 19 with potential for harm. Deficiencies causing actual harm indicate documented cases where residents experienced negative health consequences.
Who Owns and Operates Berks County Home- Berks Heim?
BERKS COUNTY HOME- BERKS HEIM is owned by a government entity. Government-operated facilities are typically run by state, county, or municipal agencies. The facility operates independently rather than as part of a larger chain. With 420 certified beds and approximately 316 residents (about 75% occupancy), it is a large facility located in LEESPORT, Pennsylvania.
How Does Berks County Home- Berks Heim Compare to Other Pennsylvania Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Pennsylvania, BERKS COUNTY HOME- BERKS HEIM's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 3.0, staff turnover (25%) 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 Berks County Home- Berks Heim?
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 Berks County Home- Berks Heim Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, BERKS COUNTY HOME- BERKS HEIM 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 Pennsylvania. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Berks County Home- Berks Heim Stick Around?
Staff at BERKS COUNTY HOME- BERKS HEIM tend to stick around. With a turnover rate of 25%, the facility is 20 percentage points below the Pennsylvania 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. Registered Nurse turnover is also low at 13%, meaning experienced RNs are available to handle complex medical needs.
Was Berks County Home- Berks Heim Ever Fined?
BERKS COUNTY HOME- BERKS HEIM 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 Berks County Home- Berks Heim on Any Federal Watch List?
BERKS COUNTY HOME- BERKS HEIM 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.