Federal inspection record · CMS data as of October 1, 2026
Optima Care Castle Hill
615 23rd St, Union City, NJ · (201) 348-0818
- Certified beds
- 215
- Residents per day
- 141
- Ownership
- For-Profit
- Chain
- Optima Care
- Medicare / Medicaid
- Medicare + Medicaid
- Certified since
- August 1, 1995
1
How this home got 2 stars
The overall rating isn't an average. CMS starts from the inspection rating and nudges it at most two steps. Here is the arithmetic for this home, using CMS's own rules.
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Health inspections
★★★★★starting point
Everything starts from what state inspectors found on site. This is a ranking against other homes in New Jersey.
-
Staffing
★★★★★no change
Only a 5-star staffing rating adds a star, and only a 1-star rating removes one. Ratings of 2 to 4 change nothing.
-
Quality measures
★★★★★+1 star
Same rule: 5 stars adds one, 1 star takes one away. These measures are mostly reported by the home itself.
-
Overall
★★★★★2 of 5
Matches the rating CMS publishes on Care Compare.
2
Where it sits among New Jersey homes
Optima Care Castle Hill carries 163.25 inspection points. That is fewer than 5% of New Jersey's 346 rated homes.
Inspectors' citations earn points by how serious and how widespread they were (the grid below). CMS then ranks every home in New Jersey: the 10% with the fewest points get 5 stars, the 20% with the most get 1 star, and the middle 70% split evenly into 2, 3 and 4.
- 5★ 0–18 pts
- 4★ 18–37 pts
- 3★ 37–60 pts
- 2★ 60–93.75 pts
- 1★ over 93.75 pts
Bars show every rated home in New Jersey by its weighted inspection score. CMS recalibrates the cut points monthly but holds a home's rating until its own score changes, so a home can sit just outside today's band.
3
What inspectors found
32 health citations on record since 2023. Each one gets a letter: the row says how badly residents were affected, the column how many.
Immediate jeopardyResidents at risk of serious injury or death
Actual harmA resident was hurt
Potential for harmNo one was hurt, but could have been
Minimal harmPaperwork-level problems
Read the rows, not the total. Most citations nationwide are a D: one problem, nobody hurt. Rows G–I mean a resident was harmed; J–L mean inspectors found residents in immediate danger of serious injury or death.
Small numbers in each cell are the inspection points CMS assigns per citation. Those points are what the state curve above ranks.
Harm and immediate-jeopardy citations (1)
-
J
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Everything else, by area of care
Quality of Life and Care9E
- E
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
- E
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
- E
Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
- E
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
- E
Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
- E
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
- E
Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.
- D
Ensure residents do not lose the ability to perform activities of daily living unless there is a medical reason.
- D
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning8E
- E
Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted
- D
Encode each resident’s assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment.
- D
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
- E
Ensure necessary information is communicated to the resident, and receiving health care provider at the time of a planned discharge.
- D
Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted
- D
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
- D
Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
- D
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation3E
- D
Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.
- E
Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
- E
Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.
Resident Rights3E
- E
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
- D
Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident.
- D
Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered.
Nutrition and Dietary2F
- F
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
- E
Employ sufficient staff with the appropriate competencies and skills sets to carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service, including a qualified dietician.
Infection Control2E
- D
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
- E
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Pharmacy Service2D
- D
Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
- D
Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
Environmental1D
- D
Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Administration1C
- C
Ensure the facility is licensed under applicable State and local law and operates and provides services in compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and codes, and with accepted professional standards.
Inspection history
2025-03-10
17 health deficiencies · 15 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Quality of Life and Care (8 deficiencies)
2023-01-13
14 health deficiencies · 12 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Resident Assessment and Care Planning (5 deficiencies)
2020-11-24
1 health deficiencies · 0 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Environmental (1 deficiency)
4
Nursing time per resident, per day
Each resident here gets about 3 h 42 min of nursing staff time a day, 58 min of it from a registered nurse.
This home
3 h 42 min
New Jersey average
3 h 54 min
U.S. average
3 h 54 min
- Registered nurse
- Licensed practical nurse
- Nurse aide
Turnover: 38% of nursing staff and 49% of registered nurses left in the past year, along with 3 administrators.
Reported hours from payroll data the home submits to CMS, divided by its daily resident count. Not adjusted for how sick residents are.
5
Fines and payment denials
$8,281 in federal fines on record over the past three years.
| Date | Penalty | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-15 | Fine | $8,281 |
6
Resident outcomes
Quality measures compared with state and national averages. Most come from assessments the home itself reports.
| Measure | This home | State | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days1.4 pts better | 0.6 | 2.0 | 1.8 |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days0.5 pts better | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.7 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine6.4 pts better | 99.4% | 93.0% | 93.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine2.4 pts better | 99.2% | 96.8% | 95.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury1 pts worse | 3.3% | 2.3% | 3.2% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms3.2 pts better | 9.3% | 12.5% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who lose too much weight0.8 pts worse | 5.5% | 4.7% | 5.1% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antianxiety or hypnotic medication5.3 pts better | 13.5% | 18.8% | 19.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication3.6 pts better | 9.3% | 12.9% | 15.4% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who were physically restrained0.1 pts better | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened4.2 pts worse | 11.5% | 7.3% | 12.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased8.1 pts worse | 16.4% | 8.3% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladderAbout the same | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection0.6 pts worse | 1.3% | 0.7% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with new or worsened bowel or bladder incontinence8.2 pts better | 7.0% | 15.2% | 18.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers0.8 pts better | 4.5% | 5.3% | 4.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine17.6 pts better | 96.6% | 79.0% | 82.3% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit6.3 pts better | 1.8% | 8.1% | 11.8% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication1.3 pts worse | 2.4% | 1.1% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine19.1 pts better | 98.6% | 79.5% | 80.1% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission10 pts better | 14.1% | 24.1% | 23.4% |
·
Who owns and runs it
8 owners and managers reported to CMS. The last column counts how many nursing homes each one is tied to.
Show ownership list
| Name | Role | Share | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mendel, Eric | 5% Or Greater Direct Ownership Interest · Individual | 100% | 7 facilities |
| Domingo, Margot | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Domingo, Margot | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Emm Healthcare Group LLC | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 7 facilities |
| Mendel, Eric | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 7 facilities |
| Mendel, Eric | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 7 facilities |
| Shiftster LLC | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 18 facilities |
| Shukla, Paresh | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
·
Fire safety
27 life-safety citations (sprinklers, exits, alarms). These don't count toward the star rating.
Smoke11F
- F
Have an enclosure around a vertical opening shaft.
- F
Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.
- F
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
- F
Properly select, install, inspect, or maintain portable fire extinguishes.
- E
Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
- E
Have an enclosure around a vertical opening shaft.
- E
Install a fire alarm system that can be heard throughout the facility.
- E
Install an approved automatic sprinkler system.
- E
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
- E
Properly select, install, inspect, or maintain portable fire extinguishes.
- D
Install smoke barrier doors that can resist smoke for at least 20 minutes.
Egress5F
- F
Have corridors or aisles that are unobstructed and are at least 8 feet in width.
- F
Install proper backup exit lighting.
- F
Have properly located and lighted "Exit" signs.
- E
Install proper backup exit lighting.
- E
Install emergency lighting that can last at least 1 1/2 hours.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems5F
- F
Ensure receptacles at patient bed locations and where general anesthesia is administered, are tested after initial installation, replacement or servicing.
- E
Ensure that testing and maintenance of electrical equipment is performed.
- F
Ensure receptacles at patient bed locations and where general anesthesia is administered, are tested after initial installation, replacement or servicing.
- F
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
- D
Meet requirements for the installation and maintenance of electrical systems.
Emergency Preparedness4F
- F
Establish procedures for tracking staff and patients during an emergency.
- F
Develop a communication plan.
- F
Develop and maintain an Emergency Preparedness Program (EP).
- F
Implement emergency and standby power systems.
Miscellaneous2F
- E
Have restrictions on the use of highly flammable decorations.
- F
Have posted "No-smoking" signs in areas where smoking is not permitted or ashtrays provided where smoking was allowed.
·
Other homes nearby
-
Manhattanview Ctr For Rehabilitation And Healthcar
Union City, NJ · Paramount Care Centers
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- F
- Nursing / resident / day
- 3 h 23 min
- Fines
- $0
-
Optima Care Fountains
Secaucus, NJ · Optima Care
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- J
- Nursing / resident / day
- 3 h 29 min
- Fines
- $51,483
-
Harbour View Senior Living Corp
North Bergen, NJ
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- G
- Nursing / resident / day
- 5 h 59 min
- Fines
- $28,674