Federal inspection record · CMS data as of October 1, 2026
Optima Care Fountains
595 County Avenue, Secaucus, NJ · (201) 863-8866
- Certified beds
- 334
- Residents per day
- 296
- Ownership
- For-Profit
- Chain
- Optima Care
- Medicare / Medicaid
- Medicare + Medicaid
- Certified since
- July 2, 2002
1
How this home got 1 star
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.
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Staffing
★★★★★+1 star
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.
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Overall
★★★★★1 of 5
Matches the rating CMS publishes on Care Compare.
2
Where it sits among New Jersey homes
Optima Care Fountains carries 106.75 inspection points. That is fewer than 14% 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
43 health citations on record since 2022. 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 (2)
-
J
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
-
G
Provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services.
Everything else, by area of care
Resident Rights9E
- D
Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident.
- D
Notify each resident of certain balances and convey resident funds upon discharge, eviction, or death.
- D
Keep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential.
- D
Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.
- E
Honor the resident's right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal and the facility must establish a grievance policy and make prompt efforts to resolve grievances.
- E
Notify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.
- D
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
- D
Keep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential.
- D
Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning7D
- D
Encode each resident’s assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment.
- D
Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
- D
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
- D
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
- D
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
- B
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
- D
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation4E
- D
Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft.
- E
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
- 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.
Quality of Life and Care4D
- D
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
- D
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
- D
Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.
- D
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Pharmacy Service4D
- D
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
- D
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
- D
Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
- D
Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
Administration4F
- F
Inform resident or representatives choice to enter into binding arbitration agreement and right to refuse.
- F
Provide a neutral and fair arbitration process and agree to arbitrator and venue.
- E
Have a plan that describes the process for conducting QAPI and QAA activities.
- E
Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
Nutrition and Dietary3F
- F
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
- F
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
- E
Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
Environmental2D
- D
Make sure that a working call system is available in each resident's bathroom and bathing area.
- D
Put firmly secured handrails on each side of hallways.
Infection Control2E
- D
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
- E
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Nursing and Physician Services2E
- E
Ensure the resident's doctor reviews the resident's care, writes, signs and dates progress notes and orders, at each required visit.
- D
Observe each nurse aide's job performance and give regular training.
Inspection history
2026-02-19
12 health deficiencies · 0 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Resident Rights (4 deficiencies)
2024-10-17
23 health deficiencies · 0 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Resident Rights (5 deficiencies)
2022-12-02
8 health deficiencies · 1 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Nursing and Physician Services (2 deficiencies)
4
Nursing time per resident, per day
Each resident here gets about 3 h 29 min of nursing staff time a day, 30 min of it from a registered nurse.
This home
3 h 29 min
New Jersey average
3 h 54 min
U.S. average
3 h 54 min
- Registered nurse
- Licensed practical nurse
- Nurse aide
Turnover: 35% of nursing staff and 19% of registered nurses left in the past year.
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
$51,483 in federal fines on record over the past three years.
| Date | Penalty | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-30 | Fine | $17,345 |
| 2024-10-17 | Fine | $34,138 |
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 days0.2 pts worse | 2.2 | 2.0 | 1.8 |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days0.2 pts better | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.7 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine4.7 pts worse | 88.3% | 93.0% | 93.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine0.3 pts worse | 96.5% | 96.8% | 95.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury0.6 pts better | 1.7% | 2.3% | 3.2% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms8.4 pts better | 4.1% | 12.5% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who lose too much weight1.4 pts worse | 6.1% | 4.7% | 5.1% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antianxiety or hypnotic medication2.7 pts worse | 21.5% | 18.8% | 19.5% |
| 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 worsened0.9 pts better | 6.4% | 7.3% | 12.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased2.2 pts worse | 10.5% | 8.3% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder0.2 pts better | 0.3% | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection1.2 pts worse | 1.9% | 0.7% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with new or worsened bowel or bladder incontinence8.5 pts better | 6.7% | 15.2% | 18.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers3.5 pts worse | 8.8% | 5.3% | 4.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine23.4 pts worse | 55.6% | 79.0% | 82.3% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit2.7 pts better | 5.4% | 8.1% | 11.8% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication6.4 pts worse | 7.5% | 1.1% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine33.6 pts worse | 45.9% | 79.5% | 80.1% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission1.8 pts worse | 25.9% | 24.1% | 23.4% |
·
Who owns and runs it
10 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 Indirect Ownership Interest · Individual | 100% | 7 facilities |
| Optima Care Riverview Investment, LLC | 5% Or Greater Direct Ownership Interest · Organization | 100% | 1 facilities |
| Emm Healthcare Group LLC | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 7 facilities |
| Empro Staffing LLC | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Goldstein, Marc | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Mendel, Eric | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 7 facilities |
| Mendel, Eric | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 7 facilities |
| Rinn, Seth | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Rinn, Seth | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Shiftster LLC | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 18 facilities |
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Fire safety
1 life-safety citations (sprinklers, exits, alarms). These don't count toward the star rating.
Emergency Preparedness1E
- E
Address subsistence needs for staff and patients.
·
Other homes nearby
-
Optima Care Castle Hill
Union City, NJ · Optima Care
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- J
- Nursing / resident / day
- 3 h 42 min
- Fines
- $8,281
-
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
-
Harbour View Senior Living Corp
North Bergen, NJ
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- G
- Nursing / resident / day
- 5 h 59 min
- Fines
- $28,674