Worst Nursing Homes in Minnesota

Nursing care providers in Minnesota must be committed to providing quality services to seniors. Many of these assisted living facilities fall short of professional standards, resulting in very low ratings by state and federal entities. 

In this article, we will look at some of the worst facilities in Minnesota so you can protect yourself or your loved ones from underperforming nursing homes. 

Identifying Poorly Performing Nursing Homes in Minnesota

There are several ways to search for specific health facilities and look up data on inspection reports or deficiencies. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has a five-star rating system that evaluates each nursing home for staffing, health inspections, and quality measures. Each institution also has an overall score. Using the comparison tool, you can compare ratings and inspection reports from various care providers. 

In Minnesota, you can also look up most facilities through a portal on the Department of Health website.  

List of Worst Nursing Homes in Minnesota

1. Woodlyn Heights Healthcare Center – 65 deficiencies since 2021 are not a glowing record. Seniors have not received proper respiratory care, the nursing home environment has often been unclean, and infection prevention practices have failed several times [1]. 
2. Southside Care Center – This long-term care facility has committed numerous violations since 2019, including insufficient staffing, poor nutritional support for residents, infection control failures, and quality of life concerns [2]. 
3. The Villas at Osseo LLC – This rehabilitation center has more complaint reports than most skilled nursing facilities on this list. Since 2022, eleven complaint reports have been filed that uncovered deficiencies. The biggest issues include resident rights violations, instances of abuse or neglect, and improper pharmacy services [3]. 
4. Good Samaritan Society Arlington – In a 2024 report, five deficiencies were listed, some of which were relatively severe. The main issues were unsecured drugs, improperly labeled medications, not honoring the resident’s right to select treatment, and infection control failures [4]. 
5. Fair Oaks Nursing and Rehab LLC – Administrative and quality of life problems have plagued this nursing home care center for years. Staff have not been receiving adequate training, residents are not receiving appropriate treatment, and there are accident hazards that present a danger to patients [5]. 
6. Hilltop Healthcare Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing – This long-term care facility has some of the most severe levels of violations on this list. Accident hazards have been extremely dangerous, and some seniors have experienced physical, sexual, and mental abuse, neglect, and exploitation [6]. 
7. Rochester Health Services West – This long-term care provider is a Special Focus Facility Candidate, which means it consistently displays deficient practices. Poor pharmacy services, not enough staffing, and instances of abuse and neglect are the most concerning issues [7]. 
8. Providence Place – 49 total deficiencies since 2021 have led to multiple fines totaling $70,600. Among the violations were a failure to provide behavioral health services, a failure to implement an infection prevention program, and a failure to provide appropriate treatment for all residents [8]. 
9. Bayshore Residence and Rehabilitation Center – This is another Special Focus Facility candidate because of its past involving abuse and neglect. The facility has demonstrated a consistent record of poor services, and a complaint report in 2024 resulted in extremely serious cases of resident abuse [9]. 
10. The Villas at New Brighton – Since 2022, The Villas at New Brighton has been fined 23 times for a total of $154,000. Some of the largest fines occurred because of resident abuse and a failure to assist with basic living activities for all seniors [10]. 
11. The Estates at Lynnhurst LLC – A complaint report from 2022 revealed several extremely serious deficiencies at this long-term care facility. Several residents reported abuse or neglect, but these issues were not reported to the relevant authorities by the nursing home. There were also severe infection control failures that impacted many residents [11]. 

Common Problems Found in Poorly Rated Nursing Homes

Many Minnesota facilities face the same challenges that put seniors at risk. Here are some of the most common problems found in nursing homes: 

• Staffing shortage concerns
• Resident neglect and improper monitoring
• Physical, mental, and sexual abuse
• Preventable injuries
• Accident hazards
• Resident rights violations
• Unclean premises

Legal Options for Residents of Poorly Performing Nursing Homes

You have several legal options to handle an underperforming nursing home in Minnesota. First, you should document your concerns with notes, photos, and videos. You can then report these concerns to the facility administration. File a complaint with the Minnesota DOH. If no solution is found, you can file a lawsuit for nursing home abuse or neglect. In dire situations, the resident could be transferred to other facilities with better reputations. 

Compensation in Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Cases 

Lawsuits against nursing facilities can result in compensation for the victims. You can pursue economic damages like lost income, medical expenses, and future medical costs. Non-economic damages would include emotional distress, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. 

Why You Need an Experienced Nursing Home Neglect Attorney

An experienced lawyer can make a huge difference in winning your case. When you find an attorney with experience in nursing home abuse cases, they will investigate your claim, navigate state and federal regulations, communicate with the nursing home, deal with the insurance company, assess your damages, and hold the organization accountable. If a trial is necessary, your lawyer will also prepare you for that process and represent you in court. 

Contact Our Minnesota Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers for a Free Consultation

At the Nursing Home Law Center, we are committed to supporting victims of nursing home abuse and neglect. We can help you build a case with strong evidence to increase your chances of earning compensation, all while holding the at-fault party accountable for their actions. 

Call us today at 800-926-7565 or complete the online form to request a free case evaluation. 

Resources: [1] ProPublica – Woodlyn Heights, [2] ProPublica – Southside Care, [3] ProPublica – The Villas, [4] ProPublica – Good Samaritan Society, [5] ProPublica – Fair Oaks Nursing, [6] ProPublica – Hilltop Healthcare, [7] ProPublica – Rochester Health, [8] ProPublica – Providence Place, [9] ProPublica – Bayshore Residence, [10] ProPublica – The Villas at New Brighton, [11] ProPublica – The Estates at Lynnhurst