The senior-care watchlist — New Jersey
24 facilities in New Jersey carry an official government warning that the referral sites — paid by those same facilities — will never show you: a CMS Special Focus designation, an active licensing probation, or an abuse-citation flag. Every one is a matter of public record, linked to its full file below.
What these labels mean. A Special Focus Facility (SFF) is one CMS has singled out nationally for a persistent pattern of serious problems; an SFF candidate is in the pool being considered. Probation means a state licensing agency has placed formal conditions on the facility's license. An abuse-citation flag marks a home cited by CMS for actual or potential resident harm. A warning is not a verdict — but it is exactly the kind of signal you want before you tour, not after.
| Grade | Facility & warning | Location | Subst. |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | Trenton Gardens Rehabilitation And Nursing Center Special Focus FacilityOn probation |
Trenton, NJ | 16 |
| D | Crystal Lake Healthcare And Rehabilitation Special Focus FacilityOn probation |
Bayville, NJ | 1 |
| F | Manahawkin Health And Rehabilitation Center SFF candidate |
Manahawkin, NJ | 17 |
| D | Accelerate Skilled Nursing And Rehab Piscataway SFF candidateAbuse-citation flag |
Piscataway, NJ | 10 |
| F | Allaire Rehab & Nursing SFF candidateAbuse-citation flag |
Freehold, NJ | 9 |
| F | The Fountains Of Atco SFF candidate |
Atco, NJ | 6 |
| F | Whiting Gardens Rehabilitation And Nursing Center SFF candidate |
Whiting, NJ | 5 |
| D | Homestead Rehabilitation & Health Care Center SFF candidate |
Newton, NJ | 5 |
| D | Masonic Village At Burlington SFF candidateAbuse-citation flag |
Burlington, NJ | 3 |
| D | The Pines At Medford SFF candidateAbuse-citation flag |
Medford, NJ | 2 |
| F | Belle Care Nursing And Rehabilitation Center SFF candidate |
Trenton, NJ | 1 |
| F | Little Brook Nursing And Convalescent Home SFF candidate |
Califon, NJ | 1 |
| C | Complete Care At Harborage LLC Abuse-citation flag |
North Bergen, NJ | 8 |
| F | Mount Holly Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center Abuse-citation flag |
Lumberton, NJ | 7 |
| D | Somerset Woods Rehabilitation & Nursing Center Abuse-citation flag |
Somerset, NJ | 7 |
| F | Complete Care At Wayne Hills Rehab & Resp Center Abuse-citation flag |
Wayne, NJ | 6 |
| D | Fountainview Care Center Abuse-citation flag |
Lakewood, NJ | 5 |
| D | Barnegat Rehabilitation And Nursing Center Abuse-citation flag |
Barnegat, NJ | 4 |
| D | Voorhees Pediatric Facility Abuse-citation flag |
Voorhees, NJ | 3 |
| C | Autumn Lake Healthcare At Voorhees Abuse-citation flag |
Voorhees, NJ | 3 |
| F | Atlantic Coast Rehab & Health Abuse-citation flag |
Lakewood, NJ | 2 |
| C | Aristacare At Cedar Oaks Abuse-citation flag |
South Plainfield, NJ | 2 |
| B | Cedar Crest/Mountainview Gardens Abuse-citation flag |
Pompton Plains, NJ | 2 |
| D | Rose Garden Nursing And Rehabilitation Center Abuse-citation flag |
Toms River, NJ | 1 |
Special Focus & abuse flags from CMS Care Compare / Medicare.gov (Jul 2026); probation from state licensing records (CA CDSS, Aug 2, 2026). One signal, not a verdict — verify directly with the facility and the licensing agency. How grades work →
Finding facilities to avoid in New Jersey
How do I find the nursing homes to avoid in New Jersey?
Start with the official warnings. This page lists the 24 facilities in New Jersey that federal or state regulators have formally flagged — 2 CMS Special Focus Facilities, 2 on licensing probation, and 16 cited for abuse. These are the homes to scrutinize hardest before you tour. A flag is a reason to ask hard questions, not an automatic disqualification — some flagged homes have since corrected.
What are the worst-rated senior-care facilities in New Jersey?
Senior Care Record Maps doesn't crown a single "worst" home, but the strongest negative signal a regulator can give is the CMS Special Focus Facility designation — reserved for a persistent pattern of serious problems. Those, plus homes on probation or with abuse citations, are ranked at the top of the watchlist above by severity.
Why don't other senior-care sites show these warnings?
Most referral and listing sites are paid by the facilities they recommend, so surfacing a facility's Special Focus status, probation, or abuse citations works against their business. Senior Care Record Maps takes zero referral fees, so it can show you the public records first.
Before you rule a facility in or out
A warning flag is a reason to ask hard questions, not always to walk away — some flagged homes have since corrected. Bring our free tour checklist, understand what care costs, and read when it's time to move. And know how referral sites make money so you can read their recommendations with clear eyes.
See exactly why a facility was flagged
$19.99 one-time · lifetime accessThe map and safety grades are free. When a home carries a Special Focus, probation, or abuse flag, Senior Care Record Maps Pro shows you the specific deficiencies, citations and enforcement actions behind it — so you can ask the right questions instead of guessing. No referral fees, no salespeople, your data never sold.
- The full CMS deficiency, staffing & enforcement history behind every flag
- Direct links to the underlying government records
- Save, tag & rate facilities to follow up
- Side-by-side comparison & CSV shortlist export
One-time payment. Works on every facility in all 50 states, DC & territories.