Assisted Living and Memory Care
Goddard House
165 Chestnut St., Brookline, MA 02445 · Map
Licensed for 115 residents
Goddard House is a state-licensed assisted living, memory care community in Brookline, Massachusetts. It is licensed for 115 residents. Lilisity publishes no score or ranking for this community; the details below come from the state licensing record.
Prices
This community does not publish its prices.
Area costs
Lilisity’s independent report
What the public record shows
Gathered by Lilisity from state and federal sources. Communities can’t edit this part of the page.
License
Active, 115 residents
Certified Assisted Living Residence with Special Care Residence.
Nearest emergency room
1.1 miles
Brigham And Women'S Hospital, rated 5 of 5 stars by CMS.
Side by side with nearby communities
The 4 nearest communities that offer assisted living, by straight-line distance. Prices are starting prices each community publishes; we never show estimates.
| Community | Distance | Licensed capacity | Published starting price | License | Inspection citations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goddard House this community | 115 | Not published | Active | 8 findings in latest review | |
| Rogerson House | 0.5 mi | 40 | Not published | Active | No record |
| The Newbury of Brookline | 1.2 mi | Not listed | Not published | Active | No record |
| Providence House | 1.6 mi | 102 | Not published | Active | 9 findings in latest review |
| Springhouse | 1.7 mi | 49 | Not published | Active | 3 findings in latest review |
State inspection record8 findings in latest review
- Last compliance review
- February 27, 2025
- Reports on AGE’s page
- 1
- Latest action (as printed)
- Plan of Correction required
- Certified since 1997
Compliance review, February 27, 2025 (AGE’s report)
- Review on site
- February 27, 2025
- Report dated
- March 10, 2025
- Action taken (as printed)
- Plan of Correction required
- Previous action (as printed)
- None
- Certification (as printed)
- 1/7/2023 through 1/7/2025
- Review before this one
- December 15, 2022
- Corrections due by (as printed)
- April 10, 2025
- Findings cited
- 8 5 marked repeat
Summary: AGE cited 8 findings in this report, 5 of them marked as repeat findings from an earlier review. Plan of Correction required (AGE’s action).
Summary of actions, as written: “AGE conducted an on-site Compliance Review on February 27, 2025. Goddard House Assisted Living (Residence) will continue to be certified until the AGE issues a notice regarding final approval or denial of the application for recertification. Final approval will be granted when the issues discussed below have been clarified or corrected in writing. Goddard House Assisted Living March 10, 2025”
- Finding A: General Requirements for an ALR: Self -Administered Medication Management (SAMM) Emergency Response marked by AGE as a repeat finding
Details
AGE’s finding, as written: “Inconsistent SAMM Documentation. Incomplete policy and late e-call response times. Inconsistent monitoring of e-calls.”
Regulation cited, as printed: 651CMR 12.04(2)(b) (2)(d), (3)(b)
What the cited rule covers (651 CMR 12.00): 651 CMR 12.04(2)(b): Service and Service Coordination Requirements (rule text: “The Sponsor of the Assisted Living Residence shall provide or arrange for the provision of the following services by personnel meeting standards for professional qualifications and training set forth in 651 CMR 12.05, 12.07, and 12.08: 1. [...]”)
Corrective action: See IVA (sections of the report)
- Finding B: General Requirements for an ALR: Special Care
Details
AGE’s finding, as written: “Issues with physical hazards identified in the Special Care”
Regulation cited, as printed: 651CMR 12.04(4)(a)(4)
What the cited rule covers (651 CMR 12.00): 651 CMR 12.04(4)(a): Special Care (rule text: “All Special Care Residences shall be administered in accordance with the following safeguards: 1. [...]”)
Corrective action: See IVA (sections of the report)
- Finding C: General Requirements for an ALR: Screening and Assessment Service Plan Development and Requirements marked by AGE as a repeat finding
Details
AGE’s finding, as written: “Inconsistent with documenting all requirements of Assessments and Service Plans. Missing Bed Rail Assessments.”
Regulation cited, as printed: 651CMR 12.04(7)(b) 651CMR 12.04(8)(3)(b) 651CMR 12.06(5)(a) 651CMR 12.08(1)(s)
What the cited rule covers (651 CMR 12.00): 651 CMR 12.04(7)(b): Service Plan Development (rule text: “The Service Coordinator or nurse shall review the Resident's initial service plan within 30 days of the commencement of residency and document the review to ensure the Resident's needs and preferences are accurately incorporated therein [...]”); 651 CMR 12.04(8): Service Plan Requirements; 651 CMR 12.06(5)(a): Special Care Residence Staffing (rule text: “A Special Care Residence shall have sufficient staff qualified by training and experience awake and on duty at all times to meet the 24-hour per day scheduled and reasonably foreseeable unscheduled needs of all Residents of a Special Care [...]”); 651 CMR 12.08(1)(s): Resident Rights (rule text: “Be free from Restraints;”)
Corrective action: See IVA&B (sections of the report)
- Finding D: General Requirements for an ALR- Service and Service Coordination: Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement marked by AGE as a repeat finding
Details
AGE’s finding, as written: “Missing or incomplete components of the Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement requirements. Unsafe SAMM and LMA.”
Regulation cited, as printed: 651CMR 12.04(10)(a), (b), (c)(2), (d), (e)
What the cited rule covers (651 CMR 12.00): 651 CMR 12.04(10)(a): Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement › Service Planning (rule text: “The Residence shall review a random sample of Resident assessments, service plans and progress notes at least once each year to ensure that the Residents' service plans have been implemented and meet the Resident's general needs and any [...]”)
Corrective action: See IVA (sections of the report)
- Finding E: Emergency Preparedness Plan and Reporting Requirements: Reporting Resident Specific Emergencies marked by AGE as a repeat finding
Details
AGE’s finding, as written: “Late submissions of Resident-specific incidents reports.”
Regulation cited, as printed: 651 CMR 12.04(11)(e)
What the cited rule covers (651 CMR 12.00): 651 CMR 12.04(11)(e): Emergency Preparedness Plan and Reporting Requirements (rule text: “Any report required under 651 CMR 12.04(11)(c) or 12.04(11)(d) shall be filed with the Assisted Living Certification Unit within 24 hours after the occurrence of the incident or accident via EOEA's online filing system. [...]”)
Corrective action: See IV A (sections of the report)
Show all 8
- Finding F: Record Requirements: Personnel Record Requirements
Details
AGE’s finding, as written: “Inconsistent documentation of personnel record requirements.”
Regulation cited, as printed: 651 CMR 12.05(3)(a)
What the cited rule covers (651 CMR 12.00): 651 CMR 12.05(3)(a): Personnel Record Requirements (rule text: “Job description;”)
Corrective action: See IV A (sections of the report)
- Finding G: Training Requirements: - General Orientation - Supervision marked by AGE as a repeat finding
Details
AGE’s finding, as written: “Missing or incomplete components of staff orientation. Inconsistent documentation of Introductory Visits. Biannual SAMM and Skills evaluations were not consistently documented for all PC staff.”
Regulation cited, as printed: 651 CMR 12.07(1-2), (7), (8)
What the cited rule covers (651 CMR 12.00): 651 CMR 12.07: Training Requirements
Corrective action: See IV A&B (sections of the report)
- Finding H: Resident Rights and Disclosures: Resident Disclosures
Details
AGE’s finding, as written: “Missing Disclosure of Rights.”
Regulation cited, as printed: 651 CMR 12.08
What the cited rule covers (651 CMR 12.00): 651 CMR 12.08: Resident Rights and Required Disclosures
Corrective action: See IV A (sections of the report)
Specific corrective actions AGE required
- Documentation confirming a completed and current assessment of all Residents using a bed rail or u-bar.
- Documentation confirming current Introductory Visits for all Residents have been completed by an ALR nurse for all PC staff.
- Documentation confirming current biannual SAMM and skills evaluations have been completed by a nurse for all PC staff.
What AGE reviewed and found (AGE’s words)
- Service and Service Coordination Requirements-
Self-Administered Medication Management (SAMM)
- EOEA reviewed ten (10) Resident Records to determine compliance with requirements for Self-administered Medication Management (SAMM).
- Documentation of actions regarding whether the Resident took or refused the medication on multiple dates and times was missing for two (2) Residents.
Emergency Response
- AGE reviewed the Personalized Emergency Response procedures developed to provide timely assistance to a Resident in the event of an emergency situation.
- The policy developed by the Residence does not specify what constitutes a prompt response and timely assistance to Residents. The Residence management confirmed that the maximum response time is eight (8) minutes.
- During the months of July 2023, April 2024 and January 2025, there were 149 e-call response times over the eight (8) minute limit.
- Documentation of monitoring e-call response times over the eight (8) minute limit was missing for the month of January 2025.
- Service and Service Coordination- Special Care
- AGE reviewed the Special Care Residence (SCR) operations on the date of the Compliance Review to verify that the SCR is complying with all the required safeguards.
- Age identified deficiencies with operational safeguards related to the risk of potential hazards in the physical environment:
- Cleaning supplies were unsecured on both SCR floors.
- Three (3) microwaves were operational without required safeguards to only allow supervised access.
- One (1) laundry door on the second floor was unsecured.
- Three (3) doors to mechanical closets on the second floor were unsecured.
- A tool shed located in the outside area for SCR Residents had an unsecured door.
- General Requirements for an Assisted Living Residence (ALR)-
- AGE reviewed ten (10) Resident Records reviewing documentation from December 2022 through the date of the Compliance Review to determine compliance with the requirements for Screenings, Assessments and Service Plan Development and Requirements.
Screening and Assessment
- Four (4) records were missing documentation of a service plan reassessment required within 30 days after the commencement of residency.
- Two (2) records were missing signatures of the Resident or Legal Representative.
Service Plan Development and Requirements
- Four (4) records were missing documentation of a service plan review required within 30 days after the commencement of residency.
- Documentation of individualized enrichment activities provided to the residents was missing in four (4) Special Care Residence (SCR) records.
- Two (2) records were missing signatures of the Resident or Legal Representative.
- Four (4) Special Care Residence (SCR) records were missing documentation of how the Residence provides 24-hours per day, awake, onsite staff.
Bed Rail Assessments
- AGE reviewed the Residence records of 29 Residents utilizing bed rails / U-bars or similar devices for the period of 2023 through the date of the Compliance Review to determine compliance with the required assessment by a physical/occupational therapist every six months.
- Documentation of an assessment conducted by a physical/occupational therapist every six months for 29 Residents noting that the Resident can independently navigate around a bed rail/ U-bar was missing.
- Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement
- AGE reviewed documentation to ensure the Residence has established an effective, ongoing quality improvement and assurance program for Service Planning, Safety Assurances, and Medication Quality from December 15, 2022, through the date of the Compliance Review.
Service Planning
- Documentation of the date the audit was completed, the person conducting the audit and the audit identifying records by number or code up was missing for the 2023 and 2024 calendar years reviewed.
Resident Safety Assurances
- Documentation of the review date was missing for the 2023 and 2024 reviews.
Medication Quality Plan
- AGE reviewed the Residence's quarterly medication documentation audits from December 15, 2022, through the date of the Compliance Review to ensure compliance with SAMM, LMA and Residence policies.
- Documentation of the date the audit was completed was missing for all four quarters of the 2024 calendar year reviewed.
Medication administration observation
- AGE observed five (5) Personal Care (PC) staff and two (2) nurses providing medication assistance to nine (9) Residents to ensure the Residence has developed and implemented systems that support and promote safe SAMM / LMA.
SAMM
- One (1) Resident's medication storage unit contained a bag full of unidentified loose pills and open medication blister packs, some still containing pills.
- One (1) Resident's SAMM medication storage unit also contained LMA medications.
- Two (2) Resident's family filled medication cassettes were not properly labeled.
- Three (3) Resident's medication storage units contained expired medications.
- Two (2) Resident's medication storage units contained medications that were not on the current medication list.
- Two (2) Resident's medication storage units contained discontinued medications.
LMA
- Two (2) Resident's medication storage units each contained an unidentified loose pill.
- One (1) Resident's medication storage unit contained Exemption C Exemption C without documentation of an open date and a medication that did not have a pharmacy label.
- Two (2) Resident's medication storage units each contained expired medications.
- One (1) Resident's medication storage unit contained discontinued medications.
- Reporting Resident-specific Emergencies- Incident Reports
- AGE reviewed the Residence records and incident reports from December 2022 through the date of the Compliance Review to determine whether the Residence complied with the requirement to report qualifying incidents to AGE within 24 hours after the occurrence of the incident or accident.
- The Residence filed 81 incident reports greater than 24 hours after the occurrence of the incident or accident.
- Record Requirements- Personnel Record Requirements
- EOEA reviewed the personnel records of ten (10) staff members to determine compliance with personnel record requirements.
- Three (3) personnel records were missing documentation of a signed job description.
- Training Requirements-
General Orientation
- EOEA reviewed the personnel records of seven (7) staff members to determine compliance with orientation requirements.
- Documentation of General Orientation for seven (7) staff records was incomplete.
Introductory Visit and Review
- AGE reviewed the records of ten (10) Residents to determine compliance with the requirements that a nurse reviews the Resident's service plan with all relevant personal care workers within the 48 hours after the provision of service or with any change of condition for the Resident:
- Six (6) records were without documentation to support that Introductory Visits were consistently conducted with all applicable staff prior to or within 48 hours, at the time of move-in or at the time of change in the Resident's condition.
Supervision
- AGE reviewed the records of five (5) Personal Care (PC) staff to determine compliance with SAMM skills and Personal Care evaluation requirements in the calendar year 2023 through the date of the Compliance Review.
- Documentation confirming the completion of SAMM and skills evaluations every six months was missing from three (3) records for the 2024 calendar year reviewed.
- Resident Rights and Disclosures- Resident Disclosures
- EOEA reviewed eight Resident records to confirm compliance with the Disclosure of Rights and Services requirements.
- The required Disclosure forms and notification of the right to bring a Representative prior to the first meeting, were not signed by the Resident, Resident Legal Representative and/or Residence in two (2) records.
Summaries are ours and are marked “Summary”; quoted text is AGE’s own, as printed in reports scanned to text (spelling slips are AGE’s or the scan’s), shortened where marked [...]. Rule descriptions come from 651 CMR 12.00 as in force on the report date. AGE’s page for this residence links each report.
What these terms mean
651 CMR 12.09(2): AGE "shall conduct compliance reviews of Assisted Living Residences no less than once every two years. In addition, [AGE] may conduct a compliance review any time it has cause to believe that an Assisted Living Residence is in violation" of the law or its regulations.
651 CMR 12.09(4)(b): a notice of noncompliance "shall describe the noncompliance with particularity, indicate the specific portion of the law(s) or regulation(s) which have been violated, and shall include the corrective action to be taken."
651 CMR 12.09(4)(c) and (d): AGE may require corrective action, including "Ceasing the enrollment of new Residents" or "Reducing the number of Residents served", and may "deny, revoke, suspend, modify or refuse to issue or renew a Certification."
A finding marked repeat is one AGE also cited at an earlier review. AGE does not rate findings by severity in these reports; the action taken is AGE's overall response.
AGE posts these reports on each residence’s mass.gov page and keeps no public index, so older reports may not be listed. Massachusetts posts no complaint results for assisted living. This residence is certified for 115 units; larger residences have more records to review, so read counts with size in mind. Source: Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging & Independence (AGE), Assisted Living Residence certification, residence pages read October 16, 2026. Always visit in person and ask the residence about anything listed here.
License and ownershipActive license
- License type
- Certified Assisted Living Residence with Special Care Residence
- License status
- Active
- Licensed capacity
- 115
- County
- Norfolk County
Source: Massachusetts state licensing records (agency listing), retrieved 2026-09-09. Licensing status is a matter of public record; it is not a quality rating.
Paying with Medicaid and other programsHow Medicaid pays for care in Massachusetts, and other programs
How Medicaid pays for care in Massachusetts
- Group Adult Foster Care (GAFC), a MassHealth program. Most people pay privately. MassHealth (Medicaid) can help through Group Adult Foster Care (GAFC) at residences that accept it, but not all ALRs do. Ask before you sign a residency agreement. (state page)
Ask the community whether it accepts Medicaid.
Staff pay and workplace safety1 OSHA inspection, 2 violations cited
Federal records about how the employer here treats its staff.
OSHA workplace safety inspections
OSHA inspects workplaces for staff safety, such as lifting, needles, chemicals and workplace violence. It does not inspect resident care.
- Jun 3, 2025: programmed (planned) inspection, complete (health). Case closed Aug 22, 2025. 2 violations cited (2 other). Penalties: $0 proposed, $0 now. OSHA record. OSHA recorded the employer as Goddard House.
Details
- Other than serious: Keeping exit routes clear and marked (1910.37(b)(2)). Penalty $0 proposed, $0 now.
- Other than serious: Electrical equipment and installation (1910.303(b)(2)). Penalty $0 proposed, $0 now.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement data, as of Oct 15, 2026, inspections since 2016. Penalties can change while a case is open or contested.
Location and nearby careNearest hospital 1.1 mi, nursing home 0.6 mi, pharmacy 0.6 mi
- Nearest hospital with an emergency room
- Brigham And Women'S Hospital, Boston. 1.1 miles away, straight line. CMS overall hospital rating: 5 of 5 stars.
- Nearest Medicare nursing home
- Sherrill House, Boston. 0.6 miles away, straight line.
- Nearest home health agency office
- Guardian Healthcare, Jamaica Plain. 1.1 miles away, straight line. Agencies travel to clients, so ask which ones serve this address.
- Nearest pharmacy
- CVS Pharmacy. 0.6 miles away, straight line. From OpenStreetMap, which does not list every pharmacy, so one may be closer.
- Area
- USDA classes ZIP code 02445 as metropolitan (metropolitan core).
- Dialysis within 15 miles
- Davita Brookline Dialysis, Brookline, 0.6 miles away, straight line (has a shift starting after 5 pm; CMS rating 4 of 5 stars)
Brigham And Women'S Hospital, Boston, 1.1 miles away, straight line
Children'S Hospital Boston - Dialysis, Boston, 1.3 miles away, straight line - Hospice
- 17 Medicare hospices tell CMS they serve ZIP code 02445.
Longwood Hospice, office in Brookline, 1.1 miles away, straight line
First Choice Healthcare Inc, office in Newton, 4.0 miles away, straight line
Good Shepherd Community Care, office in Newton, 4.4 miles away, straight line (CMS family survey rating 3 of 5 stars) - Nearest geriatric medicine practice
- Brigham And Womens Physicians Organization Inc, Boston. 1.1 miles away, straight line. 6 geriatric medicine doctors listed there.
Distances are straight lines from the community, not driving distance. Hospitals, home health, dialysis, hospice and doctors come from CMS provider data (CMS, hospital list updated Jul 22, 2026). Star ratings are CMS’s own.
Emergency and natural hazard riskFEMA overall risk relatively low; outside FEMA's high-risk flood areas
Public hazard maps for this location. Ask the community about its emergency plan, its generator and where residents would go in an evacuation.
- Flood zone
- Outside the high and moderate risk flood areas on FEMA's flood map (Zone X, minimal flood hazard, or not studied). (FEMA flood map)
- FEMA National Risk Index
- Overall: relatively low. By hazard: hurricane relatively moderate, inland flooding relatively moderate, wildfire very low, tornado relatively low, heat wave relatively low, earthquake relatively low. These are FEMA’s ratings for the census tract, compared with tracts nationwide. (FEMA, December 2025)
A flood zone describes the map at this point, not the building's elevation. In an emergency, follow the local emergency management agency.
Questions to ask on a tour10 questions picked for this community from its record
Picked for this community from its record. Ask them in person and write down the answers.
- The state recorded a finding in February 2025. What was it, and how was it fixed?
- What does the base rate include, and when did rates last go up?
- How many caregivers work in memory care during the day, the evening and overnight, and for how many residents?
- What dementia training does each caregiver get before working alone, and every year after?
- How do staff respond when a resident is agitated, frightened or tries to leave?
- How many caregivers are on duty during the day and at night?
- What happens if care needs increase? When would someone need to move?
- What fees are charged at move-in?
- How do you tell families about falls, illness or changes?
- How long have the executive director and the head of care been here?
What we checked13 public sources we searched, with dates
Every public source we searched for this community. “Nothing on record” means we found no record that matched it. A record can be missed when a name or address differs.
| Source | Data as of | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging & Independence (AGE), Assisted Living Residence certification inspection records | Oct 16, 2026 | See above |
| U.S. Department of Labor wage and hour cases | Oct 15, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| OSHA workplace safety inspections since 2016 | Oct 15, 2026 | See above |
| Hurricane evacuation zone maps | Not in a mapped zone | |
| FEMA flood map | See above | |
| USDA wildfire risk | Apr 15, 2026 | Not shown: FEMA rates wildfire risk here very low |
| FEMA National Risk Index | See above | |
| CMS hospitals, home health, dialysis, hospice and doctors; OpenStreetMap pharmacies | See above | |
| HUD Multifamily Properties - Assisted | Jul 6, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| State Veterans Homes (NASVH directory) | Sep 20, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| CMS Hospice - General Information | Aug 19, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| CMS Home Health Care Agencies | May 27, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| The community’s own website | Could not read the site |
Common questionsAnswers to 4 questions families ask
What type of care does Goddard House provide?
Goddard House is licensed by the state of Massachusetts for assisted living, memory care in Brookline, Massachusetts. Its licensed capacity is 115 residents.
Does Lilisity rate Goddard House?
No. We publish state licensing details for Goddard House but no score, rating, or ranking. Only communities on the Top Communities list or with a Senior Living Alliance Excellence Award, both based on phone-verified resident and family interviews, are ranked.
How much does Goddard House cost?
Assisted Living in Massachusetts typically starts at $5,300 to $7,800 a month. Based on 31 communities that publish prices. These are area figures, not this community's price. Goddard House does not publish its prices.
How do I contact Goddard House?
Use Goddard House's website, mass.gov/locations/goddard-house, or visit at 165 Chestnut St., Brookline, MA 02445.
How Lilisity works. The only scores or rankings Lilisity publishes are the Top Communities list and the Excellence Awards, both built from phone-verified resident and family interviews. Communities can pay Lilisity a flat monthly fee to manage their own listing: photos, prices, contact details, and receiving the inquiries families choose to send them. The fee is the same no matter how many families contact them or move in. Senior Living Alliance, which runs Lilisity, offers the same listing to its member communities as part of their membership; members pay SLA for its resident and family interview program. No community pays Lilisity per inquiry, per referral or per move-in. Payment never changes a testimonial, a rating, or the order of search results. The "Nearby Senior Living Alliance communities" box shows member communities only. How we verify testimonials · How we are paid