Assisted Living
Whaler's Cove
114 Riverside Ave, New Bedford, MA 02746 · Map
Licensed for 120 residents
Whaler's Cove is a state-licensed assisted living community in New Bedford, Massachusetts. It is licensed for 120 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, 120 residents
Certified Assisted Living Residence.
Nearest emergency room
12.1 miles
Southcoast Hospitals Group, rated 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whaler's Cove this community | 120 | Not published | Active | 5 findings in latest review | |
| Atria Fairhaven | 0.9 mi | 60 | $5,195/mo | Active | No record |
| The Cottages at Dartmouth Village | 3.8 mi | 88 | Not published | Active | 7 findings in latest review |
| Autumn Glen at Dartmouth | 4.7 mi | 85 | Not published | Active | No record |
| The Residence at Cedar Dell | 6.5 mi | 78 | Not published | Active | No record |
State inspection record5 findings in latest review
- Last compliance review
- October 17, 2024
- Reports on AGE’s page
- 1
- Latest action (as printed)
- Plan of Correction required
- Certified since 2002
Compliance review, October 17, 2024 (AGE’s report)
- Review on site
- October 17, 2024
- Report dated
- October 22, 2024
- Action taken (as printed)
- Plan of Correction required
- Previous action (as printed)
- No
- Certification (as printed)
- Certified through 11/20/24
- Review before this one
- October 30, 2022
- Corrections due by (as printed)
- November 22, 2024
- Findings cited
- 5 4 marked repeat
Summary: AGE cited 5 findings in this report, 4 of them marked as repeat findings from an earlier review. Plan of Correction required (AGE’s action).
Summary of actions, as written: “EOEA conducted an on-site compliance review on October 17, 2024. Whaler's Cove Assisted Living (Residence) will continue to be certified until the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (Elder Affairs) 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.”
- Finding A: General Requirements for an ALR - Service and Service Coordination Requirements: Emergency Response
Details
AGE’s finding, as written: “Delayed e-call response time not compliant with the ALR policy.”
Regulation cited, as printed: 651 CMR 12.04(2)(b)(3.)(b.)(c.)
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 IV A (sections of the report)
- Finding B: General Requirements for an ALR: Screening and Assessment Service Plan Development and Requirements Bed Rail Assessments 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: 651 CMR 12.04(6)(a)(5.) 651 CMR 12.04(7) 651 CMR 12.04(7)(a)(6.) 651 CMR 12.04(7)(b) 651 CMR 12.04(8)(a)(3)(c)
What the cited rule covers (651 CMR 12.00): 651 CMR 12.04(6)(a): Screening and Assessment (rule text: “Prior to a Resident moving in, a nurse shall conduct an initial screening to assess and determine: 1. The prospective Resident's service needs and preferences and the ability of the Residence to meet those needs; 2. [...]”); 651 CMR 12.04(7): Service Plan Development (rule text: “The nurse and Service Coordinator shall develop an individualized Service Plan for each Resident in accordance with the findings of the initial screening described in 651 CMR 12.04(6). [...]”); 651 CMR 12.04(7)(a): Service Plan Development (rule text: “The Residence shall, at a minimum, document its assessment findings for the Resident on the following: 1. Allergies; 2. Diagnoses; 3. Medications (including dosage, method of administration and frequency); 4. Dietary needs; 5. [...]”); 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)(a): Service Plan Requirements (rule text: “Each service plan shall be based on a current assessment of the Resident, and indicate the following: 1. The services needed, including the minimum service package provided for a monthly fee and any additional services the Resident needs; [...]”)
Corrective action: See IV A&B (sections of the report)
- Finding C: General Requirements for an ALR: 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.”
Regulation cited, as printed: 651 CMR 12.04(10)(a)-(c)
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 IV A (sections of the report)
- Finding D: General Requirements for an ALR- Emergency Preparedness Plan and Reporting Requirements: Plan Requirements Reporting Resident Specific Emergencies marked by AGE as a repeat finding
Details
AGE’s finding, as written: “Elopement and Fire drills were not conducted for all shifts in the years reviewed. Late submissions of Resident-specific incidents reports.”
Regulation cited, as printed: 651 CMR 12.04(11)(a)(4) 651 CMR 12.04(11)(d),(e)
What the cited rule covers (651 CMR 12.00): 651 CMR 12.04(11)(a): Emergency Preparedness Plan and Reporting Requirements › Plan Requirements (rule text: “1. The plan and any changes to the plan, which shall be developed in conjunction with local and state emergency planners, must include the following elements: a. [...]”); 651 CMR 12.04(11)(d): Emergency Preparedness Plan and Reporting Requirements › Reporting Resident-specific Emergencies (rule text: “A Residence shall report to EOEA the occurrence of an incident or accident that arises within a Residence or its property, that has or may have a Significant Negative Effect on a resident's health, safety or welfare, as defined by 651 CMR [...]”)
Corrective action: See IV A&B (sections of the report)
- Finding E: Training Requirements: Training Needs Assessment Introductory Visit and Review Supervision marked by AGE as a repeat finding
Details
AGE’s finding, as written: “Missing annual training needs assessments Inconsistent documentation of Introductory Visits. Missing documentation of semiannual PCA skills evaluations.”
Regulation cited, as printed: 651 CMR 12.07(5) 651 CMR 12.07(7) 651 CMR 12.07(8)
What the cited rule covers (651 CMR 12.00): 651 CMR 12.07(5): Training Requirements (rule text: “Each residence shall conduct an annual training needs assessment to prepare the curriculum for its required training and establish a process by which it will evaluate the efficacy of its training program.”); 651 CMR 12.07(7): Introductory Visit and Review (rule text: “Prior to or within 48 hours after the provision of Personal Care Services to a Resident, a nurse shall review the Resident's service plan with all relevant personal care workers. [...]”); 651 CMR 12.07(8): Supervision (rule text: “A qualified nurse shall, at least once every six months, evaluate the Personal Care Services provided by personal care staff of the Residence or by contracted providers. [...]”)
Corrective action: See IV A&B (sections of the report)
What AGE reviewed and found (AGE’s words)
A. Service and Service Coordination Requirements - Emergency Response
- EOEA reviewed response times and tests of the emergency response system from the calendar years 2022 to 2024 to determine compliance with Service Coordination requirements.
- In the month of December 2022 there were 26 e-call response times over the 10 minutes required by the Residence policy.
- In the month of June 2023 there were 24 e-call response times over the 10 minutes required by the Residence policy.
- In the month of August 2024 there were 20 e-call response times over the 10 minutes required by the Residence policy.
B. General Requirements for an Assisted Living Residence
- EOEA reviewed the records of nine Residents to determine compliance with requirements for Screening and Assessment, Service Plan Development and Service Plan Requirements.
Screening and Assessment
- Six records were missing documentation of the Resident's risk for elopement on the initial assessment.
Service Plan Development and Requirements
- Seven records were missing documentation of assessment findings for history of behaviors which may present a risk to the health and safety of the Resident or others.
- Two records were missing documentation of a Service Plan reassessment required within 30-days after the commencement of residency.
- Two records were missing documentation of a reassessment and service plan review being completed every six months.
Bed Rail Assessments
- EOEA reviewed the Residence records of 12 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 determining that the Resident can independently navigate around the bed rail / assistive device was missing for six Residents.
C. Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement
- EOEA reviewed documentation to ensure the Residence has established an effective, ongoing quality improvement and assurance program for Service Planning, Resident Safety Assurances and Medication Quality for the calendar years 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Service Planning
- Documentation of the date of the review was missing in calendar years 2022 and 2023.
Resident Safety Assurances
- Documentation of the date of the review was missing in calendar years 2022 and 2023.
Medication administration observation
- EOEA observed two PCA staff providing medication assistance to 10 Residents to ensure the Residence has developed and implemented systems that support and promote safe SAMM:
SAMM
- One Resident's family filled cassette was missing the name and room number of the Resident.
- One Resident had one loose pill in their medication storage unit.
Plan Requirements
- EOEA reviewed the Residence's Emergency Plan to ensure compliance that the Residence can address potential disasters and emergencies.
- Documentation to confirm a elopement drill and a fire drill conducted by the Residence on the third shift in the 2023 calendar year was missing.
Reporting Resident-specific Emergencies – Incident Reports
- EOEA reviewed the Residence records and submitted incident reports from October 30, 2022 through October 17, 2024 for evidence that all occurrences of an incident or accident that has or may have a Significant Negative Effect on a Resident's health, safety or welfare were reported to EOEA within 24 hours after the occurrence of the incident or accident.
- The Residence filed 26 incident report greater than 24 hours after the occurrence of the incident during the period reviewed.
Training Needs Assessment
- EOEA reviewed the Residence's documentation for evidence of compliance with training needs assessment regulations.
- Documentation to support that the Residence has conducted a training needs assessment in the 2022 and 2023 calendar years were missing.
Introductory Visit and Review
- EOEA reviewed the records of nine Residents to determine compliance with the requirements that a nurse review 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.
- Five records were missing signature documentation to support that Introductory Visits have been conducted with all applicable staff prior to or within 48 hours after the provision of Personal Care services.
Supervision
- EOEA reviewed the records of four PCA personnel to verify a qualified nurse shall, at least once every six months, evaluate the Personal Care Services and his or her awareness of SAMM regulations and applicable policies and verifies his or her demonstrated ability to comply with SAMM regulations and related Residence policies and procedure provided by personal care staff of the Residence or by [...]
- Documentation of the nurse signature for PCA skills evaluations every six months of calendar years 2023 and 2024 were missing for three PCA records reviewed.
- Documentation of the nurse signature for SAMM skills evaluations every six months of calendar years 2023 and 2024 were missing for three PCA records reviewed.
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 120 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
- License status
- Active
- Licensed capacity
- 120
- County
- Bristol 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.
Location and nearby careNearest hospital 12.1 mi, nursing home 0.9 mi, pharmacy 0.9 mi
- Nearest hospital with an emergency room
- Southcoast Hospitals Group, Fall River. 12.1 miles away, straight line. CMS overall hospital rating: 4 of 5 stars.
- Nearest Medicare nursing home
- Alden Court Nursing Care & Rehabilitation Center, Fairhaven. 0.9 miles away, straight line.
- Nearest home health agency office
- Community Nurse Home Care, Fairhaven. 2.3 miles away, straight line. Agencies travel to clients, so ask which ones serve this address.
- Nearest pharmacy
- CVS Pharmacy. 0.9 miles away, straight line. From OpenStreetMap, which does not list every pharmacy, so one may be closer.
- Area
- USDA classes ZIP code 02746 as metropolitan (metropolitan core).
- Dialysis within 15 miles
- Fresenius Medical Care Of Fairhaven, Fairhaven, 2.7 miles away, straight line (CMS rating 3 of 5 stars)
Davita New Bedford Dialysis, North Dartmouth, 3.4 miles away, straight line (CMS rating 4 of 5 stars)
Hawthorn Kidney Center, Dartmouth, 3.6 miles away, straight line (CMS rating 3 of 5 stars) - Hospice
- 10 Medicare hospices tell CMS they serve ZIP code 02746.
Community Nurse Home Care, Inc, office in Fairhaven, 2.3 miles away, straight line (CMS family survey rating 5 of 5 stars)
Hospice And Palliative Care, office in Fairhaven, 2.3 miles away, straight line (CMS family survey rating 4 of 5 stars)
Bristol Hospice LLC, office in Fall River, 11.2 miles away, straight line - Nearest geriatric medicine practice
- Martha'S Vineyard Hospital Inc, Oak Bluffs. 22.6 miles away, straight line. 2 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 very low; outside FEMA's high-risk flood areas; in a hurricane evacuation zone
Public hazard maps for this location. Ask the community about its emergency plan, its generator and where residents would go in an evacuation.
- Hurricane evacuation zone
- Zone B on the Massachusetts hurricane evacuation zones. (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (via MassGIS), map updated May 22, 2026)
- Flood zone
- Zone X: Area protected by a levee from the 1% annual chance flood (moderate risk). (FEMA flood map)
- FEMA National Risk Index
- Overall: very low. By hazard: hurricane relatively low, inland flooding very low, coastal flooding relatively low, tornado very low, heat wave very 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 October 2024. What was it, and how was it fixed?
- This address is in a hurricane evacuation zone. Where do residents go in an evacuation, and how do you move them?
- What does the base rate include, and when did rates last go up?
- 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?
- Who gives medications, and what training do they have?
- For what reasons can a resident be asked to leave?
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 | Nothing on record |
| Hurricane evacuation zone maps | See above | |
| FEMA flood map | See above | |
| USDA wildfire risk | Apr 15, 2026 | Not shown: no FEMA wildfire rating of moderate or higher here |
| 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 Whaler's Cove provide?
Whaler's Cove is licensed by the state of Massachusetts for assisted living in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Its licensed capacity is 120 residents.
Does Lilisity rate Whaler's Cove?
No. We publish state licensing details for Whaler's Cove 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 Whaler's Cove 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. Whaler's Cove does not publish its prices.
How do I contact Whaler's Cove?
Use Whaler's Cove's website, mass.gov/locations/whalers-cove, or visit at 114 Riverside Ave, New Bedford, MA 02746.
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