Nursing home
Avalon Healthcare Bellingham
3121 Squalicum Parkway, Bellingham, WA 98225 · Map
For profit - Corporation · Part of Avamere (33 facilities) · 105 certified beds
Avalon Healthcare Bellingham is a Medicare-certified nursing home in Bellingham, Washington. CMS rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall (3/5 for staffing, 3/5 for health inspections). Nurse staffing is 4.42 hours per resident per day, above the Washington average of 4.39. Its most recent inspection on Dec 5, 2025 cited 11 deficiencies.
- 2 fines totaling $106,024In CMS records: 3 total penalties, 1 Medicare payment denial.
CMS quality ratings
Ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), updated monthly. 5 stars is the highest quality.
How Avalon Healthcare Bellingham compares
This facility vs. the Washington and national averages, from CMS data. For staffing, higher is generally better; for turnover and deficiencies, lower is better.
| Metric | This facility | Washington avg | National avg | Compared with the state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total nurse staffing (hrs/resident/day) | 4.42 | 4.39 | 3.89 | above avg |
| RN staffing (hrs/resident/day) | 1.12 | 0.88 | 0.68 | above avg |
| Aide staffing (hrs/resident/day) | 2.51 | 2.69 | 2.34 | below avg |
| Nursing staff turnover | —% | 46.7% | 46.4% | — |
| Deficiencies cited, last inspection | 11.0 | 17.1 | 9.5 | below avg |
Staffing
Hours per resident per day as reported to CMS. Higher numbers indicate more direct care time.
Staff turnover
Lower turnover typically indicates better working conditions and continuity of care. National average for nursing staff is 46.4%.
Recent health inspection
CMS inspects nursing facilities regularly. Deficiencies are categorized by severity.
- Every deficiency from the December 5, 2025 inspection was corrected by January 5, 2026
Penalties in CMS records: 2 fines totaling $106,024, 3 total penalties, 1 Medicare payment denial.
What inspectors found at Avalon Healthcare Bellingham
Specific deficiencies cited in recent CMS health inspections, most recent first. Severity follows the CMS scope/severity scale. Source: CMS Care Compare.
- Potential for harm
Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Dec 5, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Educate residents and staff on COVID-19 vaccination, offer the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible residents and staff after education, and properly document each resident and staff member's vaccination status.
Infection Control Deficiencies · Dec 5, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Develop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Infection Control Deficiencies · Dec 5, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
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.
Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · Dec 5, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Dec 5, 2025 · Full report (PDF)
Show all 12 deficiencies
- Potential for harm
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Dec 5, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Dec 5, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Dec 5, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies · Dec 5, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Prevent the use of unnecessary psychotropic medications or use medications that may restrain a resident's ability to function.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · Dec 5, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Actual harm
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Apr 24, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
Resident Rights Deficiencies · Jan 13, 2025 · Full report (PDF)
Read the full inspection reports on Medicare.gov Each inspection there has a “Read the full report” link with the inspectors’ written findings.
About this facility
- Address
- 3121 Squalicum Parkway
Bellingham, WA 98225 - CMS certification #
- 505296
- Ownership
- For profit - Corporation
- Certified beds
- 105
- Avg residents/day
- 64.0
- Provider type
- Medicare and Medicaid
- First certified
- 1986-03-01
- Chain
- Avamere (33 facilities)
- Setting
- Urban
Part of Avamere
Avamere operates 33 nursing facilities across the United States. View all Avamere facilities →
Not SLA enrolled. This facility hasn’t enrolled in resident survey verification. Learn about enrollment →
Location and nearby
Explore the area around Avalon Healthcare Bellingham using Google Maps.
Other public records
- Workplace safety 1 OSHA workplace safety inspection since 2023, 1 violation cited
Full public records, with dates and sources
Staff pay and workplace safety
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.
- Sep 7, 2023: complaint inspection, partial (health). Case closed Jan 9, 2024. 1 violation cited (1 other). Penalties: $0 proposed, $0 now. OSHA record. OSHA recorded the employer as Wa317975603 - St Francis Extended Health Care. Matched by street address; the name OSHA recorded differs from the community's.
Details
- Other than serious: Cited rule 296-842-15005(1)(B). Penalty $0 proposed, $0 now. To be fixed by Sep 7, 2023.
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 care
- Nearest hospital with an emergency room
- Island Hospital, Anacortes. 19.8 miles away, straight line. CMS overall hospital rating: 4 of 5 stars.
- Nearest Medicare nursing home
- Alderwood Park Health and Rehab of Cascadia, Bellingham. 1.5 miles away, straight line.
- Nearest home health agency office
- Eden Home Health, Bellingham. 1.0 mile away, straight line. Agencies travel to clients, so ask which ones serve this address.
- Nearest pharmacy
- Rx Mart. 0.2 miles away, straight line. From OpenStreetMap, which does not list every pharmacy, so one may be closer.
- Area
- USDA classes ZIP code 98225 as metropolitan (metropolitan core).
- Dialysis within 15 miles
- Davita Mount Baker Kidney At Home, Bellingham, 0.5 miles away, straight line (has a shift starting after 5 pm; CMS rating 3 of 5 stars)
Davita Ferndale Dialysis, Ferndale, 7.2 miles away, straight line (CMS rating 2 of 5 stars) - Hospice
- 4 Medicare hospices tell CMS they serve ZIP code 98225.
Eden Hospice, office in Bellingham, 1.0 mile away, straight line
Whatcom Hospice, office in Bellingham, 3.4 miles away, straight line (CMS family survey rating 4 of 5 stars)
Hospice Of The Northwest, office in Mount Vernon, 24.9 miles away, straight line (CMS family survey rating 4 of 5 stars) - Nearest geriatric medicine practice
- Lakhvir Kaur, MD, Bellingham. 0.1 miles away, straight line. 1 geriatric medicine doctor 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 risk
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 moderate. By hazard: inland flooding relatively low, wildfire very low, tornado very low, heat wave relatively low, earthquake relatively high. 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.
What we checked
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 |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Department of Labor wage and hour cases | Oct 15, 2026 | Only cases that look tied to an earlier operator (not shown) |
| OSHA workplace safety inspections since 2016 | Oct 15, 2026 | See above |
| 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 |
Looking for assisted living or memory care instead?
Frequently asked questions
Is Avalon Healthcare Bellingham a good nursing home?
CMS gives Avalon Healthcare Bellingham an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars, including 3/5 for staffing and 3/5 for health inspections. These ratings come from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and are updated monthly.
How is Avalon Healthcare Bellingham staffed?
Avalon Healthcare Bellingham reports 4.42 total nurse hours per resident per day, compared with the Washington average of 4.39.
Has Avalon Healthcare Bellingham had inspection problems?
Its most recent CMS inspection cited 11 deficiencies.
How many beds does Avalon Healthcare Bellingham have?
Avalon Healthcare Bellingham is certified for 105 beds.