Sandhills Care Center
143 N Fullerton Street, Ainsworth, NE 69210
Ainsworth, Nebraska · CMS verdict
CMS rates Sandhills Care Center at 3 of 5 stars overall - average on the federal scale, and in line with the Nebraska average of 2.9.
The rating and the PlainElderCare Index below summarize federal inspection, staffing, and outcome data, they measure specific, documented dimensions of this facility, not a holistic verdict on the care your family member would receive. Visit in person, talk with staff and current residents' families, and weigh your family member's specific needs before choosing.
Sandhills Care Center in Ainsworth, Nebraska holds a CMS overall rating of 3 of 5 stars and a PlainElderCare Quality & Compliance Index of 56 of 100 (grade F). The 46-bed facility operates where a semi-private nursing-home room in Nebraska runs a median of $8,377 per month. Figures are from CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Quality & Compliance Index (thinner bed book)
At 46 certified beds, this facility sits in the lower U.S. bed tercile (≤80). A transparent composite of this facility's CMS Care Compare sub-ratings and its federal inspection record. It complements, and does not replace, the official CMS overall rating of 3 of 5 stars. How this is calculated.
How the 56 is built
Each segment is a dimension's weighted points toward the score, summing to 56.
Weights: health inspections 30%, staffing 25%, quality measures 25%, inspection record 20%; any dimension CMS has not published drops out and its weight redistributes (no silent deflation). Inspection record is benchmarked against all rated US nursing homes. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Sandhills Care Center's thinner certified-bed book
Quality ratings
CMS's most recent Care Compare release (data as of April 2026) puts Sandhills Care Center's overall quality rating at 3 out of 5 stars, a composite of three sub-ratings: health inspection (2/5), staffing (3/5), and quality measures (5/5).
What each sub-rating measures
The health inspection rating reflects on-site surveyor findings from the last three cycles. The staffing rating compares case-mix-adjusted nurse hours per resident day to national benchmarks, and quality measures aggregate 15 clinical indicators including pressure ulcers, falls with injury, and long-stay antipsychotic use.
Size and setting
Located in Ainsworth, Nebraska, this facility operates 46 certified beds with an average daily census of roughly 31 residents - an occupancy rate of about 67%. The facility is classified under government - city/county ownership, a designation that can influence staffing patterns, reinvestment decisions, and admissions policy. At roughly 67% occupancy, this facility has meaningful open capacity relative to its certified bed count.
Inspection record
On the regulatory side, federal and state surveyors have documented multiple deficiencies at this facility (22 total). CMS has levied no enforcement penalties over the equivalent window. This is a high deficiency count relative to most facilities; requesting the full survey report directly is the only way to see whether these are concentrated in one area or spread across the facility's operations.
Where these figures come from
Figures above come from CMS Nursing Home Compare (Care Compare, data as of April 2026) with state cost medians from the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey. See our methodology for vintage.
How Sandhills Care Center compares to Nebraska
CMS five-star sub-ratings (0–5) for this facility against the Nebraska facility-weighted average. Source: CMS Care Compare.
Bar = this facility's rating · vertical marker = Nebraska state average. Higher is better on all four CMS measures.
Where Sandhills Care Center ranks in Nebraska
Among the 178 CMS-rated nursing homes in Nebraska, Sandhills Care Center’s 3-star overall rating is higher than 44% of them. The bars show how all Nebraska homes spread across the CMS 1-to-5 scale; this facility’s band is highlighted.
31 Nebraska homes share this 3-star rating. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Facility details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Beds | 46 |
| Residents | 31 |
| Ownership | Government - City/county |
| County | Brown |
| Penalties | 0 |
| Deficiencies | 22 |
Source: CMS Care Compare Nursing Homes (data as of April 2026)
What do families ask most?
What is the quality rating for Sandhills Care Center? ▾
CMS rates Sandhills Care Center at 3 out of 5 stars overall. The three sub-ratings behind that number: health inspection 2/5, staffing 3/5, quality measures 5/5.
How much does a nursing home cost per month in Nebraska? ▾
In Nebraska, a semi-private nursing home room runs a median $8,377/month ($100,521/year) per the CareScout 2025 survey; private rooms average $9,216/month.
What services does Sandhills Care Center offer? ▾
Sandhills Care Center operates as a skilled nursing facility (46 beds with approximately 31 current residents) under government - city/county ownership. CMS inspections have recorded 22 deficiencies and 0 penalties there.
Does Sandhills Care Center have any deficiencies or penalties? ▾
Sandhills Care Center has multiple deficiencies (22 total) and 0 penalties recorded by CMS. A count this high is above what most facilities post; ask the facility directly for its plan of correction on the largest findings.
What are the alternatives to a nursing home in Nebraska? ▾
In Nebraska, alternatives include assisted living ($6,350/mo), home health aides ($6,864/mo), and adult day care ($3,521/mo).
Keep reading
Also see the Nebraska elder-care overview and highest-rated states. Provider ID: 285298.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.