University Heights Care Center
656 DILLON WAY, Aurora, CO 80011
Aurora, Colorado · CMS verdict
On the federal five-star scale, University Heights Care Center carries a 2 of 5 CMS overall rating, below-average quality that runs below Colorado's state average of 3.1.
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.
University Heights Care Center in Aurora, Colorado holds a CMS overall rating of 2 of 5 stars and a PlainElderCare Quality & Compliance Index of 47 of 100 (grade F). The 105-bed facility operates where a semi-private nursing-home room in Colorado runs a median of $10,159 per month. Figures are from CMS Nursing Home Compare.
PlainElderCare Quality & Compliance Index
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 2 of 5 stars. How this is calculated.
How the 47 is built
Each segment is a dimension's weighted points toward the score, summing to 47.
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.
Data insights
Quality ratings
CMS's most recent Care Compare release (data as of April 2026) puts University Heights Care Center's overall quality rating at 2 out of 5 stars, a composite of three sub-ratings: health inspection (1/5), staffing (4/5), 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 Aurora, Colorado, this facility operates 105 certified beds with an average daily census of roughly 89 residents - an occupancy rate of about 85%. The facility is classified under for profit - corporation ownership, a designation that can influence staffing patterns, reinvestment decisions, and admissions policy. Occupancy of about 85% puts this facility in normal territory for a stabilized operation, neither unusually full nor unusually empty.
Same-ownership peers
Within Colorado, University Heights Care Center is one of 91 for profit - corporation nursing homes CMS rates. Its 2-star overall rating sits below the for profit - corporation-segment average of 3.0 stars, ahead of roughly 15% of same-ownership peers in the state. This ownership-segment comparison controls for business-model differences, so what's left mostly reflects how this facility runs relative to similar operators, not the type of operator it is.
Inspection record
On the regulatory side, federal and state surveyors have documented multiple deficiencies at this facility (50 total). CMS has levied 1 enforcement penalty - civil money penalties or denials of payment, during the same 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
The figures above come directly from the U.S. Centers for Medicare \& Medicaid Services Nursing Home Compare dataset for federal quality ratings, combined with the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey of more than 15,000 elder-care providers nationwide and U.S. Census American Community Survey income data. Cost figures are monthly medians, refreshed annually with each new CareScout release; quality ratings are refreshed quarterly from the CMS Provider Information File. Read these state and county medians as benchmarks, then verify current rates with individual providers and consult care managers before making placement decisions. See our methodology for source vintage.
How University Heights Care Center compares to Colorado
CMS five-star sub-ratings (0–5) for this facility against the Colorado facility-weighted average. Source: CMS Care Compare.
Bar = this facility's rating · vertical marker = Colorado state average. Higher is better on all four CMS measures.
Where University Heights Care Center ranks in Colorado
Among the 208 CMS-rated nursing homes in Colorado, University Heights Care Center’s 2-star overall rating is higher than 14% of them. The bars show how all Colorado homes spread across the CMS 1-to-5 scale; this facility’s band is highlighted.
55 Colorado homes share this 2-star rating. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Facility details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Beds | 105 |
| Residents | 89 |
| Ownership | For profit - Corporation |
| County | Arapahoe |
| Penalties | 1 |
| Deficiencies | 50 |
Source: CMS Care Compare Nursing Homes (data as of April 2026)
What do families ask most?
What is the quality rating for University Heights Care Center? ▾
CMS rates University Heights Care Center at 2 out of 5 stars overall. The three sub-ratings behind that number: health inspection 1/5, staffing 4/5, quality measures 5/5.
How much does a nursing home cost per month in Colorado? ▾
CareScout's 2025 survey puts Colorado's median semi-private nursing home rate at $10,159 per month ($121,910 per year), with private rooms averaging $12,182 per month.
What services does University Heights Care Center offer? ▾
With 105 beds with approximately 89 current residents, University Heights Care Center is a skilled nursing facility. It operates under for profit - corporation ownership, and CMS's inspection record shows 50 deficiencies and 1 penalties.
Does University Heights Care Center have any deficiencies or penalties? ▾
University Heights Care Center has multiple deficiencies (50 total) and 1 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 Colorado? ▾
In Colorado, alternatives include assisted living ($6,584/mo), home health aides ($7,913/mo), and adult day care ($2,275/mo).
Elder Care Guides
Explore PlainElderCare
Related Resources
Compare cost and CMS quality across the state on the Colorado elder-care overview, or see how facilities rank nationwide in our highest-rated states ranking.
Weigh nursing care against assisted living, home health, and adult day care, with national median costs, on our care types comparison, and learn how to fund it in our paying for elder care guide.
Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare. Provider ID: 065337.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.