Stamford Senior AdvisorGardner Heights is a 130-bed licensed nursing home at 172 Rocky Rest Road in Shelton, Connecticut, holding DPH license CCNH.0002296. CMS gives Gardner Heights an overall rating of 3 out of 5 stars, based on CMS data as of October 1, 2026.
What is Gardner Heights's CMS Care Compare rating?
CMS gives Gardner Heights an overall rating of 3 out of 5 stars; its health inspection rating is 4, staffing 1 and quality measures 3, each out of 5.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Overall rating (CMS) | 3 of 5 |
| Health inspection rating (CMS) | 4 of 5 |
| Staffing rating (CMS) | 1 of 5 |
| Quality measures rating (CMS) | 3 of 5 |
| Ownership type (CMS) | For profit - Corporation |
| Operator chain (CMS) | Apple Rehab (20 facilities) |
| First certified for Medicare/Medicaid | January 1, 1992 |
| Connecticut license (DPH) | CCNH.0002296, Active In Renewal (expiration date passed) |
What daily rates has Gardner Heights reported to the state?
Gardner Heights reported a private-room rate of $546 a day and a semi-private rate of $502 to DPH's 2025 Nursing Facility Registry, against a Fairfield County median of $616 for a private room.
| DPH registry item | Value |
|---|---|
| Licensed beds (DPH) | 130 |
| Residents on the registry date | 113 (87% of licensed beds) |
| Private room, per day | $546.00 |
| Semi-private room, per day | $502.32 |
| Residents paid by Medicaid (incl. pending) | 91% |
| Residents paid by Medicare (traditional + Advantage) | 3% |
| Residents paying privately, no insurance | 5% |
That private rate is 9.2% higher than the $500 reported a year earlier. About 91% of residents were covered or pending under Medicaid, above the county median of 70%, which says a lot about whether a resident can stay after private funds run out. Registry rates are what the facility reported for private payers; Medicaid and Medicare pay their own rates.
What deficiencies has CMS recorded at Gardner Heights?
April 27, 2026 is the date of Gardner Heights's latest standard health inspection in CMS's data, and that cycle produced 9 cited deficiencies: 9 standard-survey and 4 complaint-related.
The prior cycle (standard survey August 19, 2024) recorded 12 deficiencies, and infection-control inspections produced 0 citations. The Fairfield County median for the latest cycle is 11, so Gardner Heights sits at or below the local middle.
CMS reports no fines and 1 payment denials in its three-year window.
How well staffed is Gardner Heights?
CMS does not publish reported staffing hours for Gardner Heights in this data release.
Turnover is not reported.
How old are residents at Gardner Heights?
On DPH's 2025 registry date Gardner Heights cared for 113 residents: 34 aged 85 or older and 14 younger than 65.
72 residents were women and 41 men. Most residents are older adults, which is typical for long-stay nursing homes in the county. Compared with the prior year's 110 residents, the census rose.
What are the alternatives to Gardner Heights nearby?
With 130 licensed beds it is larger than the county median of 128; the closest other certified home is Bishop Wicke Health & Rehab Center in Shelton, about 0.3 miles away in a straight line, rated 3 of 5 by CMS.
| Facility / agency | Miles away | CMS overall rating | Private room, per day (DPH) | Residents on Medicaid | Deficiencies cited |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop Wicke Health & Rehab Center 584 Long Hill Avenue, 06484 | 0.3 | 3 of 5 | $590 | 49% | 14 |
| Hewitt Health and Rehabilitation Center 45 Maltby Street, 06484 | 1.8 | 1 of 5 | $545 | 86% | 17 |
| Apple Rehab Shelton Lakes 5 Lake Road, 06484 | 2.2 | 2 of 5 | $557 | 82% | 11 |
| Lord Chamberlain Manor 7003 Main Street, 06614 | 2.5 | 2 of 5 | $590 | 0% | 25 |
| Lord Chamberlain Nursing & Rehabilitation Center 7003 Main Street, 06614 | 2.5 | 2 of 5 | $581 | 84% | 23 |
Which hospitals are near Gardner Heights?
Gardner Heights sits in Shelton; the nearest acute-care hospital in CMS's hospital data is Griffin Hospital, about 2.9 miles away in a straight line.
The next closest is Bridgeport Hospital at about 6.4 miles; distances are straight lines, not drive times.
What questions does Gardner Heights's record raise?
Use the CMS and DPH numbers to steer the tour: ask how Gardner Heights kept its latest inspection at 9 deficiencies, and request the full statement of deficiencies anyway.
- At about 87% occupancy on the registry date, ask which units have openings and why.
- CMS records a resident council here; ask when it meets and whether families can attend.
- If HUSKY C (Medicaid) may pay later, confirm Gardner Heights keeps Medicaid residents who convert from private pay, and how the $75 monthly personal needs allowance is handled.
