Is D'Youville Senior Care a Good Nursing Home? A Data-Driven Review for Families (2026)
This data-driven review evaluates D'Youville Senior Care in Lowell, MA, for families deciding on a nursing home placement. We analyze CMS star ratings, key clinical metrics, staffing ratios, inspection history, and memory care capabilities to help you make an informed decision.
Introduction: Why This Review Matters for Your Family
If you are reading this, you are likely facing one of the most emotionally and financially consequential decisions a family can make: finding the right nursing home for a parent or spouse. The marketing materials from every facility promise compassionate care, but the reality on the ground varies enormously. For families in the Greater Lowell area evaluating D'Youville Senior Care, the challenge is separating genuine quality from well-crafted brochures.
This review is built on publicly reported data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), state inspection records, and the facility's own disclosures. We do not take the facility's word for its quality — we let the numbers speak. The goal is to give you a clear, honest picture of where D'Youville Senior Care excels, where it falls short, and what specific questions you should ask before making a decision.
D'Youville Senior Care: Facility Overview and Core Identity
D'Youville Senior Care is a 208-bed, non-profit skilled nursing facility located at 981 Varnum Avenue in Lowell, Massachusetts. It operates as part of The Saab Residence, a continuing care retirement community that has served the area since 1960. The broader campus includes 355 total beds, encompassing independent living, assisted living, and an 84-bed dedicated dementia care unit.
Understanding the full continuum of care available on this campus is important. If you are unsure whether a skilled nursing facility is the right level of care for your family member, our Senior Care Options by Level of Need: A Decision Framework for Families guide can help you compare nursing home care against home care, assisted living, and other options.
- Type: Non-profit skilled nursing facility
- Total licensed nursing facility beds: 208
- Campus total: 355 beds (including independent living, assisted living, and dementia care)
- Dementia care beds: 84 (dedicated special care unit)
- Languages spoken: English, Portuguese, Spanish
- Specialized services: Subacute unit, hospice care, respite care, adult day health
CMS Five-Star Quality Ratings: Breaking Down the 3/5 Score
CMS assigns each nursing home an overall rating from 1 to 5 stars based on three component scores: health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. D'Youville Senior Care currently holds an overall rating of 3 out of 5 stars, which CMS defines as "average" quality. But the overall score masks important variation beneath the surface.
| Rating Component | D'Youville Score | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3/5 stars | Average quality across all measures |
| Health Inspections | 3/5 stars | Average; 10 low-harm deficiencies found in April 2025 |
| Staffing | 3/5 stars | Average overall, but RN staffing is well below state average |
| Quality Measures (Short-Term Rehab) | As Expected | Staffing: average; Health outcomes: some achievement; Process: above average |
| Quality Measures (Long-Term Care) | As Expected | Staffing: average; Health outcomes: average; Process: above average |
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