Hearth Record

La Bella of Sterling

A nursing home in Sterling, Illinois 61081

3601 Sixteenth Avenue, Sterling, Illinois 61081. (815) 626-0233.

CMS’s own record, on Care Compare

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The short answer

Record last released by CMS on Oct 28, 2026.

The last 24 months 18 citations in 7 months of the last 36. Last cited Jun 2026. Most serious: actual harm (G). Every month

Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.

What these words mean7
Star ratings
CMS rates some kinds of place from 1 to 5 stars, more stars meaning better on CMS’s own measures for that kind: for a nursing home, its health inspections, staffing and quality measures. A rating is CMS’s summary of those measures; it doesn’t promise good care. Source: CMS, Care Compare and the Five-Star Quality Rating System.
Inspection (survey)
A visit by state inspectors, often unannounced, who check a place against the rules it must meet. For nursing homes and other places Medicare pays, CMS calls these visits surveys: a standard survey of a nursing home comes at least every 15 months, and a complaint survey whenever a complaint calls for one. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.308.
Deficiency, citation, violation
What inspectors write up when a place didn’t meet a rule: the rule, what they saw, and when. CMS calls it a deficiency; states may say citation or violation. It is the inspectors’ finding, not a court’s, and the place is usually asked for a plan to correct it. Source: CMS, statement of deficiencies (Form CMS-2567); each state’s licensing agency.
Scope and severity (A to L)
CMS grades each nursing home deficiency with a letter. A to C: no actual harm, with potential for minimal harm. D to F: no actual harm, but potential for more. G to I: actual harm. J to L: immediate jeopardy. Within each band, the letter rises as more residents were affected or could be: one or a few, a pattern, or widespread. Source: CMS, nursing home scope and severity grid (State Operations Manual, chapter 7).
Nurse staffing hours
The hours registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nurse aides worked, per resident per day, from the payroll records each home sends CMS. Source: CMS, Payroll-Based Journal.
Fines and payment denials
A fine (civil money penalty) is money CMS makes a nursing home pay when it falls short of federal rules. A payment denial means Medicare and Medicaid stop paying for new admissions until the home meets the rules again. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.430 and 488.417.
Capacity
The most people the licence or certification lets the place care for at once: residents, children, beds or apartments, as the state counts them. It isn’t how many are there now. Source: Each state’s licensing agency.

What did inspectors find?

14 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The Illinois average is 12.7.

Last standard inspection Mar 12, 2025.

Most serious in three years: actual harm (G), at a complaint inspection on Oct 3, 2025

Source:

CMS, Provider Information, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

When those citations happened

18 citations in 7 months of the last 36. Last cited Jun 2026. Most serious: actual harm (G). The last 3 years, to Nov 5, 2026.

18 citations by month over the last 3 years. Each cell is one month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2023 Dec
2024 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2025 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2026 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNov

Hover or focus a month to read it.

No visit on record Visited, nothing cited A stronger orange is more serious, on its source’s own levels, read onto four bands: from the least serious it publishes to the most
Source:

Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.

All 18 citations in the last three years

Grouped by inspection, newest first. Each carries , from A, the least serious, to L, the most. 5 came from complaint inspections.

Source:

CMS, Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

Jun 16, 2026: complaint inspection1 citation
  • Ensure the transfer/discharge meets the resident’s needs/preferences and that the resident is prepared for a safe transfer/discharge.

    Rule F0627. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Aug 7, 2026.

Dec 17, 2025: complaint inspection1 citation
  • Honor the resident’s right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.

    Rule F0584. F: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Dec 18, 2025.

Oct 3, 2025: complaint inspection1 citation
  • Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

    Rule F0689. G: actual harm. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Oct 4, 2025.

Mar 12, 2025: standard inspection11 citations
  • Honor the resident’s right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.

    Rule F0584. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Mar 27, 2025.

  • Provide activities to meet all resident’s needs.

    Rule F0679. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Mar 27, 2025.

  • Ensure the activities program is directed by a qualified professional.

    Rule F0680. F: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Apr 2, 2025.

  • Ensure each resident must receive and the facility must provide necessary behavioral health care and services.

    Rule F0740. E: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Mar 27, 2025.

  • Provide the appropriate treatment and services to a resident who displays or is diagnosed with mental disorder or psychosocial adjustment difficulty, or who has a history of trauma and/or post-traumatic stress disorder.

    Rule F0742. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Mar 27, 2025.

  • Provide medically-related social services to help each resident achieve the highest possible quality of life.

    Rule F0745. E: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Mar 27, 2025.

  • Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.

    Rule F0755. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Mar 27, 2025.

  • Ensure a licensed pharmacist perform a monthly drug regimen review, including the medical chart, following irregularity reporting guidelines in developed policies and procedures.

    Rule F0756. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Mar 27, 2025.

  • Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited.

    Rule F0758. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Mar 27, 2025.

  • Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.

    Rule F0812. F: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Mar 27, 2025.

  • Develop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations.

    Rule F0883. E: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Mar 26, 2025.

Nov 7, 2024: complaint inspection1 citation
  • Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.

    Rule F0760. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Nov 13, 2024.

May 9, 2024: standard inspection2 citations
  • Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.

    Rule F0755. D: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: May 24, 2024.

  • Electronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data.

    Rule F0851. F: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: May 24, 2024.

Jan 16, 2024: complaint inspection1 citation
  • Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

    Rule F0689. F: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. From a complaint. Correction date, as CMS recorded it: Jan 17, 2024.

Is it certified, and in good standing?

  • Certified for Medicaid since Aug 1, 1975.
  • Not on CMS’s special focus list.
  • No abuse icon from CMS.
  • No change of ownership in the last 12 months.
  • CMS lists its ownership as for profit, limited liability company.
  • 70 certified beds.
Source:

CMS, Provider Information. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

Has it been fined or penalized?

  • No fines in the last three years.
  • No Medicare payment denials in the last three years.
  • 5 citations in the last three years came from complaint inspections.
Source:

CMS, Penalties and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

Who does the caring?

3.17 nurse hours per resident per day

The Illinois average is 3.47.

CMS publishes staffing about four months after the fact.

Source:

CMS, Provider Information and State and US Averages. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

Staffing measures
MeasureThis homeIllinois average
Nurse hours per resident per day3.173.47
Of which registered nurses0.790.71
At weekends2.933.08
Nursing staff turnoverNot given43.7%
Registered nurse turnoverNot given41.5%
Administrators who left1Not given

Who owns it?

  • CMS’s ownership file has no owners listed for this home.
Source:

CMS, All Owners. Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly.

CMS, Provider Information. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

How do residents fare?

  • CMS rates its quality measures 3 of 5 (Illinois average 3.1).
Source:

CMS, Provider Information and State and US Averages. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

CMS’s star ratings, from 1 to 5
MeasureRating
Overall rating3 of 5
Health inspections3 of 5
Staffing2 of 5
Quality measures3 of 5

How does it compare nearby?

  • Among the 12 nearest homes, within 19.4 miles, this one had the 5th most health citations at the latest inspection cycle (14; the middle value was 9.5).
Source:

CMS, Provider Information. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

The 12 nearest, by straight-line distance
PlaceMiles awayCitations, latest cycle
La Bella of Sterling This nursing home14
The Citadel of Sterling1.26
Allure of Sterling1.517
Heritage Square10.21
Dixon Rehab & HCC10.810
Polo Rehabilitation & HCC12.68
La Bella of Morrison14.240
Resthave Home-Whiteside County14.420
Winning Wheels16.319
Allure of Prophetstown16.79
Allure of Walnut18.97
Franklin Grove Living and Rehab19.49

What the record doesn’t say

  • Complaints that didn’t lead to a citation aren’t published.
  • Inspections reach CMS’s data about six weeks after they happen, and staffing about four months after.
  • CMS publishes the inspectors’ full written findings in a separate monthly file, which isn’t loaded yet.
  • Fines and Medicare payment denials are the only enforcement CMS publishes; state licence actions aren’t included.

Sources

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Provider Information (4pq5-n9py).

    Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health Deficiencies (r5ix-sfxw).

    Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Penalties (g6vv-u9sr).

    Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, All Owners (afe44b85-cc6d-40d7-b5df-00ae8910d1d2).

    Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, State and US Averages (xcdc-v8bm).

    Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: CMS. CMS’s own record is on Care Compare. If Hearth Record copied something wrongly, it will fix it and log the correction publicly, with its date: how corrections work.

Source:

This copy of the record was made on Nov 5, 2026.

From the home

The public record above comes first. Anything the home adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.

Replies

None. Replies aren’t open yet. When they open, the home will be able to answer any finding for free, and the reply will show beside that finding, unedited and dated.

Paid listing

None. Paid listings aren’t open yet. When they open, anything paid for will say “Paid by the home”, and paying will never change a finding, a rating or the order of results.

How to read a record

Four things every record does, shown on an example record made up for this guide.

An example record, made up for this guide

An example nursing home

Made up for this guide: no real place is shown

Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

From the homeNone yet. Replies and paid listings aren’t open, and when they open they will sit here, below the record.

1 of 4

Every fact names its source.

Who published it, when, and how often it changes sit beside each fact, with a link to the agency’s own file.

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