Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center Complaints, Violations and Inspection Records
Data current as of the August 2026 CMS Care Compare release and the CDPH state enforcement dataset of August 27, 2024. State citation records cover July 1, 1997 through June 30, 2024.
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What the public record shows
If you are looking into Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Laguna Hills, whether a loved one lives there now or you are considering it, the public record is worth reading before you decide. It includes 5 citations in the state's two most serious classes, class A and class AA.
Here is what the record shows for this facility, drawn from CMS Care Compare and the California Department of Public Health:
- CMS overall rating: 3 of 5 stars. The health inspection rating, the most independent of the three categories, is 2 of 5.
- California state citations: 16 on record, including 5 class A and 11 class B, with $89,150 in assessed penalties.
- Staffing: 4.34 nursing hours per resident per day; registered nurse turnover 50%.
- Most recent standard and complaint inspections: 22 deficiencies cited on February 9, 2026. The most recent inspection since then was on February 26, 2026: 1 deficiency cited in the complaint inspection.
- Federal enforcement: 2 federal fines totaling $50,950 in the reported period.
- Ownership: Gate Three Healthcare, LLC, for-profit, part of The Ensign Group (342 facilities nationally).
Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center ratings and staffing
Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center is located at 24962 Calle Aragon in Laguna Hills, Orange County. It is a for-profit facility operated by Gate Three Healthcare, LLC, part of The Ensign Group, with 99 certified beds and an average of 92.2 residents a day. It accepts Medicare and Medicaid.
CMS rates every certified nursing home in three separate categories, and the overall star is a blend of them:
- Health inspections, based on what state surveyors observe in person during unannounced visits. Weight this one most heavily, because it does not rely on data the facility reports about itself.
- Staffing, drawn from payroll-based records of how much nursing time each resident actually receives.
- Quality measures, built largely from data the facility submits. Read a high score here with more caution than the other two.
For Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, those scores are: health inspections 2 of 5, staffing 2 of 5, quality measures 5 of 5.
Staffing. Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center reports 4.34 total nursing hours per resident per day, of which 0.44 are registered nurse hours. Over the reporting year, 52.5% of the nursing staff left. Registered nurses supervise aides, catch medication errors before they reach a resident, and notice when a person's condition is changing. Staffing is the single number that most reliably predicts whether a facility catches a problem early or lets it become a crisis.
How this home compares in the public record
CMS publishes each home's star rating and its payroll-based staffing hours, and it publishes the federal fines it has imposed. The county and California figures beside each number are the averages across those same published records.
These figures are taken from public CMS Care Compare records as of August 2026 (the August 2026 release) and public CDPH records as of June 2024 (the state enforcement dataset of August 27, 2024). They are reported as published and are not a recommendation, endorsement or assessment of any facility by this firm. How these figures were assembled.
Homes in Orange County with a higher CMS overall rating
CMS rates each of these homes above Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center on the overall star rating it publishes. The rating is one measure of a facility's record, and each page below carries that home's own inspection findings, staffing hours and citation history.
- Freedom Village Healthcare Center, Lake Forest: CMS overall rating 5 of 5
- Victoria Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Costa Mesa: CMS overall rating 5 of 5
- Orchards Skilled Nursing, Rancho Mission Viejo: CMS overall rating 5 of 5
- Town & Country, Santa Ana: CMS overall rating 5 of 5
- La Palma Nursing Center, Anaheim: CMS overall rating 5 of 5
These figures are taken from public CMS Care Compare records as of August 2026 (the August 2026 release) and public CDPH records as of June 2024 (the state enforcement dataset of August 27, 2024). They are reported as published and are not a recommendation, endorsement or assessment of any facility by this firm. How these figures were assembled.
Federal inspection findings and penalties
Scope and severity A to C means no actual harm, with potential for minimal harm. Scope and severity D to F means no actual harm, with potential for more than minimal harm. Scope and severity G to I means actual harm that is not immediate jeopardy. Scope and severity J to L means immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.
February 26, 2026, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
- F0842Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. (scope and severity B)
February 9, 2026, standard and complaint inspections
22 deficiencies cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals, ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being, and prevent the use of unnecessary psychotropic medications or use medications that may restrain a resident's ability to function.
- F0684Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals. (scope and severity G)
- F0726Ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being. (scope and severity G)
- F0605Prevent the use of unnecessary psychotropic medications or use medications that may restrain a resident's ability to function. (scope and severity E)
- F0812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. (scope and severity E)
- F0552Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments. (scope and severity D)
- F0584Honor 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. (scope and severity D)
- F0645PASARR screening for Mental disorders or Intellectual Disabilities (scope and severity D)
- F0656Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. (scope and severity D)
- F0657Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals. (scope and severity D)
- F0689Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (scope and severity D)
- F0694Provide for the safe, appropriate administration of IV fluids for a resident when needed. (scope and severity D)
- F0697Provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services. (scope and severity D)
- F0755Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. (scope and severity D)
- F0757Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs. (scope and severity D)
- F0759Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater. (scope and severity D)
- F0761Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs. (scope and severity D)
- F0803Ensure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident. (scope and severity D)
- F0804Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature. (scope and severity D)
- F0849Arrange for the provision of hospice services or assist the resident in transferring to a facility that will arrange for the provision of hospice services. (scope and severity D)
- F0880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (scope and severity D)
- F0908Keep all essential equipment working safely. (scope and severity D)
- F0814Dispose of garbage and refuse properly. (scope and severity B)
August 13, 2025, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
- F0755Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. (scope and severity D)
February 3, 2025, standard inspection
9 deficiencies cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide for the safe, appropriate administration of iv fluids for a resident when needed, provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed, and ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
- F0694Provide for the safe, appropriate administration of IV fluids for a resident when needed. (scope and severity D)
- F0695Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed. (scope and severity D)
- F0760Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors. (scope and severity D)
- F0803Ensure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident. (scope and severity D)
- F0812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. (scope and severity D)
- F0655Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted (scope and severity B)
- F0755Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. (scope and severity B)
- F0761Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs. (scope and severity B)
- F0842Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. (scope and severity B)
October 10, 2024, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
- F0760Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors. (scope and severity D)
September 3, 2024, complaint inspection
2 deficiencies cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist and ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
- F0755Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. (scope and severity D)
- F0804Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature. (scope and severity D)
November 30, 2023, complaint inspection
2 deficiencies cited. Surveyors cited the facility for immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident and ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
- F0580Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. (scope and severity D)
- F0689Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (scope and severity D)
September 8, 2023, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
- F0842Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. (scope and severity B)
May 24, 2022, standard inspection
11 deficiencies cited. Surveyors cited the facility for procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards, make sure there is a pest control program to prevent/deal with mice, insects, or other pests, and honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive.
- F0812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. (scope and severity F)
- F0925Make sure there is a pest control program to prevent/deal with mice, insects, or other pests. (scope and severity F)
- F0578Honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive. (scope and severity D)
- F0679Provide activities to meet all resident's needs. (scope and severity D)
- F0692Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health. (scope and severity D)
- F0698Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services. (scope and severity D)
- F0726Ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being. (scope and severity D)
- F0761Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs. (scope and severity D)
- F0803Ensure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident. (scope and severity D)
- F0804Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature. (scope and severity D)
- F0842Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. (scope and severity D)
Penalties. Over the reported period, Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center received 2 federal fines totaling $50,950. Fines are imposed when a facility is cited for a serious violation or fails to correct a prior deficiency in time.
California state citations
California inspects and cites nursing homes separately from the federal government. The Department of Public Health issues three classes of citation. A class AA citation is a class A violation that the Department of Public Health determined was a direct proximate cause of a resident's death. A class A citation is a violation the Department determined presented an imminent danger of death or serious harm to residents, or a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm would result. A class B citation is a violation the Department determined had a direct or immediate relationship to residents' health, safety or security, other than a class AA or A violation.
State records show 16 citations against Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center between August 27, 2001 and April 21, 2017: 5 class A and 11 class B, with $89,150 in assessed penalties.
- April 21, 2017, class A, Patient Care. $15,000 penalty.
- November 10, 2011, class A, Patient Care. $10,000 penalty. Appealed.
- April 27, 2009, class B, Patient Care. $1,000 penalty. Appealed.
- January 6, 2009, class B, Patient Care. $500 penalty. Appealed.
- December 22, 2008, class A, Patient Care. $20,050 penalty.
- September 11, 2008, class A, Patient Care. $5,000 penalty. Appealed.
- October 28, 2003, class A, Patient Care. $15,100 penalty. Appealed.
- October 8, 2003, class B, Patient Care. $500 penalty. Appealed.
- January 13, 2003, class B, Patient Care. $500 penalty. Appealed.
- December 19, 2002, class B, Patient Care. $500 penalty. Appealed.
- August 29, 2002, class B, Patient Care. $500 penalty. Appealed.
- August 29, 2002, class B, Patient Care. $500 penalty. Appealed.
and 4 earlier citations, in the CDPH record linked under Sources.
Across Orange County's 72 certified facilities, the average is about 5.7 state citations per facility. Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center's 16 is above that average.
A citation marked "Appealed." is under appeal, so it is not a final determination. A citation records a determination by state surveyors. A citation does not by itself establish that any particular resident was injured or that the facility is liable to anyone.
Other nursing homes in Laguna Hills
Families comparing options in Laguna Hills often look at these facilities as well. Each link opens that facility's full public record:
- Laguna Hills Health and Rehabilitation Center, 1 star, 13 state citations
- Villa Valencia Healthcare Center, 4 stars, 7 state citations
- Trabuco Hills Post Acute, 2 stars, 11 state citations (in Orange County)
- Freedom Village Healthcare Center, 5 stars, 3 state citations (in Orange County)
See every facility in the Orange County nursing home directory.
Other nursing homes in Orange County
These are other nursing homes in Orange County, listed by how close each home's ZIP code is to the ZIP code for Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center. The public record gives a street address but no coordinates, so distance is not measured; homes in the same ZIP code appear first. No rating or inspection figure is used to order this list.
- Freedom Village Healthcare Center, Lake Forest
- Trabuco Hills Post Acute, Lake Forest
- Huntington Valley Healthcare Center, Huntington Beach
- Mesa Verde Post Acute Care Center, Costa Mesa
- Newport Subacute Healthcare Center, Costa Mesa
This list is drawn from public CMS Care Compare records as of August 2026 (the August 2026 release) and public CDPH records as of June 2024 (the state enforcement dataset of August 27, 2024). It is ordered by location only and is not a recommendation, endorsement or assessment of any facility by this firm. How these figures were assembled.
What to do if you are worried about care at this facility
You will usually notice something is wrong before anyone official does, and you do not need proof before you act. If you are concerned about care at Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, you can take these steps:
Write down what you see. Note dates, times, and specific concerns, and photograph anything relevant. A clear, contemporaneous record matters if an investigation follows.
File a complaint with the California Department of Public Health. CDPH licenses and inspects skilled nursing facilities and investigates complaints, and a serious complaint can trigger an on-site inspection. You can file online through CDPH's Cal Health Find system, which routes your complaint to the Orange County licensing district office.
Contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman. The ombudsman is a free advocate who will visit your loved one, look into your concerns, and press the facility on their behalf. Orange County's ombudsman program can be reached at (800) 300-6222. This is often the fastest first step when the issue is care quality rather than an emergency.
For the full walkthrough, see How to report nursing home abuse in California.
Injuries that most often signal neglect
The injuries below are the ones most often at issue in California nursing home cases. Any one of them at Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center is a reason to ask what the facility's own records show:
- Bedsores and pressure ulcers, especially a wound that reached stage 3 or 4
- Falls and fractures in a resident who was supposed to be supervised
- Wandering and elopement from a building that was not secured
- Dehydration and malnutrition
- Sepsis and untreated infections
- Medication errors
- Wrongful death, when neglect contributed to a resident's passing
Nursing home abuse claims in Orange County
If a loved one was harmed at Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, these pages explain how Orange County families pursue the most common nursing home claims, each with local facility data and the county long-term care ombudsman:
- Orange County bedsore lawyer
- Orange County nursing home sepsis lawyer
- Orange County nursing home dehydration and malnutrition lawyer
- Orange County nursing home medication error lawyer
You can also compare every home in the Orange County nursing home directory.
Are There Lawsuits Against Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center?
This page reports federal and state inspection, complaint and enforcement records for Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center. Those records are separate from civil lawsuits: a government citation is not a lawsuit, and a facility can be sued without ever being cited. This site does not track civil court filings. Civil cases against California skilled nursing facilities are usually filed in the Superior Court of the county where the facility is located; records for Orange County are searchable through the Orange County Superior Court's online case records. If your family member was injured at Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, the records that matter most are usually the resident's own: nursing notes, care plans, fall-risk assessments, wound records, medication administration records, physician orders and incident reports. Talk to us about what happened.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center a good nursing home?
- CMS gives Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center an overall rating of 3 of 5 stars, with a health inspection rating of 2 of 5 based on in-person state surveys. California has issued 16 state citations against the facility, including 5 in the state's two most serious classes, class A and class AA. A rating is a starting point, not a verdict. Read it alongside the inspection dates and what you see for yourself.
- What should I do if my loved one was injured at Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center?
- Document the injury with dated photos, request the care plan and treatment records, and report your concern to the California Department of Public Health and the Orange County Long-Term Care Ombudsman. If the injury is serious, such as a bedsore, a fall, or an untreated infection, you can also speak with a nursing home attorney about whether you have a claim.
- Has Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center been fined or cited for serious violations?
- Public records show 2 federal fines totaling $50,950 and 16 California state citations with $89,150 in state penalties, including 5 class A citations.
- How many state citations does Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center have?
- The California Department of Public Health has issued 16 citations against Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Laguna Hills between August 27, 2001 and April 21, 2017: 5 class A and 11 class B, with $89,150 in assessed penalties.
- How do I report a problem at Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center?
- File a complaint with CDPH through its Cal Health Find system, or contact the Orange County Long-Term Care Ombudsman at (800) 300-6222. In an emergency, call Adult Protective Services or 911.
If your loved one was harmed
We came to this work from the other side. We spent years defending nursing homes, which means we know how a facility builds a file to protect itself and where the gaps in that file tend to be. Under California's Elder Abuse Act (Welfare and Institutions Code sections 15600 to 15675), a family that proves, by clear and convincing evidence, that neglect was committed with recklessness, oppression, fraud or malice can recover remedies beyond an ordinary injury claim, including attorney's fees (section 15657).
If your loved one was harmed at Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, talk to our Orange County nursing home abuse lawyers. We handle cases in Laguna Hills and across California. The consultation is free and confidential, we are available around the clock, and you owe nothing unless we recover for you.
Call (888) 999-0169. Available 24/7. Free consultation. No fee unless we win.
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Sources
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Care Compare: Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center provider record, CCN 555257. Ratings, staffing, and federal deficiency data processed August 1, 2026.
- CMS Provider Data Catalog: Provider Information, Penalties, and Health Deficiencies datasets.
- California Department of Public Health, Cal Health Find: Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center state license record, FACID 060000255, license 60000226.
- California Department of Public Health, Health Facilities State Enforcement Actions dataset (CHHS Open Data), citations July 1, 1997 through June 30, 2024.
Disclaimer
The inspection data, ratings, citations, staffing figures, and ownership information on this page come from public sources, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (medicare.gov) and the California Department of Public Health. This information is reported as published by those sources and may not reflect the most current findings or conditions at the facility. Deficiencies and citations listed may have been corrected or appealed since the date shown. Inclusion of Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in this directory is not a statement, allegation, or suggestion that the facility has committed abuse, neglect, or any wrongdoing. This page is attorney advertising and an information resource. It is not legal advice, and using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship. Young & Wallin is not affiliated with Palm Terrace Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, and neither the facility nor any government agency endorses this page.