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5/5
CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) is the federal agency that rates nursing home quality. Its Overall Rating runs from 1 to 5 stars, combining health inspections, staffing, and quality measures, with inspections weighted most heavily.
5/5
CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) is the federal agency that rates nursing home quality. Its Overall Rating runs from 1 to 5 stars, combining health inspections, staffing, and quality measures, with inspections weighted most heavily.
Boundary Waters Care Center (BWCC) is a vibrant nonprofit, 503(c)(3), skilled care and rehabilitative community in Ely, Minnesota where values-driven team members are focused on upholding the well-being, dignity, and individual capabilities of each resident. The community serves older adults and their families with short-term rehabilitation services and long-term care designed to ensure residents may safely lead a lifestyle with as much independence as
possible.
The Overall CMS Rating combines results from health inspections, staffing levels and quality measures. Health inspections carry the most weight. Staffing and quality scores can increase or decrease the final rating based on performance compared to state and national standards.
Based on the results of the facility's three most recent standard inspections and any complaint investigations. CMS reviews the number, scope, and severity of deficiencies, with more recent findings weighted more heavily.
Measures average nursing staff hours per resident per day, including Registered Nurses (RNs) and total nursing staff. Ratings are adjusted based on the level of care residents require and are compared to state and national benchmarks.
Based on clinical and physical health indicators reported to CMS, such as hospital readmissions, falls, pressure ulcers, and improvements in mobility. These measures reflect how well residents' health needs are being managed.
Daily nursing hours per resident by staff type, reported to CMS. Higher is generally better — compare this facility to state and national averages to see where staffing stands.
This home is ranked 52nd out of 85 homes in Minnesota for nurse hours. Total adjusted nursing hours per resident per day, combining RN, LPN, and aide time. CMS adjusts this for case-mix so facilities can be fairly compared.
| Staff type | Hours / Day / Resident | vs state avg |
|---|---|---|
|
Registered Nurse (RN)
RNs hold the highest nursing license and can assess residents, interpret test results, and direct care plans. More RN hours per day often signals stronger clinical oversight and faster response to health changes.
| 1h 16m per day | ▲ 18% State avg: 1h 4m per day · National avg: 41m per day |
|
LPN / LVN
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) or Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) deliver routine hands-on care — medication administration, wound dressing, and monitoring vital signs. They work under RN supervision and make up a large share of daily bedside care.
| 24m per day | ▼ 35% State avg: 37m per day · National avg: 52m per day |
|
Nurse Aide
Certified Nurse Aides (CNAs) provide the most direct day-to-day assistance: bathing, dressing, feeding, and mobility. Nurse aide hours are typically the largest staffing category and directly affect residents' quality of life.
| 2h 41m per day | ▲ 5% State avg: 2h 33m per day · National avg: 2h 21m per day |
|
Weekend Total Nursing
Combined nursing hours (RN + LPN + Nurse Aide) per resident per day on weekends. Staffing often drops on weekends — this figure reveals whether the facility maintains adequate coverage outside of weekday hours.
| 3h 47m per day | ▲ 3% State avg: 3h 41m per day · National avg: 3h 26m per day |
|
Physical Therapist
Hours per resident per day provided by licensed Physical Therapists (PTs) or PT Assistants. PT services help residents recover mobility after injury or illness and are especially important for post-acute (short-stay) rehabilitation.
| 3m per day | ▼ 27% State avg: 4m per day · National avg: 4m per day |
|
Weekend RN
Registered nurse hours specifically on weekends. Facilities sometimes reduce RN presence on Saturdays and Sundays — a low weekend RN figure compared to weekday hours can indicate reduced clinical oversight when most administrative staff are absent.
| 44m per day | ▲ 7% State avg: 41m per day · National avg: 29m per day |
Key information about the people who lead and staff this community.
In Minnesota, the Department of Health, Health Regulation Division is the primary authority for conducting onsite inspections and reporting on the quality of care in residential facilities.
This scorecard compares key inspection, citation, and complaint metrics at this facility against the Minnesota state average. Metrics rated ≥15% worse than average are highlighted in red; those ≥15% better are highlighted in green.
Deficiencies
| This Facility | MN Average | vs. MN Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total deficiencies
Formal regulatory issues recorded by inspectors across all inspection types.
| 11 | 10 | This facility has 10% more total deficiencies than a typical Minnesota nursing home (11 vs. MN avg 10).↑ 10% worse |
|
Deficiencies per year
Average deficiencies per year since 2024.
| 5.5 | 5 | This facility has 10% more deficiencies per year than a typical Minnesota nursing home (5.5 vs. MN avg 5).↑ 10% worse |
An editor-reviewed summary of the themes and findings across this facility's recent inspection reports.
Minnesota average 6
Last Health inspection on Oct 2024
Minnesota average 23.2
Minnesota average 3.76
Health citations are formal notices following inspections when they fail to comply with safety and care standards.
All 21 citations resulted from standard inspections.
100% better than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 0.7
100% worse than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 0.5
Corrected
Corrected
Corrected
Corrected
Reporting period: October 1 – December 31, 2025 (Q4 2025). Source: CMS Payroll-Based Journal report.
23% fewer staff per resident than Minnesota average
12% better than Minnesota average
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
Manages medical care and health needs.
8 total: 7 full-time employees and 1 contractor.
8
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
10.2 hoursAssists with medical care and medications.
All 2 LPN Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
2
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
11.6 hoursHelps with daily care and mobility.
19 total: 17 full-time employees and 2 contractors.
19
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
8.8 hours
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
Total hours from contractors
1,679 contractor hours this quarter
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
| Certified Nursing Assistant | 17 | 2 | 19 | 6,113 | 92 | 100% | 8.8 |
| Registered Nurse | 7 | 1 | 8 | 2,025 | 90 | 98% | 10.2 |
| Other Dietary Services Staff | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1,423 | 92 | 100% | 8.1 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1,074 | 76 | 83% | 11.6 |
| Medication Aide/Technician | 2 | 0 | 2 | 963 | 75 | 82% | 9.9 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | 4 | 0 | 4 | 846 | 61 | 66% | 7.2 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 1 | 0 | 1 | 519 | 64 | 70% | 8.1 |
| Physical Therapy Aide | 1 | 0 | 1 | 474 | 61 | 66% | 7.8 |
| Dental Services Staff | 1 | 0 | 1 | 421 | 52 | 57% | 8.1 |
| Administrator | 1 | 0 | 1 | 392 | 49 | 53% | 8 |
| Respiratory Therapy Technician | 0 | 3 | 3 | 132 | 38 | 41% | 2.9 |
| Nurse Aide in Training | 2 | 0 | 2 | 111 | 15 | 16% | 7.4 |
| Speech Language Pathologist | 1 | 0 | 1 | 87 | 15 | 16% | 5.8 |
| Physical Therapy Assistant | 0 | 2 | 2 | 35 | 10 | 11% | 3.5 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 0 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 14 | 15% | 1.5 |
| Occupational Therapy Aide | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 4% | 4.1 |
| Medical Director | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1% | 1.5 |
Federal penalties imposed by CMS for regulatory violations, including civil money penalties (fines) and denials of payment for new Medicare/Medicaid admissions.
Source: CMS Penalties Database (Data as of Jan 2026)
77% lower than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: $44K
50% fewer fines than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 2.0
Serious action where Medicare and/or Medicaid temporarily stops payments for new residents until issues are fixed.
0
100% fewer payment denials than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 0.4
No penalties in the past 3 years
No civil money penalties or payment denials were reported in the last 3 years.
These measures show how residents usually do over time at this home, based on health outcomes and preventive care.
A composite score based on pressure ulcers, falls with injury, weight loss, walking ability decline, and activities of daily living decline.
6.9
38% better than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 11.1
A composite score based on activities of daily living decline, walking ability decline, and incontinence.
16.7
26% better than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 22.6
CMS star rating based on long-stay quality measure performance. 5 stars = significantly above average, 1 star = significantly below average.
Percent of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased
8.5%
55% better than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 18.9%
Percent of long-stay residents whose ability to move independently worsened
13.1%
45% better than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 23.8%
Percent of low risk long-stay residents who lose control of their bowels or bladder
28.4%
14% worse than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 25.0%
Percent of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury
2.6%
31% better than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 3.7%
Percent of long-stay high risk residents with pressure ulcers
2.3%
59% better than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 5.4%
Percent of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection
0.9%
68% better than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 2.7%
Percent of long-stay residents who lose too much weight
8.1%
95% worse than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 4.1%
Percent of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms
0.9%
79% better than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 4.4%
Percent of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication
14.3%
17% better than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 17.2%
Percent of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine
100.0%
In line with Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 97.3%
Percent of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine
100.0%
In line with Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 96.0%
Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine
100.0%
12% better than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 88.9%
Percent of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication
5.0%
161% worse than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 1.9%
Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine
95.7%
16% better than Minnesota averageMinnesota average: 82.6%
Quality measures are calculated from Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments. For most measures, lower percentages indicate better care quality.
31% of new residents, usually for short-term rehab.
61% of new residents, often for short stays.
8% of new residents, often for long-term daily care.
Source: CMS Long-Term Care Facility Characteristics (Data as of Jan 2026)
Total residents
32Residents meet regularly to discuss policies, care quality, and activities
State-approved Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program on-site
Organized group of residents that meets regularly to discuss facility policies, quality of life, and activities.
Data sourced from CMS Long-Term Care Facility Characteristics quarterly report. Payer mix reflects the current resident census by primary payment source.
Historical financial and operational data for Boundary Waters Care Center from 2012–2023, based on CMS SNF Cost Reports.
Based on the 2023 CMS SNF Cost Report.
The portion of the home's budget spent on staff, including nurses, caregivers, and other employees who support care and operations.
Rank #73 / 85Payroll — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 73rd out of 85 homes in Minnesota. Shows total annual staff payroll benchmarked to the Minnesota average. Higher payroll investment relative to peers often signals better staffing and less reliance on cheaper contract labor.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
All remaining costs needed to run the home, such as food, utilities, building maintenance, supplies and administrative expenses.
Residents typically stay for brief periods, with frequent admissions and discharges throughout the year.
Most new residents arrive under private pay (61% of admissions), and a typical private pay stay runs around 6 - 7 months.
Coverage residents most often arrive under.
Coverage residents most often leave under.
0.3 miles from city center
Estimated distance in miles from Ely's city center to Boundary Waters Care Center's address, calculated via Google Maps.
— 0.05 miles to nearest hospital (Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital)
Add your location
Boundary Waters Care Center is located in Ely, Minnesota.
Here are the financial assistance programs available to residents in Minnesota.
The information below is reported by the Minnesota Department of Health, Health Regulation Division.
| Boundary Waters Care Center |
NH Nursing Home Licensed facility providing 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. Staffed by RNs, LPNs, and CNAs. Inspected and star-rated annually by CMS. Accepts Medicare (short-term rehab) and Medicaid (long-term care).
AL Assisted Living A licensed, long-term care setting for seniors or individuals with disabilities who need help with daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and medication management — but not 24-hour skilled nursing. Offers housing, meals, and around-the-clock support while aiming to maximize resident independence. | Ely | 42
Facility
42
MN AVG
61
Rank
#283 / 532 |
77.0%
Facility
77.0%
MN AVG
79.7%
Rank
#177 / 328 | -3% | 4.50
Facility
4.50
MN AVG
4.77
Rank
#52 / 85 | +4% | -6% | $0
Facility
$0
MN AVG
$47.9k
Rank
#44 / 86 | 21
Facility
21
MN AVG
23.2
Rank
#34 / 86 | 7.0
Facility
7.0
MN AVG
3.8
Rank
#82 / 86 | 1 | 29 | - |
61
Facility
61
MN AVG
43
Rank
#159 / 632 | Michael Forsman | $4.9M
Facility
$4.9M
MN AVG
$9.9M
Rank
#75 / 85 | $3.4M
Facility
$3.4M
MN AVG
$4.9M
Rank
#73 / 85 | 69.3%
Facility
69.3%
MN AVG
50.7%
Rank
#7 / 85 | 245138 | ||||
| Friendship Village of Bloomington |
NH Nursing Home Licensed facility providing 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. Staffed by RNs, LPNs, and CNAs. Inspected and star-rated annually by CMS. Accepts Medicare (short-term rehab) and Medicaid (long-term care).
AL Assisted Living A licensed, long-term care setting for seniors or individuals with disabilities who need help with daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and medication management — but not 24-hour skilled nursing. Offers housing, meals, and around-the-clock support while aiming to maximize resident independence.
IL Independent Living Lifestyle-focused communities for older adults offering dining, activities, and transportation with minimal personal care. Best for active, independent seniors who want community without medical support.
MC Memory Care Secured, specialized care for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia. Staff trained in cognitive impairment, with higher staff-to-resident ratios and an environment designed to reduce confusion and wandering risk. | Bloomington (West Bloomington) | 85
Facility
85
MN AVG
61
Rank
#159 / 532 |
84.7%
Facility
84.7%
MN AVG
79.7%
Rank
#112 / 328 | +6% | 4.76
Facility
4.76
MN AVG
4.77
Rank
#34 / 85 | +2% | 0% | $99.5k
Facility
$99.5k
MN AVG
$47.9k
Rank
#78 / 86 | 18
Facility
18
MN AVG
23.2
Rank
#26 / 86 | 6.0
Facility
6.0
MN AVG
3.8
Rank
#76 / 86 | 1 | 63 | - |
16
Facility
16
MN AVG
43
Rank
#525 / 632 | Jennifer Bever | $33.8M
Facility
$33.8M
MN AVG
$9.9M
Rank
#3 / 85 | $16.5M
Facility
$16.5M
MN AVG
$4.9M
Rank
#6 / 85 | 48.8%
Facility
48.8%
MN AVG
50.7%
Rank
#63 / 85 | 245229 | ||||
| Jones-Harrison Senior Living |
NH Nursing Home Licensed facility providing 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. Staffed by RNs, LPNs, and CNAs. Inspected and star-rated annually by CMS. Accepts Medicare (short-term rehab) and Medicaid (long-term care).
AL Assisted Living A licensed, long-term care setting for seniors or individuals with disabilities who need help with daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and medication management — but not 24-hour skilled nursing. Offers housing, meals, and around-the-clock support while aiming to maximize resident independence.
IL Independent Living Lifestyle-focused communities for older adults offering dining, activities, and transportation with minimal personal care. Best for active, independent seniors who want community without medical support.
MC Memory Care Secured, specialized care for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia. Staff trained in cognitive impairment, with higher staff-to-resident ratios and an environment designed to reduce confusion and wandering risk. | Minneapolis (Calhoun Isles) | 53
Facility
53
MN AVG
61
Rank
#249 / 532 |
92.5%
Facility
92.5%
MN AVG
79.7%
Rank
#59 / 328 | +16% | 5.11
Facility
5.11
MN AVG
4.77
Rank
#24 / 85 | +38% | +7% | $0
Facility
$0
MN AVG
$47.9k
Rank
#1 / 86 | 35
Facility
35
MN AVG
23.2
Rank
#61 / 86 | 4.4
Facility
4.4
MN AVG
3.8
Rank
#54 / 86 | - | 49 | - |
56
Facility
56
MN AVG
43
Rank
#212 / 632 | Marcia Diracles | $18.9M
Facility
$18.9M
MN AVG
$9.9M
Rank
#25 / 85 | $12.4M
Facility
$12.4M
MN AVG
$4.9M
Rank
#15 / 85 | 65.9%
Facility
65.9%
MN AVG
50.7%
Rank
#14 / 85 | 245460 | ||||
| Walker Methodist – Westwood Ridge |
NH Nursing Home Licensed facility providing 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. Staffed by RNs, LPNs, and CNAs. Inspected and star-rated annually by CMS. Accepts Medicare (short-term rehab) and Medicaid (long-term care).
AL Assisted Living A licensed, long-term care setting for seniors or individuals with disabilities who need help with daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and medication management — but not 24-hour skilled nursing. Offers housing, meals, and around-the-clock support while aiming to maximize resident independence.
IL Independent Living Lifestyle-focused communities for older adults offering dining, activities, and transportation with minimal personal care. Best for active, independent seniors who want community without medical support.
MC Memory Care Secured, specialized care for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia. Staff trained in cognitive impairment, with higher staff-to-resident ratios and an environment designed to reduce confusion and wandering risk. | West St Paul (West Saint Paul) | 140
Facility
140
MN AVG
61
Rank
#44 / 532 |
82.9%
Facility
82.9%
MN AVG
79.7%
Rank
#131 / 328 | +4% | 6.74
Facility
6.74
MN AVG
4.77
Rank
#4 / 85 | -3% | +41% | $15.6k
Facility
$15.6k
MN AVG
$47.9k
Rank
#58 / 86 | 30
Facility
30
MN AVG
23.2
Rank
#53 / 86 | 5.0
Facility
5.0
MN AVG
3.8
Rank
#63 / 86 | 1 | 116 | - |
63
Facility
63
MN AVG
43
Rank
#145 / 632 | Walker Methodist | $12.3M
Facility
$12.3M
MN AVG
$9.9M
Rank
#44 / 85 | $7.1M
Facility
$7.1M
MN AVG
$4.9M
Rank
#42 / 85 | 57.6%
Facility
57.6%
MN AVG
50.7%
Rank
#43 / 85 | 245618 | ||||
| Benedictine Living Community-Duluth |
NH Nursing Home Licensed facility providing 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. Staffed by RNs, LPNs, and CNAs. Inspected and star-rated annually by CMS. Accepts Medicare (short-term rehab) and Medicaid (long-term care).
AL Assisted Living A licensed, long-term care setting for seniors or individuals with disabilities who need help with daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and medication management — but not 24-hour skilled nursing. Offers housing, meals, and around-the-clock support while aiming to maximize resident independence.
HC Home Care Professional care delivered in the person's own home — from companionship and errands to skilled nursing and therapy. Allows seniors to age in place. Medicare covers skilled home health when medically necessary.
IL Independent Living Lifestyle-focused communities for older adults offering dining, activities, and transportation with minimal personal care. Best for active, independent seniors who want community without medical support.
MC Memory Care Secured, specialized care for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia. Staff trained in cognitive impairment, with higher staff-to-resident ratios and an environment designed to reduce confusion and wandering risk. | Duluth (Kenwood) | 96
Facility
96
MN AVG
61
Rank
#131 / 532 |
100.0%
Facility
100.0%
MN AVG
79.7%
Rank
#1 / 328 | +25% | 3.85
Facility
3.85
MN AVG
4.77
Rank
#67 / 85 | -27% | -19% | $0
Facility
$0
MN AVG
$47.9k
Rank
#1 / 86 | 16
Facility
16
MN AVG
23.2
Rank
#19 / 86 | 3.2
Facility
3.2
MN AVG
3.8
Rank
#29 / 86 | - | 89 | - |
9
Facility
9
MN AVG
43
Rank
#560 / 632 | Tia Bowe | $32.6M
Facility
$32.6M
MN AVG
$9.9M
Rank
#4 / 85 | $11.3M
Facility
$11.3M
MN AVG
$4.9M
Rank
#20 / 85 | 34.8%
Facility
34.8%
MN AVG
50.7%
Rank
#83 / 85 | 245236 |
Boundary Waters Care Center is in the Ely neighborhood of Ely.
Boundary Waters Care Center has a walk score of 61. Moderately walkable. Some errands can be accomplished on foot, with a mix of nearby amenities.
Boundary Waters Care Center's occupancy is 77.0%.
Yes — there are 2 photos of Boundary Waters Care Center in the photo gallery on this page.
(218) 365-8705 will put you in contact with the team at Boundary Waters Care Center.
Yes — Boundary Waters Care Center is a CMS-certified provider of Medicare and Medicaid.
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