1/5
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.
1/5
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.
Kern River Transitional Care is a dedicated nursing home in Bakersfield, CA, that offers skilled nursing and short-term rehabilitation. The community promotes a nurturing and welcoming environment, ensuring older adults are well-cared for. Residents also receive the right care for their needs with 24-hour care, assistance with personal hygiene, and social services. Through a resident-centered approach, the community strives to provide exceptional standards of care to help improve residents’ quality of life.
Themed events, light exercises, and various games provide residents with more opportunities to interact with friends and gain meaningful experiences. An expansive rehabilitation gym, spacious courtyards, and cozy communal spaces also help enrich residents’ living experiences. With its ideal location near the 99 freeway and Olive Drive in Bakersfield, residents have convenient travel access. This nursing home is one of the best options for senior living in California, especially with its high-quality care.
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 296th out of 354 homes in California 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.
| 39m per day | ■ Avg State avg: 39m 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.
| 1h 13m per day | ■ Avg State avg: 1h 13m 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 44m per day | ▲ 3% State avg: 2h 39m 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 56m per day | ▼ 4% State avg: 4h 5m 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.
| 7m per day | ▲ 45% State avg: 5m 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.
| 25m per day | ▼ 18% State avg: 30m per day · National avg: 29m per day |
Reporting period: October 1 – December 31, 2025 (Q4 2025). Source: CMS Payroll-Based Journal report.
0% compared with California average
17% better than California average
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
Manages medical care and health needs.
All 16 RN Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
16
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
9.4 hoursAssists with medical care and medications.
All 44 LPN Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
44
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
9.7 hoursHelps with daily care and mobility.
All 123 CNA Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
123
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
9.5 hours
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
| Certified Nursing Assistant | 123 | 0 | 123 | 33,459 | 92 | 100% | 9.5 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | 44 | 0 | 44 | 14,379 | 92 | 100% | 9.7 |
| Registered Nurse | 16 | 0 | 16 | 7,026 | 92 | 100% | 9.4 |
| Other Dietary Services Staff | 14 | 0 | 14 | 4,594 | 92 | 100% | 7.8 |
| Physical Therapy Aide | 8 | 0 | 8 | 2,092 | 70 | 76% | 6.9 |
| Speech Language Pathologist | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1,843 | 74 | 80% | 7.2 |
| Respiratory Therapy Technician | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1,486 | 80 | 87% | 7.4 |
| Dental Services Staff | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1,310 | 65 | 71% | 8.2 |
| Therapeutic Recreation Specialist | 2 | 0 | 2 | 948 | 67 | 73% | 8.2 |
| Physical Therapy Assistant | 3 | 0 | 3 | 680 | 64 | 70% | 7 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 1 | 0 | 1 | 512 | 64 | 70% | 8 |
| Occupational Therapy Aide | 1 | 0 | 1 | 512 | 64 | 70% | 8 |
| Dietitian | 1 | 0 | 1 | 512 | 64 | 70% | 8 |
| Administrator | 1 | 0 | 1 | 504 | 63 | 68% | 8 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | 1 | 0 | 1 | 488 | 61 | 66% | 8 |
| RN Director of Nursing | 1 | 0 | 1 | 464 | 58 | 63% | 8 |
| Qualified Social Worker | 1 | 0 | 1 | 160 | 35 | 38% | 4.6 |
Includes penalties issued in 2023
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)
42% higher than California averageCalifornia average: $55K
58% fewer fines than California averageCalifornia average: 2.4
Serious action where Medicare and/or Medicaid temporarily stops payments for new residents until issues are fixed.
0
100% fewer payment denials than California averageCalifornia average: 0.5
Penalties are imposed by CMS for violations of federal nursing home regulations.
1 penalty in the past 3 years
Dec 7, 2023 · $78K
Fines imposed for noncompliance, which can be assessed per day or per instance of violation.
Dec 7, 2023Last updated: Jan 2026
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.
4.2
37% better than California averageCalifornia average: 6.6
A composite score based on activities of daily living decline, walking ability decline, and incontinence.
7.6
33% better than California averageCalifornia average: 11.3
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
3.2%
71% better than California averageCalifornia average: 11.1%
Percent of long-stay residents whose ability to move independently worsened
12.6%
5% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 12.0%
Percent of low risk long-stay residents who lose control of their bowels or bladder
6.8%
40% better than California averageCalifornia average: 11.3%
Percent of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury
0.3%
80% better than California averageCalifornia average: 1.7%
Percent of long-stay high risk residents with pressure ulcers
3.4%
31% better than California averageCalifornia average: 5.0%
Percent of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection
0.0%
100% better than California averageCalifornia average: 1.2%
Percent of long-stay residents who lose too much weight
1.2%
72% better than California averageCalifornia average: 4.2%
Percent of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms
9.6%
43% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 6.7%
Percent of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication
15.3%
52% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 10.1%
Percent of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine
100.0%
In line with California averageCalifornia average: 98.5%
Percent of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine
100.0%
In line with California averageCalifornia average: 98.2%
Number of hospitalizations per 1,000 long-stay resident days.
2.01
11% better than California averageCalifornia average: 2.25
Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1,000 long-stay resident days.
1.82
14% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 1.59
CMS star rating based on short-stay quality measure performance. 5 stars = much above average, 1 star = much below average.
Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine
100.0%
6% better than California averageCalifornia average: 94.0%
Percent of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication
2.0%
37% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 1.5%
Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine
99.7%
7% better than California averageCalifornia average: 93.2%
Percentage of short-stay residents who were re-hospitalized after their nursing home admission.
26.2%
13% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 23.2%
Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit.
11.1%
In line with California averageCalifornia average: 11.2%
Percentage of SNF residents who experience falls with major injury during their stay.
1.4%
82% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 0.8%
Percentage of residents at or above expected ability to care for themselves at discharge.
34.8%
35% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 53.7%
Rate of successful return to home or community from a skilled nursing facility.
60.2%
19% better than California averageCalifornia average: 50.6%
Quality measures are calculated from Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments. For most measures, lower percentages indicate better care quality.
57% of new residents, usually for short-term rehab.
40% of new residents, often for short stays.
3% of new residents, often for long-term daily care.
Source: CMS Long-Term Care Facility Characteristics (Data as of Jan 2026)
Total residents
132Residents meet regularly to discuss policies, care quality, and activities
Conducts clinical research trials to develop and test new treatments
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 Kern River Transitional Care from 2019–2023, based on CMS SNF Cost Reports.
Based on CMS SNF Cost Report for fiscal year ending in 12/2023.
Net patient revenue — what the home actually collects for resident care, after contractual allowances, bad debt and discounts are subtracted from its gross charges (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3). It covers resident care only; money the home earns from other sources is shown separately as "Other income."
Net patient income: net patient revenue minus the home's total operating expenses. A positive figure means it earns more from resident care than it spends to deliver it; a negative figure means the opposite. It excludes non-operating "other income."
Net patient revenue — what the home actually collects for resident care, after contractual allowances, bad debt and discounts are subtracted from its gross charges (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3). It covers resident care only; money the home earns from other sources is shown separately as "Other income."
Net patient income: net patient revenue minus the home's total operating expenses. A positive figure means it earns more from resident care than it spends to deliver it; a negative figure means the opposite. It excludes non-operating "other income."
Money the home earns outside of resident care — such as investments, grants, rentals and other non-operating sources (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3). It is tracked separately from net patient revenue: it is not part of that figure, and it is not included in net patient income.
Staff salaries plus wage-related costs — benefits such as payroll taxes, health insurance and retirement — from the home's own accounting records (CMS cost report, Worksheet A). Contract or agency labor is counted separately, under other operating costs.
Rank #43 / 355Payroll — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 43rd out of 355 homes in California. Shows total annual staff payroll benchmarked to the California average. Higher payroll investment relative to peers often signals better staffing and less reliance on cheaper contract labor.Rankings are based only on facilities in California that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
Payroll as a share of revenue: staff salaries and wage-related benefits divided by net patient revenue. A higher figure means more of each revenue dollar goes to staff pay.
Rank #308 / 355Payroll % — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 308th out of 355 homes in California. Shows payroll as a percentage of revenue versus the California average. Well-run California facilities typically land around 56–67% — the top third Statewide. Below 25% may signal understaffing or heavy agency use — read with Staffing ratings.Rankings are based only on facilities in California that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
Everything it costs to run the home apart from payroll — food, utilities, supplies, maintenance, contract labor and administration. Calculated as total operating expense minus payroll (staff salaries and wage-related benefits).
The home's total operating expense for the year — all the costs of running it, salaries included (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3).
Housing Options: Private / Semi-Private Rooms
Building Type: Single-story
Rehabilitative Support
On-site Medical Care and Health Services
Most residents typically stay for a few weeks or months before returning home or moving on.
Most new residents arrive under Medicare (57% of admissions), and a typical Medicare stay runs around 1 - 2 months.
Coverage residents most often arrive under.
Coverage residents most often leave under.
5.9 miles from city center
Estimated distance in miles from Bakersfield's city center to Kern River Transitional Care's address, calculated via Google Maps.
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The information below is reported by the California Department of Social Services and Department of Public Health.
| San Joaquin Nursing and Rehabilitation Center | NH HC MC | Bakersfield (Homaker Park) | 99
Facility
99
CA AVG
103
Rank
#725 / 1657 |
93.7%
Facility
93.7%
CA AVG
84.7%
Rank
#167 / 1537 | +11% | 3.70
Facility
3.70
CA AVG
4.22
Rank
#245 / 354 | -60% | -12% | $47.2k
Facility
$47.2k
CA AVG
$56.5k
Rank
#311 / 362 | - | 87
Facility
87
CA AVG
50.2
Rank
#320 / 361 | 2.6
Facility
2.6
CA AVG
4.6
Rank
#39 / 361 | 2 | 89 | A+ |
55
Facility
55
CA AVG
57
Rank
#1215 / 2092 | Bryce Blood | $17.1M
Facility
$17.1M
CA AVG
$17.0M
Rank
#129 / 355 | $8.8M
Facility
$8.8M
CA AVG
$7.0M
Rank
#166 / 355 | 51.3%
Facility
51.3%
CA AVG
45.2%
Rank
#263 / 355 | 56294 | ||||
| Brookdale Riverwalk | NH AL IL MC | Bakersfield (Fairway Oaks) | 376
Facility
376
CA AVG
103
Rank
#32 / 1657 |
66.0%
Facility
66.0%
CA AVG
84.7%
Rank
#1099 / 1537 | -22% | 4.35
Facility
4.35
CA AVG
4.22
Rank
#122 / 354 | +1% | +3% | $56.3k
Facility
$56.3k
CA AVG
$56.5k
Rank
#320 / 362 | 65
Facility
65
CA AVG
81
Rank
#1237 / 1401 | 69
Facility
69
CA AVG
50.2
Rank
#296 / 361 | 2.6
Facility
2.6
CA AVG
4.6
Rank
#39 / 361 | 1 | 248 | - |
32
Facility
32
CA AVG
57
Rank
#1693 / 2092 | Brookdale Gardens Inc | $15.6M
Facility
$15.6M
CA AVG
$17.0M
Rank
#131 / 355 | $8.7M
Facility
$8.7M
CA AVG
$7.0M
Rank
#170 / 355 | 55.6%
Facility
55.6%
CA AVG
45.2%
Rank
#257 / 355 | 555771 | ||||
| Height Street Skilled Care | NH HC NC PC RC | Bakersfield | 99
Facility
99
CA AVG
103
Rank
#725 / 1657 |
46.3%
Facility
46.3%
CA AVG
84.7%
Rank
#1409 / 1537 | -45% | 4.19
Facility
4.19
CA AVG
4.22
Rank
#138 / 354 | -24% | -1% | $12.7k
Facility
$12.7k
CA AVG
$56.5k
Rank
#253 / 362 | - | 65
Facility
65
CA AVG
50.2
Rank
#286 / 361 | 2.6
Facility
2.6
CA AVG
4.6
Rank
#39 / 361 | 3 | 91 | A+ |
73
Facility
73
CA AVG
57
Rank
#642 / 2092 | Cep Holdings LLC | $12.2M
Facility
$12.2M
CA AVG
$17.0M
Rank
#186 / 355 | $9.3M
Facility
$9.3M
CA AVG
$7.0M
Rank
#145 / 355 | 76.1%
Facility
76.1%
CA AVG
45.2%
Rank
#87 / 355 | 555902 | ||||
| The Orchards Post-Acute | NH AL IL MC | Bakersfield (Homaker Park) | 150
Facility
150
CA AVG
103
Rank
#343 / 1657 |
87.4%
Facility
87.4%
CA AVG
84.7%
Rank
#398 / 1537 | +3% | 3.93
Facility
3.93
CA AVG
4.22
Rank
#206 / 354 | +4% | -7% | $9.2k
Facility
$9.2k
CA AVG
$56.5k
Rank
#236 / 362 | - | 96
Facility
96
CA AVG
50.2
Rank
#336 / 361 | 2.8
Facility
2.8
CA AVG
4.6
Rank
#50 / 361 | 2 | 140 | - |
60
Facility
60
CA AVG
57
Rank
#1050 / 2092 | - | $18.6M
Facility
$18.6M
CA AVG
$17.0M
Rank
#139 / 355 | $9.5M
Facility
$9.5M
CA AVG
$7.0M
Rank
#90 / 355 | 51%
Facility
51%
CA AVG
45.2%
Rank
#113 / 355 | 555702 | ||||
| Kern River Transitional Care | NH | Bakersfield (South San Lauren) | 140
Facility
140
CA AVG
103
Rank
#419 / 1657 |
95.6%
Facility
95.6%
CA AVG
84.7%
Rank
#184 / 1537 | +13% | 3.46
Facility
3.46
CA AVG
4.22
Rank
#296 / 354 | -23% | -18% | $77.7k
Facility
$77.7k
CA AVG
$56.5k
Rank
#335 / 362 | - | 99
Facility
99
CA AVG
50.2
Rank
#340 / 361 | 2.8
Facility
2.8
CA AVG
4.6
Rank
#50 / 361 | 1 | 133 | - |
27
Facility
27
CA AVG
57
Rank
#1760 / 2092 | - | $29.3M
Facility
$29.3M
CA AVG
$17.0M
Rank
#29 / 355 | $13.7M
Facility
$13.7M
CA AVG
$7.0M
Rank
#43 / 355 | 46.6%
Facility
46.6%
CA AVG
45.2%
Rank
#308 / 355 | 555912 |
Kern River Transitional Care is located in Bakersfield, California.
Here are the financial assistance programs available to residents in California.
Kern River Transitional Care is in the South San Lauren neighborhood.
Kern River Transitional Care has a walk score of 27. Somewhat walkable. A few nearby services may be reachable on foot, but most trips require transportation.
Kern River Transitional Care's occupancy is 95.6%.
Yes — there are 10 photos of Kern River Transitional Care in the photo gallery on this page.
Kern River Transitional Care is located at 5151 Knudsen Dr, Bakersfield, CA 93308.
(661) 325-9900 will put you in contact with the team at Kern River Transitional Care.
Yes — Kern River Transitional Care is a CMS-certified provider of Medicare and Medicaid.
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