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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.
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.
The Sequoias Portola Valley is a well-regarded life plan community in Portola Valley, CA, that offers comprehensive care options, ranging from independent living to skilled nursing. Featuring beautifully designed and well-lit floor plans, the community ensures older adults experience its home-like atmosphere. Maintenance services, 24-hour security, and restaurant-style dining ensure residents have a maintenance-free retirement. The community’s wide range of care allows residents to age in place.
Creative activities, fun-filled excursions, and a variety of games provide residents with plenty of options to spend their days actively and happily. Residents can also lounge and interact with their surroundings with the community’s top-notch amenities, including the library, beauty salon, and gift shop. Set in the tree-lined neighborhood near public transportation in Portola Valley, the community guarantees accessibility and convenience. With several recognitions from esteemed partners, this life plan community is one of the best choices for senior living in California.
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 10th out of 345 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 |
|---|---|---|
|
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.
| 4h 56m per day | ▲ 21% State avg: 4h 4m per day · National avg: 3h 25m per day |
Higher than the California average: 72.8%The Sequoias Portola Valley is legally operated by Sequoia Living, Inc., and administrated by Suzanne Wasley-Fairley.
In California, the Department of Social Services (for assisted living facilities) and the Department of Public Health (for nursing homes) conduct inspections to ensure resident safety and regulatory compliance.
A composite 0–100 score combining this facility's inspections, citations, complaints, and enforcement actions relative to the California state average. The score below shows how many points this facility sits above or below the typical California nursing home score (the benchmark); higher is better.
10 points above the California average for nursing homes (81/100)
Inspection score: 91 out of 100. Letter grade A-. 10 points above the California average for nursing homes (81/100)
This scorecard compares key inspection, citation, and complaint metrics at this facility against the California state average. Metrics rated ≥15% worse than average are highlighted in red; those ≥15% better are highlighted in green.
Citations
| This Facility | CA Average | vs. CA Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total citations
Formal regulatory issues recorded by inspectors across all inspection types.
| 3 | 10 | This facility has 70% fewer total citations than a typical California nursing home (3 vs. CA avg 10).↓ 70% better |
|
Serious citations (Type A)
Violations that pose an immediate risk to resident health or safety. Type A citations are the most serious and typically require prompt corrective action.
| 1 | 3 | This facility has 67% fewer serious citations (type a) than a typical California nursing home (1 vs. CA avg 3).↓ 67% better Rank #413 / 1164 Serious citations (Type A) — State benchmarked This home is ranked 413th out of 1164 homes in California. Shows this facility's # of serious citations compared to the California average among 1164 comparable communities in the ranking pool. |
|
Moderate citations (Type B)
Violations that do not pose an immediate risk but still represent a departure from required care or operational standards.
| 2 | 4 | This facility has 50% fewer moderate citations (type b) than a typical California nursing home (2 vs. CA avg 4).↓ 50% better |
|
Citations per year
Average citations per year since 2023.
| 1 | 3.3 | This facility has 70% fewer citations per year than a typical California nursing home (1 vs. CA avg 3.3).↓ 70% better |
|
Citations per inspection
Average citations per inspection.
| 0.4 | 3.3 | This facility has 88% fewer citations per inspection than a typical California nursing home (0.4 vs. CA avg 3.3).↓ 88% better |
Inspections & Visits
| This Facility | CA Average | vs. CA Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total visits
Combined count of complaint visits, other regulatory visits, and official scheduled inspections.
| 7 | 16 | This facility has 56% fewer total visits than a typical California nursing home (7 vs. CA avg 16).↓ 56% better |
|
Complaint visits
On-site visits triggered by formal complaints filed by residents, families, or staff.
| 1 | 13 | This facility has 92% fewer complaint visits than a typical California nursing home (1 vs. CA avg 13).↓ 92% better Rank #210 / 1397 Complaint visits — State benchmarked This home is ranked 210th out of 1397 homes in California. Shows this facility's # of complaint visits compared to the California average among 1397 comparable communities in the ranking pool. |
|
Other visits
Regulatory visits that are neither routine inspections nor complaint investigations — administrative check-ins, follow-up reviews, licensing-related visits.
| 3 | 7 | This facility has 57% fewer other visits than a typical California nursing home (3 vs. CA avg 7).↓ 57% better |
|
Official inspections
Routine, scheduled inspections conducted by state regulators to evaluate whether the facility meets federal and state standards.
| 3 | 4 | This facility has 25% fewer official inspections than a typical California nursing home (3 vs. CA avg 4).↓ 25% better |
|
Complaint investigations
On-site investigations triggered by complaints filed with California regulators.
| 2 | 10 | This facility has 80% fewer complaint investigations than a typical California nursing home (2 vs. CA avg 10).↓ 80% better |
California average 12.5
Last Health inspection on Aug 2025
California average 50.2
California average 4.65
Health citations are formal notices following inspections when they fail to comply with safety and care standards.
19 of 20 citations resulted from standard inspections; and 1 of 20 resulted from complaint investigations.
100% better than California averageCalifornia average: 0.4
100% better than California averageCalifornia average: 1
Corrected
Corrected
Corrected
Corrected
Reporting period: October 1 – December 31, 2025 (Q4 2025). Source: CMS Payroll-Based Journal report.
100% fewer staff per resident than California average
0% compared with 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 4 RN Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
4
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
7.7 hoursAssists with medical care and medications.
All 8 LPN Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
8
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
8.3 hoursHelps with daily care and mobility.
30 total: 20 full-time employees and 10 contractors.
30
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
7.7 hours
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
Total hours from contractors
2,704 contractor hours this quarter
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
| Certified Nursing Assistant | 20 | 10 | 30 | 7,974 | 92 | 100% | 7.7 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | 8 | 0 | 8 | 3,873 | 92 | 100% | 8.3 |
| Registered Nurse | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1,344 | 91 | 99% | 7.7 |
| Physical Therapy Assistant | 0 | 3 | 3 | 961 | 68 | 74% | 5.9 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | 2 | 0 | 2 | 665 | 82 | 89% | 7.9 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 1 | 0 | 1 | 512 | 64 | 70% | 8 |
| Occupational Therapy Aide | 0 | 1 | 1 | 440 | 55 | 60% | 8 |
| Mental Health Service Worker | 1 | 0 | 1 | 431 | 54 | 59% | 8 |
| Medical Director | 0 | 1 | 1 | 424 | 53 | 58% | 8 |
| Speech Language Pathologist | 0 | 2 | 2 | 386 | 58 | 63% | 5.7 |
| Qualified Social Worker | 0 | 1 | 1 | 237 | 46 | 50% | 5.2 |
| Respiratory Therapy Technician | 0 | 2 | 2 | 177 | 59 | 64% | 2.9 |
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)
77% lower 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
Oct 30, 2023 · $13K
Fines imposed for noncompliance, which can be assessed per day or per instance of violation.
Oct 30, 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.
9.8
47% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 6.6
A composite score based on activities of daily living decline, walking ability decline, and incontinence.
23.0
103% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 11.3
Percent of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased
22.0%
99% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 11.1%
Percent of long-stay residents whose ability to move independently worsened
22.3%
86% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 12.0%
Percent of low risk long-stay residents who lose control of their bowels or bladder
24.8%
120% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 11.3%
Percent of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury
2.9%
72% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 1.7%
Percent of long-stay high risk residents with pressure ulcers
0.0%
100% 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
1.5%
63% better than California averageCalifornia average: 4.2%
Percent of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms
0.0%
100% better than California averageCalifornia average: 6.7%
Percent of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication
0.0%
100% better than California averageCalifornia average: 10.1%
Percent of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine
97.1%
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%
Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine
89.6%
5% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 94.0%
Percent of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication
0.5%
64% better than California averageCalifornia average: 1.5%
Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine
87.7%
6% worse than California averageCalifornia average: 93.2%
Quality measures are calculated from Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments. For most measures, lower percentages indicate better care quality.
60% of new residents, usually for short-term rehab.
40% of new residents, often for short stays.
Historical financial and operational data for The Sequoias Portola Valley based on CMS SNF Cost Reports.
The portion of the home's budget spent on staff, including nurses, caregivers, and other employees who support care and operations.
Rank #145 / 346Payroll — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 145th out of 346 homes in California for payroll. 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.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.
Pets Allowed
Housing Options: Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed
Building Type: Single-story
Housekeeping Services
Social and Recreational Activities
Exercise Programs
Most residents typically stay for a few weeks or months before returning home or moving on.
1.3 miles from city center
Estimated distance in miles from Portola Valley's city center to The Sequoias Portola Valley's address, calculated via Google Maps.
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The Sequoias Portola Valley is located in Portola Valley, California.
Here are the financial assistance programs available to residents in California.
| The Sequoias Portola Valley |
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. | Portola Valley (Portola Road) | 328
Facility
328
CA AVG
103
Rank
#45 / 1658 | 79.3% | -6% | 6.27 | -20% | +48% | $12.7k | 20 | 6.7 | - | 260 |
12
Facility
12
CA AVG
57
Rank
#1933 / 2093 | Steven Herman | $33.0M | $9.3M | 28% | 55466 | ||||
| The Trousdale |
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. | Burlingame (Mills Estates) | 140
Facility
140
CA AVG
103
Rank
#420 / 1658 | 90.7% | +7% | 3.30 | -10% | -22% | $0 | 44 | 6.3 | 1 | 127 |
85
Facility
85
CA AVG
57
Rank
#290 / 2093 | Hunter Mitchell | $27.6M | $11.3M | 41% | 555856 |
The Sequoias Portola Valley is in the Portola Road neighborhood of Portola Valley.
The legal owner and operator of The Sequoias Portola Valley is Sequoia Living, Inc..
The Sequoias Portola Valley has a walk score of 12. Car-dependent. Most errands require a car, with limited nearby walkable options.
The Sequoias Portola Valley's occupancy is 79%.
Suzanne Wasley-Fairley is the administrator of The Sequoias Portola Valley.
The Sequoias Portola Valley has 328 beds.
The Sequoias Portola Valley has had 3 recently reported deficiencies.
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