Highlands Nursing Home in Fitchburg, MA

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Pros

• The Highlands has a group of lovely and active staff members.
• The staff promptly assess residents' comfort and needs, coordinating pain meds and mobility aids quickly.
• The facility is well run, clean, and welcoming to visitors.
• The nurses and CNAs are caring, compassionate, and provide wonderful end-of-life care.
• The staff are friendly, professional, and genuinely care about residents and their families.
• The environment is bright, clean, and nicely decorated, contributing to a positive experience.
• Front desk and admissions staff are polite, helpful, and welcoming.
• Families feel confident that their loved ones are receiving the best possible care.
• There are ample activities for residents, with a lively and engaging atmosphere.
• The Highlands fosters a positive social environment with caring, attentive team members.
• The food quality is good and staff are flexible regarding family visitation.
• The Highlands is often described as a great place with a lovely setting and exceptional care.

Cons

• The staff need to be more respectful and responsible about people’s belongings.
• Getting meals correct is a problem; the menu is not followed and many meals are extremely salty, especially gravy.
• The communal areas were a little dirty.
• The elevator did not work.
• Patient rooms are too dark.

Review

The Highlands Nursing Home in Fitchburg is best suited for families seeking a warm, hands-on caregiving culture where long-term care, short-term rehab, and hospice-ready support are delivered by a team that feels genuinely invested in residents. This community excels for seniors who value consistent, compassionate attention from nurses, CNAs, therapists, and front-d desk staff, and who want a setting where family involvement is welcomed and integrated into daily care. Residents who benefit most tend to respond well to steady routines, clear communication, and an environment that emphasizes kindness and daytime activity within a clean, approachable facility.

Those who may want to consider alternatives include families with very high expectations for dining quality, ultra-modern amenities, or a completely noise-free, odor-free environment. Several reviews flag that meals can be salty and may not always follow the requested menu, and a few notes point to strong cleaning agent odors in some areas. A handful of comments also reference occasional cleanliness gaps in communal spaces and older infrastructure elements, such as an elevator that predates modern systems. For families prioritizing pristine dining experiences, the latest facility features, or perfectly odor-neutral rooms, other options may better align with those preferences.

The strongest positives here, the staff’s warmth, accessibility, and consistent reliability, often offset the stated drawbacks. Across floors, nurses, CNAs, social workers, and therapists are repeatedly described as caring, responsive, and dedicated to both patient comfort and family communication. End-of-life care on the 5th floor is singled out as exceptionally compassionate, with families expressing profound gratitude for the respectful, attentive support. Rehab and therapy services, including physical therapy and occupational therapy, are viewed as capable and available, contributing to meaningful progress for residents during short-term stays and ongoing recovery.

Cleanliness and a bright, inviting atmosphere emerge as notable strengths that reinforce trust and comfort. Multiple visits highlight a well-run operation with friendly greetings at intake, orderly spaces, and a facility-wide sense of purpose among staff. Parking, easy access to visitation, and the general demeanor of caregivers, combining professionalism with genuine warmth, help families feel at ease during stressful transitions. The Highlands also earns praise for personalization and the sense that staff know residents’ names, preferences, and histories, which translates into more attentive daily care and smoother family interactions.

A few practical downsides warrant attention in the decision process. Food quality remains an area of concern for some to balance against the overall care culture; chefs may need ongoing guidance to better adhere to menus and dietary restrictions. Belongings management is another point of contention for at least one family, underscoring the importance of clear policies and proactive communication about item handling and room assignments. On occasion, visitors encounter moments where common areas aren’t sparkling or odors are stronger than preferred, and infrastructure quirks, like an older elevator or rooms that feel darker, can affect daily experience. Weighing these factors against the overwhelmingly positive caregiver environment is essential.

For families actively evaluating Highlands, the recommendation is to structure a deliberate, multi-visit assessment. Engage directly with floor teams (including the 5th floor when hospice or end-of-life needs are anticipated), observe meal service during different times, and verify how belongings are tracked and protected. Ask for examples of care plans, care conferences, and how staff coordinate with families during transitions between rehab, long-term care, and palliative scenarios. If memory care or highly specialized cognitive services are central, confirm dedicated resources and staffing patterns, rather than relying on general approaches across floors. In sum, Highlands stands out as a principled, compassionate option for families prioritizing empathetic care and practical, ongoing support, while a subset of families may prefer alternatives that emphasize dining, modern amenities, or tighter control over environment and logistics.

This part of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities for seniors looking to settle down in the area. With multiple hospitals nearby such as Health Alliance Hospital and Burbank Hospital, healthcare needs are well catered for. There are also numerous physicians' offices and pharmacies within a short distance, ensuring easy access to medical care and prescriptions. Places of worship like St Bernard's Parish and St Joseph Church provide spiritual support, while parks like Coolidge Park and Coggshall Park offer opportunities for outdoor activities and relaxation. Restaurants like Zapata Mexican Cocina and S S Lobster provide dining options nearby, and cafes like Smokestack Roasters offer cozy spots to enjoy a cup of coffee. Overall, this neighborhood in Fitchburg provides a well-rounded community with essential services close at hand for seniors looking to enjoy their retirement years.

Hospitals

• Health Alliance Hospital (0.1 miles)
• Burbank Hospital (0.2 miles)
• Neurology Of Central Massachusetts (4.6 miles)
• Leominster Hospital Emergency (4.6 miles)

Physicians

• Fitchburg Family Practice Umass (0.1 miles)
• All Family Care (0.5 miles)
• Fallon Clinic (2 miles)
• Fallon Health Clinic (2 miles)
• Zanghi, Matthew Umass Memorial Medical Group Fitchburg Primary Care (2 miles)
• Physicians Dialysis of Michigan (2.1 miles)
• Parkhill Family Practice (2.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Bernard's Parish (0.4 miles)
• St Joseph Church (1.5 miles)
• Our Lady Of The Lake (3.7 miles)
• Congregation Agudat Achim (4.8 miles)
• Pilgrim Congregational Church (5.5 miles)
• Bread of Life Church (5.7 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Walgreens (1.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.5 miles)
• Walgreens (5.7 miles)

Parks

• Coolidge Park (1.4 miles)
• Parkhill Park (1.8 miles)
• Westminster Hill Playground (2.3 miles)
• Coggshall Park (2.5 miles)
• Marshall Park (4 miles)
• BB Kidz Klub (4.8 miles)
• Barrett Park (5.7 miles)

Restaurants

• Zapata Mexican Cocina (1.5 miles)
• S S Lobster (1.7 miles)
• Burger King (2 miles)
• Taco Bell (2.1 miles)
• Mill No 3 (2.1 miles)
• McDonald's (2.2 miles)
• Ixtapa Cantina Mexican Restaurant (2.6 miles)

Cafes

• Smokestack Roasters (2.1 miles)
• Gourmet Donuts (2.7 miles)
• Gourmet Donuts (3.6 miles)
• Gourmet Donuts (5.2 miles)
• Starbucks (5.5 miles)
• Panera Bread (5.8 miles)
• Central Cup (7.6 miles)

Theaters

• Entertainment Cinemas (5.6 miles)