All states › New Jersey › Union City › Optima Care Castle Hill
615 23rd St Union City, NJ 07087 · Hudson County
All 2 nursing homes in Union City, NJ (2 take Medicaid)
CMS certification number 315344 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Optima Care Castle Hill a good nursing home? Reviews, ratings and inspection record
There are no official resident reviews of nursing homes: Medicare's Care Compare publishes inspections, staffing and quality data instead. Here is what that record shows for Optima Care Castle Hill as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 2 out of 5 stars overall, below the New Jersey average of 3.5.
Online reviews from families and residents are on Google Maps and other sites; they reflect individual experiences and aren't checked by CMS. The full inspection reports, including what inspectors observed, are on Medicare Care Compare.
Staffing
Nursing staff spend about 3.71 hours per resident per day at Optima Care Castle Hill, about the same as the New Jersey median of 3.67 (US median: 3.72). About 0.97 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.30 hours, 11% below its all-week average. 38.1% of nursing staff left within a year (New Jersey median 38.1%). 3 administrators left in the past year.
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Optima Care Castle Hill: Medicare and Medicaid
Optima Care Castle Hill is certified for both Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare Part A can cover a short skilled-nursing or rehab stay here after a qualifying hospital stay of at least three inpatient days (observation days don't count), for up to 100 days per benefit period. Medicaid can pay for long-term care for residents who meet New Jersey's income and asset rules. Being certified doesn't guarantee a Medicaid bed is open, so ask whether the home accepts residents whose Medicaid application is still pending.
In 2026 Medicare covers days 1–20 in full after the Part A deductible ($1,736 per benefit period); for days 21–100 you pay $217 a day; after day 100 you pay all costs. Medicare doesn't pay for long-term custodial care. Medicare's coverage rules.
Health inspections
The most recent standard inspection was on March 10, 2025 and found 12 deficiencies, plus 5 from complaint inspections in the same period. In total, inspectors issued 32 citations in the last three years.
Each citation has a scope and severity letter from A to L. A–C: potential for minimal harm. D–F: potential for more than minimal harm. G–I: actual harm. J–L: immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.
What the inspections found
Over the last three years, inspectors issued 32 citations at Optima Care Castle Hill across 6 inspection dates, 6 of them from complaint investigations. 1 was at the immediate-jeopardy level (J–L), CMS's most serious category, most recently on January 15, 2026 (complaint inspection). The most common areas cited were quality of life and care (10) and resident assessment and care planning (8). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents" (tag F0689, level J, January 15, 2026). 3 citations were under CMS's abuse, neglect and exploitation rules.
January 15, 2026 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
JEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
December 4, 2025 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DRespond appropriately to all alleged violations.
March 10, 2025 · 15 citations · includes complaint inspection
FProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
EHonor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
ETimely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
ERespond appropriately to all alleged violations.
ECreate and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted
EProvide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
EProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
EProvide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
EEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
EProvide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
EProvide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
EProvide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.
DReasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident.
DEncode each resident’s assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment.
DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
February 10, 2025 · 1 citation
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
August 30, 2024 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DMake sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
January 13, 2023 · 13 citations
EEnsure necessary information is communicated to the resident, and receiving health care provider at the time of a planned discharge.
EEmploy sufficient staff with the appropriate competencies and skills sets to carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service, including a qualified dietician.
EProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
DGive residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered.
DCreate and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted
DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
DDevelop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
DEnsure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
DEnsure residents do not lose the ability to perform activities of daily living unless there is a medical reason.
DProvide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
DEnsure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
DEnsure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
CEnsure the facility is licensed under applicable State and local law and operates and provides services in compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and codes, and with accepted professional standards.
Questions to ask on a tour of Optima Care Castle Hill
- Inspectors cited the home at the immediate-jeopardy level on January 15, 2026 under the rule on quality of life and care. What changed afterwards, and can I see the plan of correction?
- CMS cited the home under its abuse and neglect rules on December 4, 2025. How are staff trained, and how are concerns reported?
- Several administrators left in the past year. What has changed for residents since then?
- Do you have a Medicaid bed open now, and will you admit someone whose Medicaid application is still pending?
- When is the first care-plan meeting, and can family attend?
Questions come from this home's CMS data: its inspections, staffing and ownership record.
Fines and payment denials
1 penalty in the last three years, including $8,281 in fines.
| Date | Type | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 15, 2026 | Fine | $8,281 |
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 2/5 | 1/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| August 2026 | 2/5 | 1/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Optima Care Castle Hill
The Medicare-certified hospitals closest to this nursing home, with their CMS data. Ask the home which hospital it usually sends residents to.
- 1.7 mi
-
1.8 mi
Hoboken University Medical Center HobokenEmergency room ★☆☆☆☆ Medicare overall 1 of 5Median ER visit 3h 42m for patients treated and sent home
-
2.4 mi
Heights University Hospital Jersey CityEmergency room ★★☆☆☆ Medicare overall 2 of 5Median ER visit 2h 39m for patients treated and sent home
Hospital ratings, ER visit times and more at Hospitals In Each State
Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.
Nearby nursing homes
More nursing homes near Optima Care Castle Hill › All nursing homes in Union City ›
Compare Optima Care Castle Hill with the 3 closest homes side by side ›
Higher-rated nursing homes within 10 miles
- Hoboken University Medical Center Tcu · Hoboken · 5 stars · 1.9 mi
- Hudsonview Health Care Center · North Bergen · 5 stars · 3.2 mi
- Acclaim Rehabilitation and Nursing Center · Jersey City · 5 stars · 5.3 mi
- Broadway House for Continuing Care · Newark · 5 stars · 7.1 mi
Other Optima Care nursing homes in New Jersey
- Optima Care Harborview · Jersey City · 3 stars
- Optima Care Fountains · Secaucus · 1 stars
Affiliation comes from CMS's affiliated-entity data, October 2026. All 8 Optima Care nursing homes ›
Source: CMS Provider Data Catalog (provider information, health deficiencies, penalties), October 2026. Inspection citations and penalties cover the last three years. Nursing Homes In Each State is independent and not affiliated with CMS or Medicare. About the data · Report a problem with this listing. Is this your nursing home? Feature it here.