All states › Wisconsin › Wausau › Wood Aven Health and Rehabilitation
1821 N 4th Ave Wausau, WI 54401 · Marathon County
All 4 nursing homes in Wausau, WI (4 take Medicaid)
CMS certification number 525503 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Wood Aven Health and Rehabilitation 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 Wood Aven Health and Rehabilitation as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 3 out of 5 stars overall, about the same as the Wisconsin average of 3.1.
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 4.09 hours per resident per day at Wood Aven Health and Rehabilitation, about the same as the Wisconsin median of 4.04 (US median: 3.72). About 1.26 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.42 hours, 17% below its all-week average. Ask how weekends are staffed. 57% of nursing staff left within a year (Wisconsin median 45.7%). High turnover can mean residents see unfamiliar caregivers; ask how long the nurses on the unit have worked there. 2 administrators left in the past year.
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Wood Aven Health and Rehabilitation: Medicare and Medicaid
Wood Aven Health and Rehabilitation 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 Wisconsin'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 April 1, 2026 and found 9 deficiencies, plus 3 from complaint inspections in the same period. In total, inspectors issued 18 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 18 citations at Wood Aven Health and Rehabilitation across 7 inspection dates, 4 of them from complaint investigations. 1 was at the actual-harm level (G–I), most recently on January 8, 2025. The most common areas cited were quality of life and care (5) and pharmacy service (4). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals" (tag F0684, level G, January 8, 2025). 2 citations were under CMS's abuse, neglect and exploitation rules.
July 22, 2026 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
May 27, 2026 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DEnsure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
April 1, 2026 · 9 citations
EProvide the required documentation or notification related to the resident's needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies.
DAllow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate.
DImmediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
DDevelop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft.
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
DProvide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
DEnsure that feeding tubes are not used unless there is a medical reason and the resident agrees; and provide appropriate care for a resident with a feeding tube.
DEnsure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
December 23, 2025 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DProvide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
March 26, 2025 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DRespond appropriately to all alleged violations.
January 8, 2025 · 3 citations, includes actual harm
GProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
FProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
DImplement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited.
November 30, 2023 · 2 citations
DProvide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Questions to ask on a tour of Wood Aven Health and Rehabilitation
- Inspectors cited the home at the actual-harm level on January 8, 2025 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 April 1, 2026. How are staff trained, and how are concerns reported?
- Weekend staffing is 17% below the all-week average. Who is on duty on Saturday nights?
- Nursing staff turnover was 57% a year. How many of the staff come from agencies?
- 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
CMS reports no fines or payment denials for this home in the last three years.
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| August 2026 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Wood Aven Health and Rehabilitation
The Medicare-certified hospitals closest to this nursing home, with their CMS data. Ask the home which hospital it usually sends residents to.
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2.0 mi
Aspirus Wausau Hospital WausauEmergency room ★★★★☆ Medicare overall 4 of 5Median ER visit 2h 37m for patients treated and sent home
- 4.0 mi
-
7.4 mi
St Clare's Hospital of Weston INC WestonEmergency room ★★★☆☆ Medicare overall 3 of 5Median ER visit 2h 23m 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 Wood Aven Health and Rehabilitation › All nursing homes in Wausau ›
Compare Wood Aven Health and Rehabilitation with the 3 closest homes side by side ›
Higher-rated nursing homes within 10 miles
- Rennes Health and Rehab Center-Weston · Weston · 5 stars · 7.3 mi
- Pride TLC Therapy and Living Campus · Weston · 5 stars · 7.7 mi
Other The Ensign Group nursing homes in Wisconsin
- Greentree Health and Rehabilitation Center · Clintonville · 4 stars
- Timber Ridge Health and Rehabilitation · Stevens Point · 4 stars
- Pine Crest Health and Memory Care · Merrill · 3 stars
- The Pines Post Acute and Memory Care · Clintonville · 3 stars
Affiliation comes from CMS's affiliated-entity data, October 2026. All 347 The Ensign Group 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.