Massachusetts inspects every assisted living residence at least once every two years. At its most recent compliance review on January 10, 2025, the state cited 4 findings at Avita of Newburyport. 1 of them had already been cited at the previous review. Across the 145 Massachusetts residences with a published report, the median is 6.
This page covers one review, not a history, and it is not a score or a ranking. A finding means the state identified something the residence has to correct; it does not on its own mean a resident was harmed. The state does not publish what happened after this review, so a finding listed here may since have been fixed.
Facility details
What the state found
4 findings · 1 repeatMemory care unitSafety issues identified in the Special Care Residence (SCR).▼
Extra requirements that apply to units caring for residents with dementia.
The Executive Office of Aging & Independence reviewed the Special Care Residence (SCR) operations on the date of the Compliance Review to verify that SCR is complying with all the required safeguards.
The Executive Office of Aging & Independence identified issues with operational safeguards related procedures to reduce the risk of potential hazards in the physical environment: Cleaning bottles were found unsecured in the sink cabinet.
General Requirements for an ALR: Special Care
651 CMR 12.04(4)(a)(4)
Quality assurance programMissing or incomplete components of the Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement requirements.Repeat finding▼
The residence's own program for auditing and improving the care it gives.
The Executive Office of Aging & Independence reviewed documentation to ensure the Residence has established an effective, ongoing quality improvement and assurance program for Service Planning, Resident Safety Assurances and Medication Quality for the calendar years 2023 and 2024.
The Executive Office of Aging & Independence observed five PCA staff providing medication assistance to five Residents and one nurse providing medication administration to four Residents to ensure the Residence has developed and implemented systems that support and promote safe SAMM and LMA:
Two PCAs pre-signed the SAMM observation sheets before the Residents received their medications.
One PCA did not practice hand hygiene prior to SAMM observation with the Resident.
One nurse pre-signed the LMA medication administration sheet before the Resident received their medication.
This was also cited at the previous compliance review.
General Requirements for an ALR: Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement
651 CMR 12.04(10)(c)
Incident reportingThe Residence filed 15 incident reports greater than 24 hours after the occurrence of the incident during the period reviewed.▼
Telling the state, on time, when something happens to a resident.
The Executive Office of Aging & Independence reviewed the Residence records and submitted incident reports from January 10, 2023 through January 10, 2025 for evidence that all occurrences of an incident or accident that has or may have a Significant Negative Effect on a Resident’s health, safety or welfare were reported to Executive Office of Aging and Independence within 24 hours after the occurrence of the incident or accident.
The Residence filed 15 incident reports greater than 24 hours after the occurrence of the incident during the period reviewed.
General Requirements for an ALR - Emergency Preparedness Plan and Reporting Requirements: Reporting Resident Specific Emergencies
651 CMR 12.04(11)(e)
Resident recordsInconsistent documentation of information necessary for the continuity of care.▼
Records that keep a resident's care information complete and available to staff.
The Executive Office of Aging & Independence reviewed the current 90-day Correspondence Logs for the Special Care Residences required to communicate information necessary to maintain the continuity of care for all Residents.
The Residence did not use the Correspondence Logs to communicate all significant or pertinent information necessary to maintain the continuity of care for all Residents.
Corrective Actions.
Record Requirements: Correspondence Log
651 CMR 12.05(4)
Glossary
Abbreviations the state uses without explaining themWhat the residence must doThe residence must send the state a plan to correct each finding, what it will do to keep it from happening again, who is responsible and by when.▼
The residence must send the state a plan to correct each finding, what it will do to keep it from happening again, who is responsible and by when.