Massachusetts inspects every assisted living residence at least once every two years. At its most recent compliance review on July 31, 2025, the state cited 5 findings at New Horizons at Choate. 3 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
5 findings · 3 repeatEmergency call responseThe Residence filed 6 incident reports greater than 24 hours after the occurrence of the incident or accident.Repeat finding▼
How quickly staff answer a resident's emergency call button.
AGE reviewed the Personalized Emergency Response procedures developed to provide timely assistance to a Resident in the event of an emergency.
Documentation of Residence management monitoring response times over the seven-minute limit was missing for November 2023, August 2024 and June 2025.
AGE reviewed the Residence records and incident reports from last quarter of calendar year 2023 through the date of the Compliance Review to determine whether the Residence complied with the requirement to report qualifying incidents to AGE within 24 hours after the occurrence of the incident or accident.
The Residence filed 6 incident reports greater than 24 hours after the occurrence of the incident or accident.
This was also cited at the previous compliance review.
General Requirements for an ALR: Emergency Response
651 CMR 12.04(2)(b)3
Incident reporting · Emergency drillsLate submissions of Resident-specific incidents reports. Insufficient Documentation of elopement drills and fire drills.▼
Incident reporting: Telling the state, on time, when something happens to a resident.
Emergency drills: Fire and elopement drills the residence must run and document on every shift.
The state cited these together under one finding.
AGE reviewed the Residence’s Emergency Plan to ensure compliance that the Residence can address potential disasters and emergencies.
Documentation of an elopement drill was missing for all shifts for the calendar years 2023,2024 and 2025 reviewed.
Documentation of a Fire drill was missing for the second and third shifts for calendar years 2023, 2024 and 2025 reviewed.
Emergency Preparedness Plan and Reporting Requirements: -Reporting Resident Specific -Evacuation Drills and Rehearsals
651 CMR 12.04(11)(a)(4), (d), (e)
Quality assurance programMissing or incomplete components of the Quality Assurance and Performance Improvements requirements. Unsafe SAMM and LMARepeat finding▼
The residence's own program for auditing and improving the care it gives.
AGE reviewed documentation to ensure the Residence has established an effective, ongoing quality improvement and assurance program for Service Planning, Safety Assurances, and Medication Quality from last quarter of calendar year 2023, through the date of the Compliance Review.
Resident Safety Assurances
Documentation of an Evidenced Informed Falls Prevention Program review being included in the annual safety review process was missing for the 2023 and 2024 calendar years reviewed.
Documentation that the Residence identified the date the Safety audit was conducted, Name of the person/title who conducted each audit, a target date for follow-up action, staff responsible for follow-up and documented clear outcomes were missing for calendar years 2024 and 2025.
AGE observed three Certified Nursing Assistant staff providing medication assistance to four Residents to ensure the Residence has developed and implemented systems that support and promote safe SAMM / LMA.
AGE observed one Resident’s medication stored unsecured in resident’s bathroom, no locked SAMM medication box available.
AGE observed three Resident’s family filled medication planners without the required labels.
AGE reviewed five Resident Records reviewing documentation from last quarter of calendar year 2023 through the date of the Compliance Review to determine compliance with the requirements for Screenings, Assessments and Service Plan Development and Requirements.
AGE reviewed the Residence records of seven Residents utilizing bed rails / U-bars or similar devices for the period of last quarter of calendar year 2023 through the date of the Compliance Review to determine compliance with the required assessment by a physical/occupational therapist every six months.
Documentation of an assessment conducted by a physical/occupational therapist every six months for four Residents noting that the Resident can independently navigate around a bed rail/ U-bar for the calendar years reviewed was missing.
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)
Resident care plansMissing Bed Rail AssessmentsRepeat finding▼
The written plan describing the care each resident is assessed to need.
This was also cited at the previous compliance review.
General Requirements for an ALR: Service Plan Development and Requirements
651 CMR 12.08(1)(s)
Staff health screeningMissing documentation of employee Health Screening Requirements.▼
Health checks the residence must document for the people it employs.
AGE reviewed the personnel records of nine staff members to determine compliance with Health Screening requirements.
Two records were missing documentation to confirm seasonal influenza vaccinations or declination statements for the 2024/2025 flu season.
Staffing Requirements: Health Screening Requirements
651 CMR 12.06(8)(e)1.
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 state also asked for specific proof, listed here as written.▼
Specific Corrective Actions.
Documentation confirming applicable staff received re-education on requirements for Family filled medication cassettes labels and reporting requirements to the Wellness nurse and re-education requirements of SAMM.
Documentation of completion of all Personnel Record requirements for all personnel.
Documentation confirming a completed and current assessment of all Residents using a bed rail or u-bar.
Documentation confirming a newly completed elopement drill for all staff on all shifts.
Documentation confirming a newly completed Fire drill for all staff on all shifts.
Documentation of a newly completed operational testing for all Personal Emergency Response pendants and pull cords.