SHIELDS NURSING CENTER
3230 CARLSON BOULEVARD, El Cerrito, CA 94530
Based on 2026 CMS Data
Official Government Ratings
Health Inspections
Frequency & severity of deficiencies
Staffing Levels
Nurse hours per resident per day
Quality Measures
Clinical outcomes & care quality
Vetting This Facility? Get Answers They Don't Volunteer
Free guide: the exact questions to ask SHIELDS NURSING CENTER, how to pull the public records (ownership, inspections, penalties), and how to request the info that isn't online — like the medical director.
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Care Quality Indicators
Lower is better
Lower is better
Lower is better
Lower is better
How SHIELDS NURSING CENTER Compares
SHIELDS NURSING CENTER is a 45-bed for-profit nursing facility in El Cerrito, California. It holds an overall CMS rating of 4 out of 5 stars, above the California average of 3.2 stars. Its strongest area is staffing, rated 5 stars. Its rate of falls resulting in major injury (2.5%) is above the California average of 1.6% — a measure worth asking the staff about. With 45 certified beds, it maintains moderate occupancy at roughly 80% occupied.
By the numbers vs. California average
- Long-stay antipsychotic medication use: 17.1% — worse than the California average of 12.1% (41% higher).
- Falls with major injury: 2.5% — worse than the California average of 1.6% (56% higher).
- High-risk pressure ulcers: 4.7% — worse than the California average of 4.3%.
- Short-stay rehospitalization: 18.8% — better than the California average of 22.9%.
Comparisons use CMS Care Compare data (updated September 9, 2026) measured against California averages across 1165 facilities tracked by ElderVoice.
Questions to Ask SHIELDS NURSING CENTER
Use these facility-specific questions when calling admissions, touring the building, or comparing SHIELDS NURSING CENTER with other nursing homes in El Cerrito.
What keeps SHIELDS NURSING CENTER's staffing levels rating strong?
This category is rated 5 out of 5 stars. Ask for concrete staffing, training, or care-process examples behind the score.
What is SHIELDS NURSING CENTER doing to reduce long-stay antipsychotic medication use?
Long-stay antipsychotic medication use is 17.1% here versus 12.1% across California. Lower is generally better for this CMS measure.
What is SHIELDS NURSING CENTER doing to reduce falls with major injury?
Falls with major injury is 2.5% here versus 1.6% across California. Lower is generally better for this CMS measure.
How do residents and families raise concerns at SHIELDS NURSING CENTER?
CMS data does not list an active family or resident council here, so ask how care-plan concerns, complaints, and follow-up are tracked.
What would the first 30 days look like for a new resident at SHIELDS NURSING CENTER?
Ask who builds the care plan, how medication changes are communicated, how often families receive updates, and who to call after hours.
The Senior Community Around El Cerrito
El Cerrito sits in Contra Costa County, where adults 65 and older make up about 15.8% of the population — a share of seniors in line with California as a whole (14.3% statewide). The area's median household income is higher than the state average, reflecting a higher cost of living.
- Residents 65+
- 181,578 (15.8%)
- Median age
- 39.9 years
- Median household income
- $103,997
- Median home value
- $655,500
Demographics for Contra Costa County from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates. Provided as local context for families comparing care options near El Cerrito.
Facility Details
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