Maine Veterans Home - Caribou, Caribou, ME

The Essentials

Summary

Across 3 inspections from December 2023 to February 2026, state surveyors documented 14 findings at Maine Veterans Home - Caribou; 14 have a recorded correction; CMS lists 2 enforcement actions in the window.

Inspections: 3; 2023–2026, standard
Findings: 14; Deficiencies cited by state inspectors
Corrected: 14; Of 14 findings, with a recorded correction date
Penalties: 2; 1 fine; payment not published, 1 closed

Findings by Year

Findings
Of which, actual harm (level G or above)

* Partial year, through October 1, 2026.

Findings by year
Year	Inspections	Findings	Of which, actual harm (level G or above)
2023	1	4	0
2024	0	0	0
2025	1	5	0
2026	1	5	1

What the Record Shows

14 of 14 findings have a recorded correction date.
CMS lists 2 enforcement actions in the window: 1 fine of $27,508, its payment not published; denial of payment imposed February 5, 2026, ended March 20, 2026.
3 visits in this window included a complaint investigation. CMS publishes what a complaint investigation cited, not what the complaint alleged.
The latest standard inspection, February 5, 2026, recorded 5 findings (most serious: Level G).

What to Ask About

Respiratory Care, Cited in Two Inspections

Report at a Glance

Facility: Maine Veterans Home - Caribou
Address: 163 Van Buren Rd Suite 2, Caribou, ME 04736
CMS Certification Number: 205151
Provider Type: Skilled nursing facility and nursing facility
Certified Beds: 40
Ownership: Non profit - Other
Record Window: December 6, 2023 to October 1, 2026

Chronology

Inspection History

Every inspection in the record window, newest first. A finding is a deficiency an inspector cited. CMS publishes what a complaint investigation cited, not what the complaint alleged.

Feb 52026
Standard health inspection
5 findings
The same visit included a complaint investigation.
- F580Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.Level GActual harmCorrected Mar 20, 2026
- F880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.Level ENo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Mar 20, 2026
- F607Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Mar 20, 2026
- F695Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Mar 20, 2026
- F842Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.Level BPotential for minimal harmCorrected Mar 20, 2026
Enforcement Action
Civil money penalty, $27,508 imposed February 5, 2026. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid. CMS does not tie a penalty to a survey; listed with the standard health inspection of February 5, 2026, the nearest before the penalty date.
Enforcement Action
Denial of payment imposed February 5, 2026. Status: Closed, March 20, 2026. CMS does not tie a penalty to a survey; listed with the standard health inspection of February 5, 2026, the nearest before the penalty date.
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Jan 82025
Standard health inspection
5 findings
The same visit included a complaint investigation.
- F550Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Feb 7, 2025
- F561Honor the resident's right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Feb 7, 2025
- F657Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Feb 7, 2025
- F692Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Feb 7, 2025
- F695Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Feb 7, 2025
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Dec 62023
Standard health inspection
4 findings
The same visit included a complaint investigation.
- F604Ensure that each resident is free from the use of physical restraints, unless needed for medical treatment.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Jan 15, 2024
- F637Assess the resident when there is a significant change in conditionLevel DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Jan 15, 2024
- F655Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admittedLevel DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Jan 15, 2024
- F623Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.Level BPotential for minimal harmCorrected Jan 15, 2024
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)

Severity levels follow the CMS scope and severity grid. A–C: potential for minimal harm. D–F: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. G–I: actual harm. J–L: immediate jeopardy.

Context

Patterns Worth Examining

A repeated citation can merit attention, but context and corrective action must be reviewed before drawing a conclusion.

1
Respiratory Care, Cited in Two Inspections
Inspectors cited F695 in January 2025 and February 2026. This citation covers oxygen, breathing treatments and other respiratory care. None rose above level D (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
232526F695 across all 3 inspections, oldest to newest

For Your Next Visit

Questions to Ask on Your Visit

Bring these to the tour. Each one comes from something in the record; the reason is under the question.

01
Who manages oxygen and breathing treatments on each shift, and how is the equipment checked?
Respiratory Care: cited in two inspections, most seriously at level D.
02
How many nurses and aides are on each shift, including nights and weekends, for the unit we are considering?
No staffing citation appears in this window. Staffing levels are published separately by CMS and are worth asking about directly.
03
What led to the 2026 fine, and has it been paid?
A $27,508 civil money penalty was imposed February 5, 2026. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid. The record holds two enforcement actions in the window.

The Evidence

Sources and Coverage

Inspection results and penalties are published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services from surveys conducted by the Maine state survey agency.

Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Maine state survey agency
Inspection Dec 6, 2023 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Maine state survey agency
Inspection Jan 8, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Maine state survey agency
Inspection Feb 5, 2026 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Penalties, Provider Data Catalog
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
View Dataset ↗
Provider Information, Provider Data Catalog
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · 205151
Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
View Dataset ↗

Coverage

Record windowDecember 6, 2023 – October 1, 2026

CMS publishes about three inspection cycles; inspections before December 2023 are not in this release.
CMS refreshes these files monthly, after statements of deficiencies are processed, so an inspection from the last two months may not appear yet.

What This Report Cannot Tell You

Complaints not investigated onsite: Allegations screened out by the state before an onsite visit are not published.
Complaint allegations: CMS publishes the deficiencies a complaint survey cited, not the allegation itself.
Facility-reported incidents: Self-reported incidents appear only if they led to an inspection.
Follow-up visits: CMS's files list standard, complaint and infection control surveys, not revisits; a correction date is the one CMS records.
Fire safety inspections: Published by CMS separately and not included in this record yet.
Staffing levels and ownership history: Published by CMS separately and not included in this record.
Whether fines were paid: CMS publishes the fines imposed, not whether or when they were paid.

Historical coverage varies by agency and location. Missing records do not mean that no complaint or violation occurred.

Data architecture: Cierto supplies the source-backed machine-readable bundle. Life by Vardell independently creates the narrative, design, and consumer report.