Nazareth House

    245 Nova Albion Way, San Rafael, CA 94903
    • Independent Living
    • Assisted Living
    • Skilled Nursing

    Welcoming facility with caring staff

    I'm very pleased with this welcoming, well-run home - long-tenured, caring staff and proactive nurses treat my Gram with dignity and warmth. The facility is lovely with tidy grounds and rose gardens, pleasant rooms, good food, engaging activities and helpful volunteers; family involvement and reliable services make me feel she's well cared for.

    Loved one of resident
    Jul 2026

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    Reviews

    4.50·(10)

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      4.3
    • Staff

      4.9
    • Meals

      3.4
    • Amenities

      3.8
    • Value

      4.0

    Pros

    • Compassionate caregiving staff
    • Proactive nursing oversight
    • Comprehensive personal-care services (medication, bathing, laundry)
    • Clean, well-maintained interior
    • Well-maintained gardens and grounds
    • Engaging on-site activities (bocce, tai chi, music, games)
    • Dedicated volunteers
    • On-site chapel and faith support
    • Regular transportation to medical appointments
    • Affordable pricing
    • Three daily meals with generally good quality
    • Long-tenured, stable staff

    Cons

    • Dated facility and need for renovations
    • Small, cramped resident rooms
    • Bathrooms not optimized for residents with balance needs
    • Lack of in-room kitchen conveniences
    • Limited menu variety
    • Limited off-site or community-based activities
    • Absence of licensed skilled nursing services
    • No on-site medical director
    • Frequent resident room reassignments
    • Limited volunteer-provided transportation options

    Summary of reviews

    Overall assessment Nazareth House presents as a community with a strong emphasis on compassionate, dignity-focused care and a family-like atmosphere. Reviewers consistently describe attentive caregiving and proactive nursing, with many praising long-tenured staff and an organized, cheerful environment. The site offers a range of basic personal-care services and practical supports that families value, and the grounds and common areas are described as clean and well maintained.

    Care and staff Care quality is a clear strength in daily life: staff are characterized as caring, responsive, and experienced, and families cite comprehensive assistance with medications, showers, laundry, and meal support. The nursing presence is described as proactive, and volunteers augment social supports. However, the community does not maintain an on-site medical director or a licensed skilled nursing program; prospective residents with higher-acuity medical needs should plan accordingly and confirm how clinical oversight and higher-level care interventions would be managed off site.

    Dining and activities The facility provides three daily meals with generally favorable comments about taste and presentation, though reviewers note limited variety in menu options. On-site programming is active and popular: bocce, tai chi, music, games and other social activities are mentioned as promoting friendships and engagement. Opportunities for off-site or community-based outings appear limited; families seeking frequent external excursions may find the activity mix constrained.

    Facilities and amenities Nazareth House is described as a pleasant, homelike setting with attractive rose gardens and well-manicured grounds. Physical plant concerns are recurrent: the building shows its age and would benefit from renovations, resident rooms are sometimes small or cramped, and bathrooms are not consistently optimized for residents with balance or mobility needs. In-room conveniences such as microwaves and refrigerators are not standard, which may matter for personal preferences. Operationally, families should also be aware of practices around room reassignments, which are described as frequent in some accounts.

    Management and notable patterns Management and staff organization are generally viewed positively; volunteers and staff often go beyond expectations, including holiday gestures and personal attention. Transportation to medical appointments is available, though volunteer-provided transportation options appear limited. For prospective residents and families, Nazareth House offers a warm, cost-conscious option with strong day-to-day caregiving and community life; it is best suited for people who value personal attention and social programming but who do not require on-site skilled nursing or frequent off-site activity programming. Before decision-making, confirm clinical oversight arrangements, room sizing and layout, bathroom safety features, and specific transportation services to ensure they meet the resident’s needs.

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    Location

    Map showing location of Nazareth House

    Nazareth House is located at 245 Nova Albion Way, San Rafael, CA, 94903.

    About Nazareth House

    Nazareth House is an assisted living community in San Rafael, California, and they've been at their site since 1962, but the facility itself was established in 2010, and they're licensed by the state with the RCFE license number 210102878, so that takes care of all the formal things, and with about 120 residents around at a time, there's always activity and company for those who want it, and they have both private and semi-private rooms, studio apartments, and one-bedroom suites, so you can choose what suits your needs, and every room comes with things like air conditioning, cable TV, and some are even on the ground floor for easier access, plus utilities and cable are included in the monthly rate, which is private pay, so folks know what to expect with the all-inclusive pricing structure. Now, Nazareth House stands out a bit because they've got their own names for care programs and units, and everyone gets a care plan made just for them, which is helpful for those needing residential care, assisted living, skilled nursing, or memory care-so there's a Care Center with maximum care available, and there's specialized staff to help residents, including a 24-hour licensed nurse on site and a nurse on staff part-time, with high staff to resident ratios for better support, and that's important when services range from medication management and health monitoring to diabetic, non-ambulatory, and incontinence care, and they even coordinate with outside care providers as needed.

    Nazareth House also offers respite and hospice care, supports people with mild cognitive impairment, and provides memory care services that are set up for those experiencing cognitive decline, and the safety side is covered by emergency response systems in rooms and common areas, so folks can feel secure throughout the building. Meals are provided with plenty of options-there's low-sodium and no-sugar choices, and even guest meals-so most needs are covered, and dining happens in an on-site dining room or the café or bistro, with meals meant to be both convenient and enjoyable, and a beauty salon on site helps people feel good, while laundry, dry cleaning, housekeeping, and maintenance are all handled for residents too. Regular transportation is free for residents when they need to get to appointments or shopping, and there's parking for those who still drive, plus plenty of gathering spots like the TV lounge, piano or organ for music, a library for quiet reading, meeting rooms, and outdoor patios in the landscaped grounds that help make the place feel like home.

    Social life at Nazareth House brings everyone together through activities like gardening club, tai chi, drumming circles, arts and crafts, and special holiday parties that volunteers help to organize, and spiritual needs are met with daily Catholic mass in their chapel and other religious services, so no one's left out. For recreation and fitness, there's a fitness center, and common areas both inside and out where residents can spend time together or enjoy some quiet. Staff keep track of each resident's general health and help manage any medicines, making sure help is always close by when needed. What makes the place different is that there are unique terms for their care community, care is specialized for each person, and the homelike feel of landscaped grounds gives a bit of comfort that many look for in a senior living setting.

    People often ask...

    Nazareth House offers independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing.

    The full address for this community is 245 Nova Albion Way, San Rafael, CA 94903.

    No, Nazareth House does not offer respite care. Respite care in assisted living communities provides temporary, short-term relief for primary caregivers by offering professional care for their loved ones. It allows individuals to stay in an assisted living community for a limited time, giving caregivers a break while ensuring residents receive necessary support and assistance with daily activities.

    Safety & Compliance

    In California, the Department of Social Services' Community Care Licensing Division licenses residential care facilities for the elderly, conducting inspections and investigating complaints.

    License number210102878
    StatusClosed
    Facility typeResidential Care Facility for the Elderly
    Capacity146 residents
    EffectiveNovember 18th, 1990
    View the official license record

    Inspection Reports

    3

    Reports

    1

    Type A Citations

    0

    Type B Citations

    0

    Complaints

    7

    Years

    12 Jan 2021Inspection
    Determined that all residents were relocated and no one remained in care, with clothing and personal items removed. Surrender of the license and official closure occurred on 1/12/2021.
    16 Jan 2020Inspection
    Confirmed that an individual without criminal record clearance was removed from the facility’s roster after a background check issue, and no deficiencies were cited during the visit.
    10 Nov 2019Inspection
    Verified that the facility maintained proper safety and sanitation standards, including functional fire safety systems, appropriate resident documentation, and staff background checks, while noting some temperature regulation issues in resident bathrooms.
    • Type A87303(e)(2)

    Disclaimer

    Mirador Living is not affiliated with the owner or operator(s) of Nazareth House. The information above has not been verified or approved by the owner or operator. For exact information, please contact Nazareth House directly. There is no cost for this service. We are compensated by the community you select.

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