Life Care Center of Athens

Name: Life Care Center of Athens
Address: 1234 FRYE STREET PO BOX 786, Athens, TN, 37371, US
Telephone: 4237458181

1234 Frye Street Po Box 786, Athens, TN 37371 · Mc Minn County · 128 certified beds · avg 95 residents/day · certified since Sep 1, 1992

Abuse citation flag (CMS)

Part of chain: LIFE CARE CENTERS OF AMERICA (194 facilities, chain avg rating 3.4★)

The abuse flag means inspectors cited this facility for abuse that caused harm to a resident within the past year, or potential for harm in each of the last two years. Source: CMS.

1/5

Health inspection rating (on-site)

Serious findings on record

$19,145

Fines, last 3 years

3.43

Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)

What health inspectors found (on-site government inspections — the most independent evidence available)

Health inspection rating: ★☆☆☆☆1/5 · CMS overall rating: 2/5

The health inspection star above is graded on a curve within each state — a set share of each state's facilities gets each star level — so a facility can have few citations and still rate 2–3 stars if others in its state did even better. The overall rating combines that inspection score with staffing and self-reported quality measures.

Most serious findings (actual harm or immediate jeopardy)

▲ Immediate jeopardy, one-off · Mar 28, 2026 · F-0600

The facility did not protect residents from abuse or neglect. This covers physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect, by anyone — staff, other residents, or visitors.

Why it matters: Abuse and neglect cause direct physical and emotional harm and are among the most serious failures a nursing home can have.

Severity (J): Inspectors found a situation that put a resident's life or safety in immediate danger, affecting one or a few residents. The facility must fix it immediately — these citations often come with large fines.

Corrected: Apr 21, 2026 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

All citations in the current public record (16)

CMS publishes roughly the last three inspection cycles plus recent complaint investigations. Older surveys drop out of the record as new ones are completed.

Date	Severity	What the facility was cited for
Mar 28, 2026	▲ J · Immediate jeopardy, one-off	The facility did not protect residents from abuse or neglect. This covers physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect, by anyone — staff, other residents, or visitors.
Mar 28, 2026	F · Potential for harm, facility-wide	The facility was not managed in a way that uses its money, staff, and resources effectively and efficiently to care for residents.
Mar 28, 2026	F · Potential for harm, facility-wide	The facility did not have a written plan describing how it runs its quality improvement program — the ongoing process of finding problems in care and fixing them.
Mar 28, 2026	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not protect residents from being involuntarily separated — kept apart from other residents, kept out of their own room, or confined to their room. Isolating a resident this way is a form of mistreatment.
Mar 28, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not make reasonable adjustments to fit each resident's individual needs and preferences — things like call buttons within reach, preferred wake-up times, or accessible room setups.
Mar 28, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not respond appropriately to alleged violations, such as reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment. Facilities must investigate every allegation and protect residents while they do.
Mar 28, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own.
Mar 28, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide proper foot care for residents. Foot care includes routine care like nail trimming and attention to foot problems, which matter greatly for older adults.
Mar 28, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide safe and appropriate respiratory care — such as oxygen, breathing treatments, or care for residents on breathing equipment — for residents who needed it.
Mar 28, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not label drugs according to professional standards or did not store them in locked compartments, with controlled drugs (medications with a high risk of misuse) kept under a separate lock.
Mar 28, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not have a policy covering how food brought in by family and visitors is used and stored safely.
Mar 28, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide.
Nov 14, 2019	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not treat residents with dignity and respect, or did not honor their rights to make their own decisions and communicate freely. This is one of the most fundamental resident rights.
Nov 14, 2019	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not provide at least one adequately sized room for dining and activities, with good lighting, airflow, and furniture.
Nov 14, 2019	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not allow residents to take their own medications when a clinical review showed they could do so safely. Residents have this right if their care team determines it's appropriate.
Nov 14, 2019	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not develop a resident's complete plan of care within 7 days of the full assessment, or the plan wasn't prepared, reviewed, and updated by a team of health professionals as required.

Inspection trend by year

Year	Citations	Serious (G–L)	Worst severity that year
2019	4	0	E
2026	12	1	J ▲

Counts reflect the current CMS public record (~3 inspection cycles plus complaint investigations); years with no surveys show no row. Inspection frequency varies, so compare severity as well as counts.

Fines and enforcement (last 3 years)

1 fine totaling $19,145.

Date	Type	Amount / length
Mar 28, 2026	Fine	$19,145

Nurse staffing (from payroll records, adjusted for how much care residents need)

Measure	This facility	Tennessee avg	U.S. avg	Where it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)	3.43	3.62	3.95	bottom 45% in Tennessee; bottom 33% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	0.89	0.57	0.69	top 9% in Tennessee; top 21% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	3.08	3.15	3.50	top 46% in Tennessee; bottom 35% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.73	0.39	0.48	top 5% in Tennessee; top 15% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	29.4	48.9	45.8	top 8% in Tennessee; top 13% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	23.8	43.2	42.9	top 18% in Tennessee; top 20% in the U.S.

Hours are per resident per day, case-mix adjusted by CMS so facilities caring for sicker residents can be compared fairly (same basis as the CMS staffing star). "Top X%" means better than most facilities: more staffing hours, or lower turnover. Raw (unadjusted) reported hours: total 3.54, RN 0.92, weekend 3.18. Staffing rating: 4/5.

Self-reported quality measures

Note: these ratings are based on data the facility reports about itself to CMS. They are not independently verified by inspectors, and can look better than inspection findings. Give more weight to the inspection results above.

Quality measures rating: 5/5 · long-stay residents: 4/5 · short-stay residents: 5/5

Who owns this facility

For profit - Corporation

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
Preston, Forrest	Individual	Direct Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	01/01/1996
Cross, Cindy	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	04/21/1994
Fletcher, Todd	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	05/01/2021
Fletcher, Todd	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	11/02/2020
Fletcher, Todd	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	05/01/2021
Goodman, Susan	Individual	Managing Control - Governing Body	NOT APPLICABLE	03/15/2011
Goodman, Susan	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	03/15/2011
Henry, Terry	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	08/16/1999
Lay, Lisa	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	04/24/2017
Lay, Lisa	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	02/09/2018
Lay, Lisa	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	04/24/2017
Life Care Centers of America, INC.	Organization	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	04/01/1994
Life Care Centers of America, INC.	Organization	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	01/31/2006
Malone, Joshue	Individual	Managing Control - Governing Body	NOT APPLICABLE	10/23/2023
Malone, Joshue	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	10/23/2023
Malone, Joshue	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	02/21/2025
Preston, Aubrey	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	11/27/2024
Preston, Forrest	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	01/06/1976
Preston, Forrest	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	01/06/1976
Preston, Forrest	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	01/31/1992

Questions to ask on your visit

Generated from this facility's actual citation record — bring them to a tour and ask the administrator directly.

"Tell me about this abuse or neglect citation — what happened, and what specific changes did you make afterward?"
"What were the findings behind this administration citation, and what has leadership changed since?"
"How does your quality improvement program work, and can you share a recent example of a problem you found and fixed?"
"Under what circumstances, if any, would a resident ever be kept in their room or separated from others?"
"Can you give me examples of how you adjust daily routines and room setups to fit each resident's preferences?"
"If someone reports suspected abuse or neglect here, what happens in the first 24 hours?"
"How many aides are on each shift, and how do you make sure every resident gets timely help with bathing, dressing, and meals?"
"How is routine foot care handled here, and does a podiatrist visit regularly?"
"What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
"Can I see the results and plan of correction from your most recent state inspection?"

Nearby facilities (within 20 miles)

Facility	Distance	City	Overall	Inspection
NHC Healthcare, Athens	0.7 mi	Athens, TN	★★★★★	5/5
Starr Regional Health & Rehabilitation	7.2 mi	Etowah, TN	★★★★★	4/5
Etowah Health and Rehabilitation	8.8 mi	Etowah, TN	★☆☆☆☆	2/5
Waters of Sweetwater a Rehabilitation & Nursing	11.3 mi	Sweetwater, TN	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Decatur Wellness and Rehabilitation Center	12.3 mi	Decatur, TN	★★★☆☆	4/5
Monroe Health and Rehabilitation Center	13.1 mi	Madisonville, TN	★★★☆☆	2/5
Wood Village	13.2 mi	Sweetwater, TN	★★★★★	5/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Athens →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 445298.

The Care File

Visit checklist — Life Care Center of Athens

1234 Frye Street Po Box 786, Athens, TN 37371 · 4237458181

Health inspection rating 1/5 · CMS overall 2/5 · ▲ FEDERAL ABUSE CITATION FLAG· Fines (3y): $19,145

Most serious findings on record:

▲ Mar 28, 2026 (F-0600, Immediate jeopardy, one-off): The facility did not protect residents from abuse or neglect. This covers physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect, by anyone — staff, other residents, or visitors.

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "Tell me about this abuse or neglect citation — what happened, and what specific changes did you make afterward?"
☐ "What were the findings behind this administration citation, and what has leadership changed since?"
☐ "How does your quality improvement program work, and can you share a recent example of a problem you found and fixed?"
☐ "Under what circumstances, if any, would a resident ever be kept in their room or separated from others?"
☐ "Can you give me examples of how you adjust daily routines and room setups to fit each resident's preferences?"
☐ "If someone reports suspected abuse or neglect here, what happens in the first 24 hours?"
☐ "How many aides are on each shift, and how do you make sure every resident gets timely help with bathing, dressing, and meals?"
☐ "How is routine foot care handled here, and does a podiatrist visit regularly?"
☐ "What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
☐ "Can I see the results and plan of correction from your most recent state inspection?"

While you're there, notice:

☐ Smell and cleanliness in hallways, not just the lobby
☐ How staff speak to residents; call lights answered promptly
☐ Residents up, dressed, and engaged (visit mealtimes and a weekend if you can)

Data: CMS Provider Data Catalog, version 2026-08-01 · CCN 445298 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)