Tennessee ›Athens

Life Care Center of Athens

Costs & paymentPlan a visit

1234 Frye Street Po Box 786, Athens, TN 37371 (opens Google Maps) · Mc Minn County · (423) 745-8181· 128 certified beds · avg 95 residents/day · certified since Sep 1, 1992 · Medicare and Medicaid certified

Certified for both programmes. Certification means the facility can bill Medicaid — it does not mean a Medicaid-funded bed is free right now, so ask directly. Who pays for nursing home care →

Abuse citation flag (CMS)

What the abuse flag means →

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)
inspected Mar 28, 2026
1
Serious findings on record
most recent Mar 28, 2026
$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)

New to these records? How to read an inspection report →

Health inspection rating: ★☆☆☆☆1/5 · CMS overall rating: 2/5 · how star ratings work →

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 quality measures from resident assessments and claims.

Most serious findings (actual harm or immediate jeopardy)

▲ Immediate jeopardy, isolated · 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): Immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety was cited. The scope was isolated: limited residents, staff, or locations were affected. Scope describes the extent of the deficiency, not whether it happened on previous inspections.

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

Inspection findings in the public record

Showing the latest 3 of 16 inspection findings. Open the full record below to read every finding.

  1. J · Immediate jeopardy, isolated

    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. F-0600

  2. F · Potential for more than minimal harm, widespread

    The facility was not managed in a way that uses its money, staff, and resources effectively and efficiently to care for residents. F-0835

  3. F · Potential for more than minimal harm, widespread

    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. F-0865

View all 16 inspection findingsShow only the latest 3 findings

CMS publishes roughly the last three inspection cycles plus recent complaint investigations. Older surveys drop out of the record as new ones are completed — that window is CMS's, not ours. Within it, every citation CMS publishes for this facility is listed here: none excluded.

DateSeverityWhat the facility was cited for
Mar 28, 2026▲ J · Immediate jeopardy, isolatedThe 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. · F-0600
Mar 28, 2026F · Potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadThe facility was not managed in a way that uses its money, staff, and resources effectively and efficiently to care for residents. · F-0835
Mar 28, 2026F · Potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadThe 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. · F-0865
Mar 28, 2026E · Potential for more than minimal harm, patternThe 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. · F-0603
Mar 28, 2026D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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. · F-0558
Mar 28, 2026D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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. · F-0610
Mar 28, 2026D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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. · F-0677
Mar 28, 2026D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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. · F-0687
Mar 28, 2026D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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. · F-0695
Mar 28, 2026D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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. · F-0761
Mar 28, 2026D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not have a policy covering how food brought in by family and visitors is used and stored safely. · F-0813
Mar 28, 2026D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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. · F-0880
Nov 14, 2019E · Potential for more than minimal harm, patternThe 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. · F-0550
Nov 14, 2019E · Potential for more than minimal harm, patternThe facility did not provide at least one adequately sized room for dining and activities, with good lighting, airflow, and furniture. · F-0920
Nov 14, 2019D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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. · F-0554
Nov 14, 2019D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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. · F-0657

Inspection trend by year

Citations by recorded inspection yearPublished citation counts, not a quality score · Source: CMS, 2026-08-01
All citationsSerious citations (G–L)
2019
All citations: 4
Serious citations (G–L): 0
2026
All citations: 12
Serious citations (G–L): 1

All bars start at zero. Exact values and supporting details remain below.

YearCitationsSerious (G–L)Worst severity that year
201940E
2026121J ▲

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)

How to file a complaint about care →

1 fine totaling $19,145.

Every penalty CMS publishes for this facility in the 3-year window is listed —none excluded. The count and the dollar total come from two different CMS datasets and agree for this facility. Penalties older than the window are dropped by CMS before publication, not by us.

DateTypeAmount / length
Mar 28, 2026Fine$19,145

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

What these staffing numbers mean →

Nurse time, in contextAdjusted hours per resident per day · Source: CMS, 2026-08-01
This facilityTennessee averageU.S. average
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)
This facility: 3.43
Tennessee average: 3.62
U.S. average: 3.95
Registered Nurse hours
This facility: 0.89
Tennessee average: 0.57
U.S. average: 0.69
Weekend total nurse staffing
This facility: 3.08
Tennessee average: 3.15
U.S. average: 3.50

All bars start at zero. Exact values and supporting details remain below.

MeasureThis facilityTennessee avgU.S. avgWhere it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)3.433.623.95bottom 45% in Tennessee; bottom 33% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours0.890.570.69top 9% in Tennessee; top 21% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing3.083.153.50top 46% in Tennessee; bottom 35% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)0.730.390.48top 5% in Tennessee; top 15% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)29.448.945.8top 8% in Tennessee; top 13% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)23.843.242.9top 18% in Tennessee; top 20% in the U.S.

Hours are per resident per day for the most recent quarter of payroll data in this CMS release (2026-08-01) — the same quarter for every facility — 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.Comparing with Medicare Care Compare? Care Compare shows the raw figure (3.54 here, displayed there as hours and minutes), not the adjusted one above. Both are correct; they answer different questions. Staffing rating: 4/5.

Quality measures: assessments & claims

Note: CMS combines facility-reported resident assessments (MDS) with claims-based measures. These are different sources from on-site inspection findings. Read the measures alongside inspection and staffing records; a high QM rating does not establish that a home is safe.

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

Costs & payment

Price evidence · separate from quality

No verified facility-specific private-pay price is available in our data for Life Care Center of Athens. CMS inspection and staffing records do not tell us what this home will charge you.

Calculate a stay from a quote you receive

Use a written private-pay quote. This worksheet adds only the amounts you enter; it does not calculate Medicare, Medicaid or insurance benefits.

Formula: (room rate + daily extras) × days + one-time charges. A 30-day scenario is not a calendar-month quote. Refundable deposits, rate changes and charges you omit are not automatically included. Entries are not saved or sent to our server.

Before you compare prices

  • Request the room type, effective date and itemized daily rate in writing.
  • Ask about therapy, medicines, supplies, care-level charges, deposits, refunds and annual increases.
  • Confirm insurance or Medicaid eligibility and bed availability directly; certification alone does not guarantee either.

Understand who pays for care · How we handle price evidence · Report an incorrect price

Who owns this facility

How to read ownership records →

Ownership records as published by CMS on 2026-08-01. CMS records when an owner joined but not when they left. Listed here and no longer involved? Tell us →

For profit - Corporation

Owner / managerTypeRoleStakeSince
Preston, ForrestIndividualDirect Ownership InterestNOT APPLICABLE01/01/1996
Cross, CindyIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE04/21/1994
Fletcher, ToddIndividualCorporate DirectorNOT APPLICABLE05/01/2021
Fletcher, ToddIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE11/02/2020
Fletcher, ToddIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE05/01/2021
Goodman, SusanIndividualManaging Control - Governing BodyNOT APPLICABLE03/15/2011
Goodman, SusanIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE03/15/2011
Henry, TerryIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE08/16/1999
Lay, LisaIndividualCorporate DirectorNOT APPLICABLE04/24/2017
Lay, LisaIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE02/09/2018
Lay, LisaIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE04/24/2017
Life Care Centers of America, INC.OrganizationOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE04/01/1994
Life Care Centers of America, INC.OrganizationADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE01/31/2006
Malone, JoshueIndividualManaging Control - Governing BodyNOT APPLICABLE10/23/2023
Malone, JoshueIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE10/23/2023
Malone, JoshueIndividualADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE02/21/2025
Preston, AubreyIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE11/27/2024
Preston, ForrestIndividualCorporate DirectorNOT APPLICABLE01/06/1976
Preston, ForrestIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE01/06/1976
Preston, ForrestIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE01/31/1992

Showing 20 of 32 parties CMS has on file for this facility; 12 are not displayed. The full list is in the CMS Ownership dataset.

Other facilities in the same chain

CMS lists this facility under the chain Life Care Centers of America — 194 facilities in the current records. Chain membership says who operates these homes. It says nothing about how any individual one of them was inspected; each has its own record.

Listed by state, then facility name — not a ranking. Showing 8 of the 193 others, continuing from this facility's own place in that list.

Questions to ask on your visit

Full visit checklist →

Print visit checklist

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?"

Also worth asking anywhere

  • "What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
  • "Can I see the plan of correction for the findings in your most recent state inspection?"
  • "CMS reports 29% total nursing staff turnover here — who on the care team has been with you longest?"
  • "The ownership record on file lists 32 owning or managing parties — who makes the decisions about staffing levels?"
  • "Can I visit again unannounced, at a mealtime or on a weekend?"

Nearby facilities (within 20 miles)

FacilityDistanceCityOverallInspectionFlags
NHC Healthcare, Athens0.7 miAthens, TN★★★★★5/5
Starr Regional Health & Rehabilitation7.2 miEtowah, TN★★★★★4/5
Etowah Health and Rehabilitation8.8 miEtowah, TN★☆☆☆☆2/5
Waters of Sweetwater a Rehabilitation & Nursing11.3 miSweetwater, TN★★☆☆☆2/5
Decatur Wellness and Rehabilitation Center12.3 miDecatur, TN★★★☆☆4/5
Monroe Health and Rehabilitation Center13.1 miMadisonville, TN★★★☆☆2/5
Wood Village13.3 miSweetwater, 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.

Your research

Viewed & saved homes

Kept in this browser tab for this session. Choose to remember them only on a device you trust. Opening a record or comparison sends its usual page request.

Selected for comparison

Recently viewed

Prices entered in a cost worksheet stay on that page and are not saved. Privacy details