Highlands Lake Center: Staffing, Turnover, and Inspection Record
Highlands Lake Center is a 179-bed for-profit nursing home in Lakeland, Florida, part of Aston Health. In the CMS August 2026 release it reported 2.01 nurse aide hours per resident per day, 13% below the Florida average of 2.31, and 53.5% nursing staff turnover (Florida average 41.4%).
Highlands Lake Center
4240 Lakeland Highlands RdLakeland, FL 33813
Polk County
CMS Care Compare, August 2026 release
How many staff hours residents get
CMS reports staffing as hours per resident per day, from the payroll records each home submits. At Highlands Lake Center, nurse aides logged 2.01 hours per resident per day, 13% below the Florida average. With about 167 residents a day, that works out to roughly 336 aide hours a day, or about 42 eight-hour aide shifts across day, evening, and night. On weekends, total nursing hours per resident ran 7% below the all-days figure.
| Hours per resident per day | This home | Florida avg | US avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse aides (CNAs) | 2.01 | 2.31 | 2.32 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 0.61 | 0.78 | 0.86 |
| Registered nurses | 0.70 | 0.73 | 0.69 |
| All nursing staff | 3.32 | 3.82 | 3.86 |
| All nursing staff, weekends | 3.09 | 3.49 | 3.42 |
CMS Care Compare, August 2026 release: reported staffing hours from Payroll-Based Journal data, and CMS state and US averages.
Staff turnover
53.5% of nursing staff at Highlands Lake Center left over the year CMS measured, against a Florida average of 41.4% and a US average of 45.8%. Registered nurse turnover was 46.9%. 1 administrator left over the same period.
Inspections and penalties
State inspectors last completed a standard health inspection on Mar 7, 2024. The most recent inspection cycle, which also counts complaint and infection-control inspections from the past 12 months, found 17 health deficiencies (Florida average 7.1). CMS lists no fines or payment denials for this home in the last three years.
CMS star ratings
CMS rates every nursing home from one to five stars overall and on health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. Highlands Lake Center holds 2 of 5 overall; the Florida average is 3.3.
About Highlands Lake Center
- Ownership: For profit - Corporation
- Chain: Aston Health, 38 homes
- Legal name: Highlands Lake Center LLC
- Medicare and Medicaid certified since: Sep 29, 1988
- Councils: resident council
- Area: urban
Nursing homes near Highlands Lake Center
The closest homes by distance, with the same CMS figures. Select a column to sort.
| Scott Lake Health and Rehabilitation Center Lakeland · abuse citation | 2.9 | 120 | 2.23 | 3.74 | 35.6% | 2 | $80,408 |
| Bridgewalk on Harden Health and Rehabilitation, LL Lakeland | 3.2 | 120 | 2.07 | 3.48 | 63.3% | 1 | $181,400 |
| Florida Presbyterian Homes Inc Lakeland | 3.8 | 68 | 2.21 | 3.81 | 26.3% | 5 | None |
| Charming Lakes Rehab Lakeland | 5.8 | 120 | 2.12 | 3.44 | 59.8% | 2 | $77,880 |
| Lakeland Hills Center Lakeland | 5.9 | 120 | 2.04 | 3.21 | 50.9% | 2 | $139,373 |
| Vivo Healthcare Lakeland Lakeland | 6.0 | 185 | 2.11 | 3.44 | 41.5% | 1 | $152,495 |
| Valencia Hills Health and Rehabilitation Center Lakeland | 8.1 | 249 | 2.14 | 3.57 | 49.6% | 1 | $62,766 |
| The Manor at Carpenters Lakeland | 8.2 | 72 | 2.35 | 3.71 | 41.3% | 4 | $24,252 |
Aide hrs and all nurse hrs are staff hours per resident per day. Fines are the CMS total for the last three years. Turnover is the share of nursing staff who left over a year. All figures from CMS Care Compare.
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Source: CMS Care Compare Provider Information, State and US Averages, and Penalties files, August 2026 release. Figures are as CMS publishes them; check Medicare Care Compare for the latest. Methodology.