Life Care Center of Athens: Staffing, Turnover, and Inspection Record
Life Care Center of Athens is a 128-bed for-profit nursing home in Athens, Tennessee, part of Life Care Centers of America. In the CMS August 2026 release it reported 2.03 nurse aide hours per resident per day, 4% below the Tennessee average of 2.12, and 29.4% nursing staff turnover (Tennessee average 48.9%).
Life Care Center of Athens
1234 Frye Street PO Box 786Athens, TN 37371
Mc Minn County
CMS Care Compare, August 2026 release
Cited for abuse or neglect. CMS marks this home with its abuse icon: it was cited for abuse or neglect that caused harm on its most recent inspection cycle, or for abuse or neglect with potential for harm on each of its last two cycles.
How many staff hours residents get
CMS reports staffing as hours per resident per day, from the payroll records each home submits. At Life Care Center of Athens, nurse aides logged 2.03 hours per resident per day, 4% below the Tennessee average. With about 95 residents a day, that works out to roughly 194 aide hours a day, or about 24 eight-hour aide shifts across day, evening, and night. On weekends, total nursing hours per resident ran 10% below the all-days figure.
| Hours per resident per day | This home | Tennessee avg | US avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse aides (CNAs) | 2.03 | 2.12 | 2.32 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 0.59 | 1.09 | 0.86 |
| Registered nurses | 0.92 | 0.60 | 0.69 |
| All nursing staff | 3.54 | 3.80 | 3.86 |
| All nursing staff, weekends | 3.18 | 3.31 | 3.42 |
CMS Care Compare, August 2026 release: reported staffing hours from Payroll-Based Journal data, and CMS state and US averages.
Staff turnover
29.4% of nursing staff at Life Care Center of Athens left over the year CMS measured, against a Tennessee average of 48.9% and a US average of 45.8%. Registered nurse turnover was 23.8%. No administrators left over the same period.
Inspections and penalties
State inspectors last completed a standard health inspection on Mar 28, 2026. The most recent inspection cycle, which also counts complaint and infection-control inspections from the past 12 months, found 12 health deficiencies (Tennessee average 4.7). CMS lists 1 fine totaling $19,145 in the last three years.
| Inspection date | Penalty | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 2026 | Fine | $19,145 |
CMS Penalties file, August 2026 release. A payment denial stops Medicare and Medicaid payment for new admissions for the days shown.
CMS star ratings
CMS rates every nursing home from one to five stars overall and on health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. Life Care Center of Athens holds 2 of 5 overall; the Tennessee average is 3.0.
About Life Care Center of Athens
- Ownership: For profit - Corporation
- Chain: Life Care Centers of America, 194 homes
- Legal name: Life Care Centers of America, Inc.
- Medicare and Medicaid certified since: Sep 1, 1992
- Councils: resident and family councils
- Area: rural
Nursing homes near Life Care Center of Athens
The closest homes by distance, with the same CMS figures. Select a column to sort.
| NHC Healthcare, Athens Athens | 0.7 | 86 | 2.23 | 4.07 | 50.8% | 5 | None |
| Starr Regional Health & Rehabilitation Etowah | 7.2 | 88 | 1.97 | 3.98 | — | 5 | $8,697 |
| Etowah Health and Rehabilitation Etowah | 8.8 | 120 | 1.62 | 3.22 | — | 1 | $21,692 |
| Waters of Sweetwater a Rehabilitation & Nursing Sweetwater | 11.3 | 90 | 1.90 | 3.33 | 53.1% | 2 | None |
| Decatur Wellness and Rehabilitation Center Decatur | 12.3 | 88 | 2.27 | 3.52 | 58.6% | 3 | None |
| Monroe Health and Rehabilitation Center Madisonville | 13.1 | 85 | 1.82 | 3.07 | 43.5% | 3 | None |
| Wood Village Sweetwater | 13.2 | 89 | 2.01 | 3.48 | 27.9% | 5 | None |
| Life Care Center of Rhea County Dayton | 22.3 | 89 | 2.06 | 3.52 | 27.3% | 4 | None |
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.