Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC
Nursing Home & Palliative Care · Vestavia Hills, AL
CMS overall rating Info CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) is the federal agency that rates nursing home quality. Its Overall Rating runs from 1 to 5 stars, combining health inspections, staffing, and quality measures, with inspections weighted most heavily.

Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC

Nursing Home & Palliative Care · Vestavia Hills, AL
CMS overall rating Info CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) is the federal agency that rates nursing home quality. Its Overall Rating runs from 1 to 5 stars, combining health inspections, staffing, and quality measures, with inspections weighted most heavily.
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Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay.

Overview of Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC

Owned by John Wheeler, Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River is a nursing home built around short-term rehabilitation and recovery in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. The 120-bed facility sits in a really walkable neighborhood where most daily errands can be done on foot, making it convenient for visiting families and residents to venture out when wanted. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are welcome, giving families lots of routes to cover post-acute rehabilitation and ongoing skilled nursing care.

The average stay length of 40 days reflects a robust focus on helping residents recover and return home after a hospital stay or major surgery. That short-stay profile shapes the entire approach: the facility emphasizes intensive rehabilitation services via specialized nursing, therapy, and a rapid recovery program, supported by on-site pharmacy services. Staffing levels underscore this dedication, with total nursing care averaging nearly 5 hours per resident day and nurse aide support at nearly 4 hours per resident day. Day-to-day living is boosted by amenities that support recovery and well-being. A full-service spa and health and beauty spa are present, and a professional chef prepares meals using fresh, healthy ingredients under a registered dietician’s guidance. The community also offers concierge services to help with daily needs, allowing residents and families to focus on the recovery process.

Quality ratings

Measured by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Overall rating Info The Overall CMS Rating combines results from health inspections, staffing levels and quality measures. Health inspections carry the most weight. Staffing and quality scores can increase or decrease the final rating based on performance compared to state and national standards.
Health Inspection Info Based on the results of the facility's three most recent standard inspections and any complaint investigations. CMS reviews the number, scope, and severity of deficiencies, with more recent findings weighted more heavily.
Staffing Info Measures average nursing staff hours per resident per day, including Registered Nurses (RNs) and total nursing staff. Ratings are adjusted based on the level of care residents require and are compared to state and national benchmarks.
Quality Measures Info Based on clinical and physical health indicators reported to CMS, such as hospital readmissions, falls, pressure ulcers, and improvements in mobility. These measures reflect how well residents' health needs are being managed.

Staffing hours breakdown

Info Daily nursing hours per resident by staff type, reported to CMS. Higher is generally better — compare this facility to state and national averages to see where staffing stands.

Hours per resident per day — compared to state averages

Total nursing care / resident Info Total adjusted nursing hours per resident per day, combining RN, LPN, and aide time. CMS adjusts this for case-mix so facilities can be fairly compared.
4h 58m per day
Rank #22 / 136Nurse hours — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 22nd out of 136 homes in Alabama. Shows adjusted nurse hours per resident per day benchmarked to the Alabama average, with a ranking across 136 Alabama facilities. More hours mean more direct care. The national average is about 3.5 hrs; below 3.0 is a red flag.Rankings are based only on facilities in Alabama that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
vs avg
Staff typeHours / Day / Residentvs state avg
Registered Nurse (RN) Info RNs hold the highest nursing license and can assess residents, interpret test results, and direct care plans. More RN hours per day often signals stronger clinical oversight and faster response to health changes. 52m per day
LPN / LVN Info Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) or Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) deliver routine hands-on care — medication administration, wound dressing, and monitoring vital signs. They work under RN supervision and make up a large share of daily bedside care. 54m per day
Nurse Aide Info Certified Nurse Aides (CNAs) provide the most direct day-to-day assistance: bathing, dressing, feeding, and mobility. Nurse aide hours are typically the largest staffing category and directly affect residents' quality of life. 3h 6m per day
Weekend Total Nursing Info Combined nursing hours (RN + LPN + Nurse Aide) per resident per day on weekends. Staffing often drops on weekends — this figure reveals whether the facility maintains adequate coverage outside of weekday hours. 4h 6m per day
Physical Therapist Info Hours per resident per day provided by licensed Physical Therapists (PTs) or PT Assistants. PT services help residents recover mobility after injury or illness and are especially important for post-acute (short-stay) rehabilitation. 3m per day
Weekend RN Info Registered nurse hours specifically on weekends. Facilities sometimes reduce RN presence on Saturdays and Sundays — a low weekend RN figure compared to weekday hours can indicate reduced clinical oversight when most administrative staff are absent. 27m per day

Capacity and availability

Avg. Length of Stay
40 days
Bed community size
120-bed community Rank #64 / 245Bed count — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 64th out of 245 homes in Alabama. Shows this facility's certified or reported bed count compared to other Alabama facilities. Larger communities may offer more amenities, programs, and on-site services for residents and families.Rankings are based only on facilities in Alabama that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
A larger shared setting that may offer more common spaces and organized community services.
Walk Score
Walk Score: 73 / 100 Rank #15 / 418Walk Score — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 15th out of 418 homes in Alabama. Shows how walkable this facility's neighborhood is compared to the average Walk Score across Alabama facilities. Higher scores benefit residents, families, and staff.Rankings are based only on facilities in Alabama that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
Very walkable. Most errands can be accomplished on foot, and many essentials are within a short walk.

About this community

Occupancy

Occupancy rate
90%
Rank #34 / 138Occupancy rate — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 34th out of 138 homes in Alabama. Shows this facility's occupancy rate versus the Alabama average, with its Statewide rank out of 138. Higher occupancy signals strong local demand and financial stability.Rankings are based only on facilities in Alabama that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
Higher than the Alabama average: 80.8%
Occupied beds
108 / 120
Average occupied beds in Alabama homes 97 beds

License Details

Facility TypeNursing Home
StatusRegular
CountyJefferson

Ownership & Operating Entity

Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC is administered by Maegan Estes Darby.

Profit StatusFor-profit

Therapy & Rehabilitation

1 service
Rehabilitation Services

Staffing & Medical

1 service
24-Hour Staffing

Amenities & Lifestyle

Concierge Service
Health And Beauty Spa
Full Service Spa
Professional Chef
Registered Dietician
Specific ProgramsSpecialized Nursing, Rapid Recovery, Pharmacy

Contact Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC

Health Inspection History

Inspections since 2018
Total health inspections 3

State average N/A


Last Health inspection on Jan 2024

Total health citations
17 Rank #116 / 136Health citations — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 116th out of 136 homes in Alabama. Shows this facility's total health deficiency citations benchmarked to the Alabama State average, with a ranking across all 136 AL facilities. Lower citation counts earn a better rank.Rankings are based only on facilities in Alabama that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.

State average N/A

Citations per inspection
5.67 Rank #119 / 136Citations per inspection — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 119th out of 136 homes in Alabama. Shows average deficiency citations per CMS inspection for this facility versus the Alabama mean across 136 facilities with citation data. Lower is better.Rankings are based only on facilities in Alabama that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.

State average N/A


Health citations are formal notices following inspections when they fail to comply with safety and care standards.

9 of 17 citations resulted from standard inspections; and 8 of 17 came from combined inspections (standard and complaint).

Breakdown of citation severity (last 8 years)
Critical health citations
1
In line with State average

State average: N/A


Serious health citations
0
In line with State average

State average: N/A

1 critical citation State average: N/A

0 serious citations State average: N/A

16 moderate citations State average: N/A

0 minor citations State average: N/A
Citations history (last 8 years)
Nutrition moderate citation Jan 12, 2024
Corrected

Pharmacy moderate citation Jan 12, 2024
Corrected

Quality of Care moderate citation Jan 12, 2024
Corrected

Care Planning moderate citation Jan 12, 2024
Corrected

Staffing Data

Reporting period: October 1 – December 31, 2025 (Q4 2025). Source: CMS Payroll-Based Journal report.

Total staff 216
Employees 190
Contractors 26
Staff to resident ratio 1.98 : 1
0% compared with State average

State average ratio: 0 : 0

Avg staff/day 81
Average shift 8 hours
0% compared with State average

State average: 0 hours

Total staff hours (quarter) 59,257

Nursing staff breakdown

Q4 2025 · Oct 1 – Dec 31 More info This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
Registered Nurse

Manages medical care and health needs.

RN Staff Info All 30 RN Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role. 30
Average shift length Info Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day. 8.6 hours
Licensed Practical Nurse

Assists with medical care and medications.

LPN Staff Info All 27 LPN Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role. 27
Average shift length Info Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day. 9.2 hours
Certified Nursing Assistant

Helps with daily care and mobility.

CNA Staff Info All 66 CNA Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role. 66
Average shift length Info Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day. 7.7 hours

Contractor staffing

Q4 2025 · Oct 1 – Dec 31 More info This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.

Total hours from contractors

11.6%

6,864 contractor hours this quarter

Speech Language Pathologist: 9 Qualified Social Worker: 7 Respiratory Therapy Technician: 4 Physical Therapy Aide: 3 Physical Therapy Assistant: 3

Staff by category

Q4 2025 · Oct 1 – Dec 31 More info This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
Certified Nursing Assistant6606619,84092100%7.7
Licensed Practical Nurse270277,91792100%9.2
Registered Nurse300306,84192100%8.6
Nurse Aide in Training270276,46792100%7.2
Medication Aide/Technician240245,64692100%8.5
Speech Language Pathologist0992,1517885%7.3
Qualified Social Worker0771,6268087%7.3
Clinical Nurse Specialist4041,5326470%7.9
Physical Therapy Aide0331,4017582%7.4
RN Director of Nursing3031,3876672%9.3
Physical Therapy Assistant0331,1828087%7.2
Mental Health Service Worker2026037986%7.2
Administrator2025126470%8
Nurse Practitioner1015126470%8
Respiratory Therapy Technician0445047076%7.1
Dietitian1014345661%7.7
Dental Services Staff1014215964%7.1
Occupational Therapy Aide1011702628%6.5
Occupational Therapy Assistant1011102325%4.8
66 Certified Nursing Assistant
% of Days 100%
27 Licensed Practical Nurse
% of Days 100%
30 Registered Nurse
% of Days 100%
27 Nurse Aide in Training
% of Days 100%
24 Medication Aide/Technician
% of Days 100%
9 Speech Language Pathologist
% of Days 85%
7 Qualified Social Worker
% of Days 87%
4 Clinical Nurse Specialist
% of Days 70%
3 Physical Therapy Aide
% of Days 82%
3 RN Director of Nursing
% of Days 72%
3 Physical Therapy Assistant
% of Days 87%
2 Mental Health Service Worker
% of Days 86%
2 Administrator
% of Days 70%
1 Nurse Practitioner
% of Days 70%
4 Respiratory Therapy Technician
% of Days 76%
1 Dietitian
% of Days 61%
1 Dental Services Staff
% of Days 64%
1 Occupational Therapy Aide
% of Days 28%
1 Occupational Therapy Assistant
% of Days 25%

Penalties and fines

Includes penalties issued in 2024

Federal penalties imposed by CMS for regulatory violations, including civil money penalties (fines) and denials of payment for new Medicare/Medicaid admissions.

Source: CMS Penalties Database (Data as of Jan 2026)

Total fines amount $17K Rank #115 / 137Federal fines — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 115th out of 137 homes in Alabama. Shows this facility's cumulative CMS federal fine dollars versus the Alabama average among facilities with fines, and where it ranks among 137 facilities in the pool. Lower total dollars mean a better rank.Rankings are based only on facilities in Alabama that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
74% lower than State average

State average: $65K

Number of fines 1
58% fewer fines than State average

State average: 2.4

Payment Denials Info Serious action where Medicare and/or Medicaid temporarily stops payments for new residents until issues are fixed. 0
100% fewer payment denials than State average

State average: 0.3

Fines amount comparison
Fines amount comparison
This facility $17K
State average $65K
Penalty History

Penalties are imposed by CMS for violations of federal nursing home regulations.

1 penalty in the past 3 years

Jan 12, 2024 · $17K

Civil Money Penalty Info Fines imposed for noncompliance, which can be assessed per day or per instance of violation. Jan 12, 2024
$17K

Last updated: Jan 2026

Quality of care over time

These measures show how residents usually do over time at this home, based on health outcomes and preventive care.

High-risk clinical events score Info A composite score based on pressure ulcers, falls with injury, weight loss, walking ability decline, and activities of daily living decline. 11.5
29% worse than State average

State average: 8.9

Functional decline score Info A composite score based on activities of daily living decline, walking ability decline, and incontinence. 18.4
27% worse than State average

State average: 14.5

Long-stay resident measures
Need for Help with Daily Activities Increased Info Percent of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased 21.1%
52% worse than State average

State average: 13.9%

Walking Ability Worsened Info Percent of long-stay residents whose ability to move independently worsened 16.4%
In line with State average

State average: 16.1%

Low Risk Residents with Bowel/Bladder Incontinence Info Percent of low risk long-stay residents who lose control of their bowels or bladder 17.8%
31% worse than State average

State average: 13.6%

Falls with Major Injury Info Percent of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury 2.1%
39% better than State average

State average: 3.4%

High Risk Residents with Pressure Ulcers Info Percent of long-stay high risk residents with pressure ulcers 14.5%
144% worse than State average

State average: 5.9%

Urinary Tract Infection Info Percent of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection 2.3%
17% better than State average

State average: 2.7%

Lost Too Much Weight Info Percent of long-stay residents who lose too much weight 3.4%
37% better than State average

State average: 5.4%

Depressive Symptoms Info Percent of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms 0.0%
100% better than State average

State average: 1.2%

Antipsychotic Use Info Percent of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication 19.6%
5% better than State average

State average: 20.7%

Pneumococcal Vaccine Info Percent of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine 96.3%
5% better than State average

State average: 91.5%

Influenza Vaccine Info Percent of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine 93.0%
In line with State average

State average: 94.8%

Short-stay resident measures
Pneumococcal Vaccine Info Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine 92.0%
10% better than State average

State average: 83.7%

Antipsychotic medication increase Info Percent of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication 2.7%
27% worse than State average

State average: 2.1%

Influenza Vaccine Info Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine 75.8%
6% worse than State average

State average: 80.3%

Breakdown by payment type

Medicare

25% of new residents, usually for short-term rehab.

Typical stay 26 days

Private pay

74% of new residents, often for short stays.

Typical stay 1 months

Medicaid

2% of new residents, often for long-term daily care.

Typical stay 1 - 2 years

Facility Characteristics

Source: CMS Long-Term Care Facility Characteristics (Data as of Jan 2026)

Total residents 109
Medicare
52
47.7% of residents
Medicaid
27
24.8% of residents
Private pay or other
30
27.5% of residents
Programs & Services
Residents Group

Residents meet regularly to discuss policies, care quality, and activities

Nurse Aide Training

State-approved Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program on-site

Active Resident Council

Organized group of residents that meets regularly to discuss facility policies, quality of life, and activities.

Finances and operations

Based on CMS SNF Cost Report for fiscal year ending in 06/2024.

For-profit
Operated by a single business entity.
Net patient revenue Info Net patient revenue — what the home actually collects for resident care, after contractual allowances, bad debt and discounts are subtracted from its gross charges (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3). It covers resident care only; money the home earns from other sources is shown separately as "Other income."
$15.5M
Net patient income Info Net patient income: net patient revenue minus the home's total operating expenses. A positive figure means it earns more from resident care than it spends to deliver it; a negative figure means the opposite. It excludes non-operating "other income."
-$2.7M
For-profit Operated by a single business entity.
Net patient revenue Info Net patient revenue — what the home actually collects for resident care, after contractual allowances, bad debt and discounts are subtracted from its gross charges (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3). It covers resident care only; money the home earns from other sources is shown separately as "Other income."
$15.5M Rank #18 / 135Revenue — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 18th out of 135 homes in Alabama. Shows this facility's annual revenue compared to the Alabama average. Higher revenue generally means more resources for staffing and capital — read alongside Payroll %.Rankings are based only on facilities in Alabama that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
Net patient income Info Net patient income: net patient revenue minus the home's total operating expenses. A positive figure means it earns more from resident care than it spends to deliver it; a negative figure means the opposite. It excludes non-operating "other income."
-$2.7M
Other income Info Money the home earns outside of resident care — such as investments, grants, rentals and other non-operating sources (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3). It is tracked separately from net patient revenue: it is not part of that figure, and it is not included in net patient income.
$1.1M
Payroll costs Info Staff salaries plus wage-related costs — benefits such as payroll taxes, health insurance and retirement — from the home's own accounting records (CMS cost report, Worksheet A). Contract or agency labor is counted separately, under other operating costs. Rank #26 / 135Payroll — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 26th out of 135 homes in Alabama. Shows total annual staff payroll benchmarked to the Alabama average. Higher payroll investment relative to peers often signals better staffing and less reliance on cheaper contract labor.Rankings are based only on facilities in Alabama that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
$8.0M 51.6% of net patient revenue Info Payroll as a share of revenue: staff salaries and wage-related benefits divided by net patient revenue. A higher figure means more of each revenue dollar goes to staff pay. Rank #95 / 133Payroll % — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 95th out of 133 homes in Alabama. Shows payroll as a percentage of revenue versus the Alabama average. Well-run Alabama facilities typically land around 54–69% — the top third Statewide. Below 25% may signal understaffing or heavy agency use — read with Staffing ratings.Rankings are based only on facilities in Alabama that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
Other operating costs Info Everything it costs to run the home apart from payroll — food, utilities, supplies, maintenance, contract labor and administration. Calculated as total operating expense minus payroll (staff salaries and wage-related benefits).
$10.2M
Total costs Info The home's total operating expense for the year — all the costs of running it, salaries included (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3).
$18.2M

Who this home usually serves

TYPE OF STAY

Primarily short stays

Residents typically stay for brief periods, with frequent admissions and discharges throughout the year.

Most new residents arrive under private pay (74% of admissions), and a typical private pay stay runs around 1 months.

Admissions
992 total

Coverage residents most often arrive under.

Medicare 25%
Private pay 74%
Medicaid 2%
Discharges
981 total

Coverage residents most often leave under.

Medicare 22%
Private pay 75%
Medicaid 3%

Places of interest near Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC

Address 3070 Healthy Way, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243-2331

Calculate Travel Distance to Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC

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Frequently Asked Questions about Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC

Is Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC in a walkable area?

Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC has a walk score of 73. Very walkable. Most errands can be accomplished on foot, and many essentials are within a short walk.

What is the occupancy rate at Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC?

Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC's occupancy is 90%.

Does Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC operate as a for-profit or non-profit?

Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC is registered as a for-profit in AL.

Who is the administrator of Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC?

Maegan Estes Darby is the administrator of Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC.

How many beds does Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC have?

Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC has 120 beds.

Are there photos of Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC?

Yes — there are 7 photos of Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC in the photo gallery on this page.

What is the address of Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC?

Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River, LLC is located at 3070 Healthy Way, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243-2331.

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