Best Assisted Living in Tennessee

Life Care Center of Gray is a 133-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility administered by Ashley Lee in Gray, Tennessee, owned by Gray Medical Investors, LLC. Situated in Washington County and operating since 1992, the facility accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay.
CMS rates Life Care Center of Gray 1 star, 67 percent below the Tennessee average, driven primarily by a health inspection rating 66 percent below the state benchmark. 4 critical abuse, neglect, and exploitation citations were issued in April 2024, all subsequently corrected, along with a $10,000 civil money penalty. 6 of the facility’s 16 total health citations since 2018 resulted from complaint investigations. The 4 critical citations recorded within eight years are 264 percent above the Tennessee average of 1.1, the most consequential data point in the inspection record. The CMS staffing rating runs 22 percent above the Tennessee average, though CNA hours at 1 hour and 39 minutes per resident per day are 23 percent below the state benchmark, and weekend total nursing at 2 hours and 32 minutes per day is 24 percent below the Tennessee average. Long-stay quality measures are rated above average. Hospitalizations run at 1.40 per 1,000 resident days, 11 percent better than the Tennessee average of 1.58, and ED visits at 1.12 per 1,000 days are 29 percent better than the state figure. Pressure ulcer rates at 3.0 percent are 46 percent below the Tennessee average. Short-stay falls with major injury at 2.6 percent are 242 percent worse than the state average of 0.8 percent, and the community return rate of 35.7 percent is 29 percent below the Tennessee benchmark of 50.6 percent, limiting the facility’s fit for residents aiming for post-acute rehabilitation with discharge home.
Amenities feature an Alzheimer’s and dementia care program, a Community Re-Entry Program, landscaped grounds and courtyards, and a fine dining program.
Life Care Center of Gray may suit families in Washington County seeking long-term skilled nursing care, where the long-stay clinical outcomes are more favorable. The 2024 abuse and neglect findings and the 1-star overall rating warrant discussion with facility leadership before placement. Families should ask specifically about the April 2024 findings, the corrective actions taken, and current oversight practices before deciding.

Life Care Center of Crossville is a 122-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility owned by Crossville Medical Investors, LLC in Crossville, Cumberland County, Tennessee. Operating since 1992 and administered by Cathy Marie Jones Howe, the facility accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay. It serves short-term rehabilitation and long-term care residents, with 74 days average stay.
CMS rates the facility 3 stars, with quality measures 34 percent above Tennessee’s average and a staffing rating 22 percent above the state benchmark. Short-stay outcomes are rated significantly above average: re-hospitalization at 12 percent is 46 percent better than Tennessee’s average of 22.2 percent, and 83.3 percent of short-stay residents met or exceeded expected self-care ability at discharge, 55 percent above the state figure. Short-stay ED visit rates of 4.8 percent are 57 percent better than Tennessee’s average. Long-stay quality measures are rated significantly above average, with ED visits at 0.59 per 1,000 resident days representing a 62 percent improvement over the state benchmark, and hospitalizations at 1.34 per 1,000 days running 15 percent better than Tennessee’s average. Weight loss among long-stay residents at 14.5 percent is 130 percent worse than the 6.3 percent state average, a figure worth discussing directly with nursing leadership. The health inspection rating trails the Tennessee average by 31.5 percent. 3 abuse, neglect, and exploitation citations are in the seven-year record alongside one serious citation, and four of the 18 total citations came from complaint investigations. A $9,000 civil money penalty was assessed in August 2024, well below the $86,000 Tennessee average. RN hours at 18 minutes per resident per day are 51 percent below the 37 minutes state average, and weekend RN hours at 7 minutes per day are 71 percent below the Tennessee benchmark. LPN hours at 1 hour and 25 minutes per day, 31 percent above the state average, represent staffing strength.
Amenities include a Community Re-Entry Program, an Alzheimer’s and dementia care program, a fine dining program, and landscaped grounds and courtyards.
Life Care Center of Crossville suits families in Cumberland County seeking strong short-stay rehabilitation outcomes and long-stay hospital avoidance. Families should review the abuse and neglect citations and ask about RN and weekend clinical coverage before placement. They must also discuss with nursing leadership the worse-than-state-average weight loss figures for long-stay residents.

Life Care Center of Blount County is a 120-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility administered by Maria Farmer in Louisville, Tennessee that’s owned by Blount Medical Investors, Inc. Licensed in 2015 serving Blount County, the facility accepts Medicare and private pay. It runs primarily as a short-stay destination, with an average stay of 34 days and occupancy of 83.4 percent, above Tennessee’s 73 percent average.
CMS scores the facility 3 stars, with quality measures 34 percent above Tennessee’s average and a staffing rating 22 percent above the state benchmark. Long-stay quality measures are rated significantly above average: hospitalizations at 0.78 per 1,000 resident days are 51 percent better than Tennessee’s 1.58 average, and ED visits at 0.85 per 1,000 days are 46 percent better than the state figure. Pressure ulcer rates at 1.8 percent are 67 percent below Tennessee’s average. Short-stay self-care at discharge reaches 75.1 percent, 40 percent above the state benchmark, and the community return rate of 56.3 percent is 11 percent better than Tennessee’s 50.6 percent average. Short-stay re-hospitalization at 25.2 percent is 14 percent worse than the state average, worth discussing with facility leadership for residents at higher clinical risk. The health inspection rating runs 31.5 percent below Tennessee’s average. 20 total health citations since 2020 include 1 serious citation and 3 abuse, neglect, and exploitation deficiencies across six years, with 6 of the 20 citations arising from complaint investigations. A $8,000 civil money penalty was assessed in July 2024. RN hours at 49 minutes per resident per day are 32 percent above Tennessee’s 37 minutes average, and weekend RN hours at 39 minutes per day are 63 percent above the state benchmark of 24 minutes. Physical therapist hours at 9 minutes per day are 80 percent above Tennessee’s average, supporting the facility’s rehabilitation focus.
Amenities are an Alzheimer’s and dementia care program, a fine dining program, a Community Re-Entry Program, and landscaped grounds and courtyards.
Life Care Center of Blount County suits Blount County families seeking post-acute rehabilitation with strong long-stay clinical outcomes and above-average therapy staffing. Families should review the abuse and neglect citations, complaint investigation history, and the worse-than-state-average short-stay re-hospitalization for residents at higher clinical risk before finalizing placement.

Laurelwood Health Care is a 64-bed skilled nursing facility in Jackson, Tennessee, owned by LHC, Inc., and administered by Lori Moore. It’s licensed since 1992 and operating at 83 percent occupancy, above Tennessee average.
The inspection record within four years shows major regulatory challenges. 26 total citations have been recorded since 2022, compared to a Tennessee average of 4 over the same period, or 6.5 citations per year against a state average of 1. The most consequential finding was a March 2024 complaint investigation that was substantiated and resulted in an immediate jeopardy determination, citing failures in resident supervision and injury investigation. The most recent inspection, conducted January 24, 2025, identified deficiencies across resident rights, pressure ulcer care, fall investigations, catheter care, nutritional monitoring, food service sanitation, and infection control during medication administration. Inspectors noted recurring themes of inadequate environmental cleanliness, incomplete care documentation, and lapses in safety monitoring across multiple visits, with no clear improvement trend. No fines or enforcement actions were recorded. Long-stay quality outcomes are rated below average. Hospitalizations run at 2.53 per 1,000 resident days, 60 percent above the Tennessee average of 1.58, and ED visits at 2.96 per 1,000 days are 89 percent above the state average. Short-stay falls with major injury at 4.6 percent are 491 percent above the Tennessee benchmark of 0.8 percent. RN hours at 20 minutes per resident per day are 46 percent below the 37 minutes state average, and weekend RN coverage at 13 minutes per day is 46 percent below Tennessee’s benchmark.
The facility offers short-term rehabilitation and long-term skilled nursing care in a locked community setting with specialized dementia programming, a sensory room, and a courtyard.
Laurelwood Health Care serves residents needing long-term skilled nursing or dementia care in a secured environment in Jackson. Families should review the March 2024 immediate jeopardy finding, the recurring inspection deficiencies, and the below-average clinical outcome measures directly with facility leadership before deciding.

Life Care Center of Athens is a 128-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility owned by Life Care Centers of America, Inc., and administered by Joshua Malonein in Athens, Tennessee. It’s been licensed since 1992, serving McMinn County. Accepted are Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay.
CMS grades Life Care Center of Athens 5 stars, 63 percent above Tennessee average, with all four sub-categories rated above the state benchmark. The health inspection rating is 71 percent above Tennessee average. One health inspection appears on record since 2019, producing 4 total moderate citations, placing the facility 13th of 176 Tennessee nursing homes by total citation count. No critical or serious citations recorded within seven years, all 4 citations were corrected, and no penalties assessed in the past three years. RN hours at 56 minutes per resident per day are 51 percent above Tennessee average of 37 minutes, and weekend RN coverage at 44 minutes per day is 83 percent above the state benchmark of 24 minutes. Both figures reflect consistent clinical oversight across the week. Short-stay re-hospitalization at 10.7 percent is 52 percent better than Tennessee average of 22.2 percent, the standout outcome measure. Self-care at discharge at 67.1 percent is 25 percent above the state figure. Short-stay falls with major injury at 2.2 percent are 182 percent above Tennessee average of 0.8 percent, a figure worth discussing with leadership. Long-stay hospitalizations at 1.27 per 1,000 resident days run 20 percent better than Tennessee average, and antipsychotic use at 25.0 percent is 51 percent above the 16.5 percent state benchmark.
Amenities include a secured Alzheimer’s and dementia care unit, a Community Re-Entry Program, a fine dining program, and landscaped grounds and courtyards.
Life Care Center of Athens suits McMinn County families wanting a 5-star facility with a strong health inspection record, above-average RN coverage, and dementia care.

Ivy Hall Nursing Home provides individualized long-term care in a comfortable and friendly environment. The facility offers a range of services including physical, occupational, and speech therapy, as well as skilled nursing care. Ivy Hall is committed to maintaining human dignity and independence for its residents.