Page 3 of Best Hospice Care in Mississippi

Driftwood Nursing Center is a skilled nursing home on Broad Avenue in Gulfport, Mississippi, serving Harrison County families along the Gulf Coast. The home is administered by Vera Lott and accepts both Medicare and Medicaid, which gives families a clear path to cover short-term rehabilitation as well as longer-term nursing care. With 151 beds, it is one of the larger nursing homes in the area, and it currently runs at about 67 percent occupancy, so there is room available for new residents.

Care is delivered by a full clinical team that includes registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nurse aides, supported by a medical director and visiting physicians. Nurse aides provide roughly 2 hours and 23 minutes of hands-on care per resident each day, the largest single share of daily support, covering bathing, dressing, meals, and mobility. Licensed nurses add another layer of clinical oversight for medications, wound care, and monitoring, and nursing coverage holds steady through weekends rather than dropping off.

Beyond nursing, the home brings in a range of on-site disciplines: physical therapy, speech language pathology, respiratory therapy, social services, dietary services, and an activities and recreation team. Diagnostic X-ray services are available on site as well, which can spare residents a trip out for routine imaging. That mix suits someone recovering from a hospital stay or surgery as much as it does a resident settling in for ongoing care.

State inspections in Mississippi have tended to surface matters of documentation accuracy, infection control practice, and care planning detail rather than broad concerns with the quality of hands-on care. Families touring the home may want to ask how those processes are managed day to day.

The neighborhood scores 47 out of 100 for walkability, so a few errands are reachable on foot while most trips call for a car. Visiting family will find it a straightforward drive from most of the Gulfport area.

Tishomingo Community Living Center is a 73-bed skilled nursing facility at 1410 West Quitman Street in Iuka, Tishomingo County, Mississippi, administered by Kimberly Amerson and privately owned.

The critical issue dominating this facility’s record is a June 2023 resident death resulting from medication management failure. A newly admitted diabetic resident’s physician-ordered insulin dose was omitted from the medical record; no baseline diabetes care plan was prepared within 24 hours of admission. Five days later, the resident transferred to an emergency room with a blood sugar of 764 mg/dL and died of diabetic ketoacidosis. This Immediate Jeopardy finding prompted corrective action, but the incident resulted in a $180,000 civil penalty in June 2023 and shapes the facility’s regulatory standing.

Deficiency patterns persist. The June 2023 health inspection identified 16 deficiencies concentrated in care planning, medication management, and resident rights. August 2024 yielded 7 deficiencies. December 2025 brought 8 deficiencies on the health inspection and 5 more on a concurrent complaint investigation, with additional Immediate Jeopardy citations.

In three years, two health inspections and two complaint investigations produced 46 combined deficiencies. Citation severity runs high: 5 critical citations (Mississippi averages 1 per facility), 11 moderate citations. The facility cites at 8.0 per inspection versus the state benchmark of 3.83. Mississippi averaged 16.9 total citations and 3.83 per inspection statewide during this same period; Tishomingo doubled the per-inspection rate.

Staffing and quality measures underperform state standards across multiple dimensions. Total nursing care delivers 3 hours 48 minutes per resident per day against the state average of 4 hours 20 minutes, a 12% deficit. The staff-to-resident ratio is 1.26:1, or 26% worse than Mississippi’s 1.69:1 benchmark. Registered nurses provide 48 minutes per resident per day (26% above state average weekdays), but licensed practical nurses deliver 47 minutes per day (29% below state average) and certified nursing aides provide 2 hours 1 minute daily (19% below state average).

CMS ratings reflect this: 1 star overall, with Health Inspection 60.9% below state average, Staffing 64.7% below state average, Quality Measures 7.8% below state average. Falls with major injury among long-stay residents reach 5.9% (85% worse than the 3.2% state average) and among short-stay residents 4.8% (518% worse than 0.8% state average). Functional ability at discharge stands at 15.4% versus a state average of 53.7%.

The facility maintains 91.3% occupancy (above the 82.3% state average) and accepts Medicare (18.5% of residents), Medicaid (75.4%), and private pay (6.2%). It provides 24-hour staffing, rehabilitation services, respite care, and memory care. Amenities include private suites, WiFi, in-room televisions, outdoor patios, and a transportation van. Named programs include Life Connections, Connection Stories, and the 719 Project.

Families should ask about corrections for the December 2025 deficiencies, medication reconciliation protocols, baseline care-plan procedures at admission, and staff training verification in diabetes management.

Overview of Diversicare of Quitman

Owned by Kenyatta Pearson, Diversicare of Quitman is a 120-bed nursing home serving as a regional resource for skilled nursing and rehabilitation in Quitman, Mississippi, on Highway 511 East. Accepted are Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay, offering flexibility for families with different coverage situations.

Diversicare of Quitman is a 120-bed facility with an 81 percent occupancy rate, indicating stable operations. The average stay length is 155 days, which reflects a mix of short-term rehabilitation residents and those needing longer-term care. With a Walk Score of 49, the location is somewhat walkable for short local trips, but most daily activities will require a car. The community specializes in short-stay rehabilitation and complex medical care. It’s staffed to handle residents with demanding clinical needs, with total nursing care averaging 3 hours and 32 minutes per resident day. This staffing level includes registered nurses, nurse aides, and other licensed nursing personnel, mirroring the facility’s commitment to skilled oversight and attentive support for its population.

Characterized by a welcoming environment and highly trained caregivers, the community’s focus on rehabilitation services makes it a pragmatic option for those recovering from surgery, acute illness, or hospitalization and needing structured nursing care as they regain independence.

Overview of Diversicare of Batesville

Diversicare of Batesville is a 130-bed skilled nursing community owned by Jackie Lairy on Woodland Road in Batesville, Mississippi. It takes Medicaid, Medicare, and private pay, offering numerous pathways for families to arrange coverage. With an 82 percent occupancy rate and an average stay length of 79 days, the community serves a mix of short-term rehabilitation residents and those requiring longer-term nursing care.

The facility’s care concentrates on rehabilitation and complex medical needs. Short-stay rehabilitation draws patients recovering from surgery or hospital stays who benefit from intensive therapy and medical support before going home. Total nursing care averages 4 hours and 1 minute per resident day, with registered nurses providing 35 minutes of daily care, nurse aides contributing 2 hours and 8 minutes, and LPN/LVN staff adding 57 minutes. That staffing level reflects a dedication to hands-on clinical support all day. The surrounding neighborhood scores 56 on walkability, so visiting family members can do some local errands on foot, while most trips require a fast drive. The facility is committed to maintaining an inviting environment bolstered by highly trained caregivers. Diversicare of Batesville is established around the idea that quality care depends on the people who deliver it each day, and staffing is configured to keep such support consistent and present.

Diversicare of Batesville’s location is moderately walkable, and this can fit families wanting convenient access without being amid a busy downtown district.

Overview of Memorial Driftwood Nursing Center

Memorial Driftwood Nursing Center sits on Broad Avenue, just a couple of miles from the heart of Gulfport in Harrison County. It’s a single-story facility with 151 beds, currently led by Vera Lott. If you’re visiting family and need to run errands without a car, the neighborhood lands at a 50 on the Walk Score scale; moderately walkable, which is pretty convenient. The facility welcomes pets, and they accept both Medicare and Medicaid.

With 102 of the 151 beds filled, the occupancy rate is sitting at 68%. This means the facility isn’t running at full capacity, giving you more breathing room to make decisions rather than feeling forced into a rush.

The care here covers a broad spectrum of needs. Physical, occupational, and speech therapy are all available on-site, so residents don’t have to deal with the stress of traveling for their appointments. They also offer respite stays for temporary support, and for those nearing the end of life, hospice care is available right in the building.

If you look into the state inspections, you’ll see they’ve focused on a few recurring areas: infection control, housekeeping, dietary services, and protecting resident rights.

Overall, Memorial Driftwood’s mix of services from short-term rehab to hospice means it can handle residents at many different stages of care. It’s a practical option that offers the space to plan carefully.

Trend Health & Rehab, located in Meridian, Mississippi, offers a specialized 58-bed facility with private rooms. Their comprehensive therapy services include in-house physical, occupational, and speech therapy, along with balance training, fall safety, and community transition training.

In the field of nursing services, they provide catheter care, pain management, IV therapy, hospice and palliative care, ostomy care, dialysis, and diabetes management, among other services. The community features an emergency generator and offers in-house physician visits, podiatry services, dental care, and beauty and barber services, ensuring residents receive top-notch care and convenience.

Copiah Living Center is a 60-bed nursing home at 806 West Georgetown Road, Crystal Springs, Copiah County, Mississippi. Bobbie Blackard is the administrator. It is accredited by the Mississippi Health Care Association, Crystal Springs Chamber of Commerce, and Lion’s Club. The facility accepts Medicare and Medicaid.

Walk score 55 (moderately walkable). It is 61.5 miles from the city center.

The facility provides skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and memory care services. It offers short-term rehab and long-term care in what the facility describes as a “homelike” environment. Meals are described as nutritious and carefully prepared. The facility operates with 24-hour staffing.

Staffing composition shows mixed performance. RN 28 minutes per day is 26% below state average. LPN 59 minutes is 11% below state. CNA 2 hours 34 minutes is 3% above state.

Weekend nursing is in line with state average. Physical Therapist 5 minutes per day is 150% above state average, indicating strong PT services. RN weekend 16 minutes is 27% below state.

Quality outcomes concerning for long-stay residents. Hospitalizations 3.53 per 1,000 days (45% worse than state) indicate elevated hospital use. ED visits 3.62 per 1,000 days (26% worse than state). Short-stay residents show mixed results: falls with major injury 2.0% (155% worse than state) is markedly elevated.

ED visits 11.8% (23% better than state). Discharge ability 60.7% (13% better than state). Return to home 41.7% (18% worse than state).

Long-stay hospitalization rates and ED visit rates are notably elevated; falls with major injury on short-stay are concerning. Families should verify CMS overall rating and category ratings (Health Inspection, Staffing, Quality Measures); occupancy rate and average length of stay; inspection history, deficiency and citation counts over the past three years, and complaint investigations; financial performance (revenue, payroll, profit margin); and payer mix.

Families should ask administrator directly about fall prevention protocols, reasons for elevated hospitalization and ED visit rates in long-stay residents, and PT service scope.

Poplar Springs Nursing Center is an outstanding nursing home in Meridian, MS, that offers rehabilitation and skilled nursing. With its comprehensive care options, residents receive the highest quality of care for their healthcare needs around the clock. The community also participates in Medicare and Medicaid to ease residents’ financial burdens.

Therapy services, including physical, occupational, and speech therapy are also provided to enhance residents’ living experiences. Social events, celebrations, and a variety of recreational opportunities are also conducted to brighten residents’ moods and prevent isolation. Here, residents can reach their potential, accompanied by its wide range of services and nurturing environment.

Located in the heart of Mississippi, Diversicare of Meridian offers a sanctuary for patients and residents on their journey toward renewed confidence, self-respect, and a higher level of independence. Specializing in a wide array of services, including short-term rehabilitation, complex medical care, and long-term care needs, the center is committed to providing exceptional care tailored to individual requirements. Here, expert care meets genuine empathy, creating an environment where residents feel valued and supported as they navigate their paths to recovery and well-being.

At Diversicare of Meridian, the commitment to excellence extends to specialized services for veterans, including short-stay skilled services that encompass a range of critical healthcare needs. From wound care and cardiac care to IV therapy, dialysis care, pulmonary and respiratory care, and beyond, residents receive top-notch medical attention tailored to their unique circumstances. Amidst the tranquil surroundings, residents find not just comfort but a true sense of belonging.