Best Nursing Homes in Tennessee

Overview of Life Care Center of Hickory Woods

Thirty-nine days is the average stay at Life Care Center of Hickory Woods, which tells you most of what you need to know about the population it primarily serves. This is a post-acute setting: a 56-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility in the Hickory Woods Estates neighborhood of Antioch, Tennessee, built for people moving through recovery rather than putting down permanent roots. Fifty-five years in operation at the same address on Murfreesboro Pike.

Currently, 45 of those 56 beds are occupied. Total nursing time runs 4 hours and 1 minute per resident per day, distributed across registered nurses at 45 minutes, LPNs at 1 hour and 15 minutes, and nurse aides at 2 hours and 16 minutes. Staffing runs 24 hours a day. A certified dietitian is on staff, and rehabilitation services are available on-site.

Beyond clinical care, the facility offers more than the basics: a fine dining program, a beauty salon and barber shop, landscaped grounds and courtyards, a library, transportation services, and complimentary wireless internet. A full-time, certified activity director runs a daily schedule, and family and resident councils meet regularly. Pet visitors are welcome. Room options include private and semiprivate configurations, each with a private bathroom.

Payment is accepted through Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay, which gives families some flexibility on the financial side. The community re-entry program supports residents who are working toward discharge back to home or another community setting. Alex Butaud is the executive director; Jamie Hercules serves as administrator. The facility is operated by Highland Park Medical Investors, LLC.

For families navigating a post-acute placement in the Nashville area, this is a facility where the facts and the setup align: short average stays, 24-hour nursing coverage, on-site rehab, and a payment mix that accommodates most coverage pathways.

Overview of Brookdale Dogwood Creek

Located in the scenic neighborhood of Germantown, TN, Brookdale Dogwood Creek is a renowned senior living community that offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Residents here enjoy stylish apartments and restaurant-style dining, fostering a vacation-like atmosphere where they can trade home upkeep for leisurely pursuits. Social butterflies can relish in movie nights with friends or unwind in private, pet-friendly apartments.

With 24/7 emergency response available, peace of mind is assured while seniors focus on what they love most. At Brookdale Dogwood Creek, residents enjoy a seamless transition between different levels of care if their needs change, ensuring care without disrupting their lifestyle. Amenities include a bustling calendar of activities—from fitness classes to arts and crafts—that cater to diverse interests. Memory care programs are personalized to preserve individual identity, offering engaging activities like dancing and gardening to enhance residents’ quality of life.

Overview of Life Care Center of Ooltewah

Life Care Center of Ooltewah is a 120-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility administered by Ashley Borja in Ooltewah, Tennessee, owned by Ooltewah Medical Investors Limited Partnership. Licensed since 2013 and recognized with a Best Nursing Home award, the facility offers 24-hour skilled nursing care and rehabilitation services in the greater Chattanooga area.
Staffing is a consistent strength. Registered nurse hours reach 1 hour and 7 minutes per resident per day, 81 percent above the 37 minutes Tennessee average, providing stronger clinical oversight than most peers in the state. Weekend RN coverage holds at 48 minutes per day, double the 24 minutes Tennessee benchmark. Physical therapist hours at 18 minutes per resident per day are 260 percent above the 5 minutes state average, which translates to markedly more hands-on therapy time for residents recovering from surgery, stroke, or injury. Short-stay quality outcomes are rated significantly above average by CMS. The 63.7 percent community return rate is 26 percent better than Tennessee’s 50.6 percent average, and 78.4 percent of short-stay residents met or exceeded expected self-care ability at discharge, 46 percent above the state benchmark. For long-stay residents, hospitalizations run at 1.46 per 1,000 resident days, 8 percent better than the state average, and ED visit rates at 0.62 per 1,000 days are 61 percent better than the Tennessee figure of 1.57.
Amenities feature a dedicated Alzheimer’s and dementia care program, a Community Re-Entry Program, a fine dining program, and landscaped grounds and courtyards.
Life Care Center of Ooltewah fits families in Chattanooga seeking post-acute rehabilitation with above-average therapy staffing, or long-stay placement for residents with dementia. The latest inspection summary must be requested from facility leadership or the Tennessee Department of Health.

Hardin Home Nursing Home is a nursing home in Savannah, Tennessee, offering long-term care and rehabilitation services. Owned by J. Park and Son, Inc., the community has served the Hardin County region since 1973, representing more than 50 years of steady service. With 39 licensed beds, it is a privately owned setting that accepts Medicaid for those needing financial assistance. The community also holds Tennessee Health Care Association accreditation and maintains a valid state license through April 2026.

Significantly, the community has achieved a 5-star overall score from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is the top honor available in the federal nursing home comparison system. The 5-star federal rating serves as a vital quality benchmark, showing excellent results in health reviews, employee levels, and clinical outcomes. The latest state evaluation on file took place in November 2021.

With its smaller scale, staffing efforts are focused on a small group, which generally encourages more customized attention for older adults. This community provides 24-hour coverage from licensed nurses and certified assistants. Its membership in the Tennessee Health Care Association also demonstrates a dedication to professional excellence in the local long-term care sector.

This community delivers professional nursing alongside recovery therapy, constant licensed oversight, and dedicated memory support programs for Alzheimer’s. Social and hobby-based events are offered to residents to promote mental stimulation and emotional health. With a history of more than five decades of operation, the private and local ownership implies stable neighborhood ties and low staff turnover, which many families find comforting when choosing long-term care for older adults. A walkability score of 60 also indicates that some local errands are possible on foot, while other services are a short drive away.

Hardin Home Nursing Home is best suited for older adults in the Savannah area who require professional nursing or memory assistance in a small, person-centered setting will find a strong fit here. The 5-star federal status and over half a century of experience in the region establish it as one of the most reputable and established nursing options nearby. The limited number of beds also helps create a calm, neighborly environment that can be more beneficial for residents than larger communities.

Overview of Spring Meadows Health & Rehabilitation

Spring Meadows Health & Rehabilitation is a 121-bed nursing home in Clarksville, Tennessee, that offers skilled nursing, short-term rehabilitation, long-term support, and specialized memory care. Licensed since July 1992 and managing care for 33 years, this community is currently owned by Spring Meadows SNF Operations, LLC, and accommodates those utilizing Medicare. This community also maintains an active membership in the Tennessee Health Care Association and has received recognition from U.S. News & World Report within its Best Nursing Homes rankings, while carrying an overall 2-star quality performance rating from CMS.

Federal data awards the highest possible tier to its long-term resident quality measures, while short-term recovery outcomes are ranked as above average. Long-term residents require hospital transfers at a rate of just 0.76 per 1,000 resident days, which outpaces the Tennessee average of 1.58 by 52%, and emergency department visits trend at 1.07 per 1,000 days, marking a 32% positive variance from the state benchmark. For short-term rehabilitation individuals, the rate of falls resulting in major trauma stands at an exemplary 0.0%, entirely outperforming the state baseline of 0.8%. Furthermore, 56.1% of short-stay residents achieve or surpass their anticipated self-care capabilities at the time of discharge, a 5% improvement over state metrics, while readmission rates mirror the Tennessee norm at 21.6%. These metrics collectively indicate that those finishing their restorative programs experience strong physical recovery.

Conversely, personnel hours consistently track below state medians across nearly every department. Registered nurse contact averages 25 minutes per resident daily, which sits 32% lower than the Tennessee benchmark of 37 minutes, while licensed practical nurse hours at 57 minutes and certified nursing assistant contact at 2 hours and 1 minute fall 12% and 6% below their corresponding state baselines. Additionally, combined weekend nursing care tracks at 3 hours and 12 minutes, running 4% below the state standard, while registered nurse coverage on weekends averages 23 minutes, matching the statewide norm of 24 minutes. Physical therapist contact is documented at 3 minutes per resident daily, a 40% reduction from the Tennessee average of 5 minutes, which stands as a noteworthy detail for families investigating post-acute therapeutic care. The community also supports a daily occupancy of 111.8 residents within its 121 certified beds.

Regulatory records show that the most recent evaluation by the Tennessee Department of Health took place on July 11, 2024. According to ProPublica’s CMS deficiency database, findings from recent review periods involved quality assurance programming, general property administration, dietary procurement, infection control and prevention measures, resident rights protections, and medication error minimization. This spectrum spans daily clinical operations, sanitary practices, and corporate oversight, contributing to a 1-star health inspection sub-rating, the lowest federal tier. However, no financial penalties or payment suspensions are cited.

Spring Meadows Health & Rehabilitation provides a localized Montgomery County choice for older adults whose primary focus is securing an environment with proven success in preventing long-term hospitalizations and short-term accidental falls. However, families are encouraged to discuss the 1-star health inspection sub-rating with management.

Overview of Manchester Center for Rehabilitation and Healing

Owned by Kerry Dickerson, Manchester Center for Rehabilitation and Healing is a single-story skilled nursing community in Manchester, Tennessee. The facility is located on Interstate Drive in a car-dependent area, so most errands and visits require transportation. However, families can still conveniently access the surrounding region. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, giving families several ways to cover short-term post-acute rehabilitation and longer-term nursing care.

Residents stay an average of about 159 days, including those recovering after a hospital stay and needing ongoing skilled nursing care. The facility serves residents recovering from surgery or injury and those requiring longer-term support.

Daily care is provided by a care team. Registered nurses average 31 minutes of care per resident each day. Nurse aides provide 2 hours and 23 minutes of direct support, while licensed practical nurses contribute another 31 minutes. In total, residents receive about 3 hours and 15 minutes of nursing care each day. This staffing level supports rehabilitation goals and everyday personal care needs.

The community offers shared room accommodations and has a single-story layout. With this design, residents and families can wayfound around the building. Families considering Manchester Center should take a tour to learn more about the room setup, daily routines, and how the care team supports rehabilitation and ongoing care.