1/5
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.
1/5
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.
Sterling Village, the legal name for Agewise Living, operates as a 45-bed skilled nursing facility at 204 W. Washington Avenue in Sterling, Rice County, Kansas. Administrator Karen Smith directs operations for a nonprofit community providing long-term care, memory care, and respite services under Medicare and Medicaid certification. The facility maintains 24/7 medical oversight with licensed nurses managing medication administration and clinical emergencies.
Recent inspection findings exposed serious care gaps.
Two complaint investigations in January 2025 substantiated failures to follow resident care plans; one resident sustained a tibia fracture, another fell due to noncompliance with documented safety protocols. Eight deficiencies were cited, including gaps in medication regimen reviews, the absence of a full-time dietary manager, water management program noncompliance, insufficient staff training, and inadequate monitoring of physician-ordered fluid restrictions. The facility submitted corrective actions in February 2025 and achieved zero deficiencies on its March 19, 2025 follow-up survey.
Seven-year deficiency totals track slightly below the state average, yet more recent compliance data provides only partial reassurance given the nature of the January violations.
Nursing staffing measures 5 hours 2 minutes per resident daily; roughly 7% above Kansas standards.
A full-time certified dietary manager was hired in February 2025 to strengthen nutritional oversight. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, wound care, and specialized monitoring are available. Daily services include three meals, housekeeping, and personal laundry; residents occupy private or semi-private rooms equipped with 24-hour emergency call systems. An activity director organizes therapeutic programming and social engagement.
Occupancy sits at 58% (26 of 45 beds), considerably below the state average of 79.5%.
Quality-of-life measures reveal substantial resident decline patterns: 6.9% experience falls with major injury (58% above state norms), 10.6% of high-risk residents develop pressure ulcers (127% above average), and 27.9% show worsening walking ability (44% above baseline). These outcome measures suggest systemic challenges in care execution despite recent staffing improvements.
The community serves residents in small-town Kansas seeking skilled nursing with active daily programming, suitable for those who prioritize round-the-clock clinical staffing and therapeutic services in a rural setting.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
| Staff type | Hours / Day / Resident | vs state avg |
|---|---|---|
|
Registered Nurse (RN)
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.
| 38m per day | |
|
LPN / LVN
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.
| 28m per day | |
|
Nurse Aide
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.
| 2h 47m per day | |
|
Weekend Total Nursing
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.
| 3h 29m per day | |
|
Physical Therapist
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.
| 1m per day | |
|
Weekend RN
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.
| 20m per day |
Average number of days residents stay at this facility, based on CMS cost report data. Shorter stays often reflect post-acute or rehab care; longer stays reflect long-term care.
Lower than the Kansas average: 79.5%Agewise Living Inc is administered by Karen Smith.
In Kansas, the Department for Aging and Disability Services, Survey and Certification Commission performs the unannounced inspections required for facility licensing and federal certification.
This scorecard compares key inspection, deficiency, and complaint metrics at this facility against the Kansas state average. Metrics rated ≥15% worse than average are highlighted in red; those ≥15% better are highlighted in green.
Deficiencies
| This Facility | KS Average | vs. KS Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total deficiencies
Formal regulatory issues recorded by inspectors across all inspection types.
| 105 | 100 | This facility has 5% more total deficiencies than a typical Kansas assisted living residence (105 vs. KS avg 100).↑ 5% worse |
|
Deficiencies per year
Average deficiencies per year since 2013.
| 8.1 | 7.7 | This facility has 5% more deficiencies per year than a typical Kansas assisted living residence (8.1 vs. KS avg 7.7).↑ 5% worse |
An editor-reviewed summary of the themes and findings across this facility's recent inspection reports.
State average N/A
Last Health inspection on Jan 2025
State average N/A
State average N/A
Health citations are formal notices following inspections when they fail to comply with safety and care standards.
6 of 18 citations resulted from standard inspections; and 12 of 18 came from combined inspections (standard and complaint).
In line with State averageState average: N/A
In line with State averageState average: N/A
Corrected
Corrected
Corrected
Corrected
Reporting period: October 1 – December 31, 2025 (Q4 2025). Source: CMS Payroll-Based Journal report.
0% compared with State averageState average ratio: 0 : 0
0% compared with State averageState average: 0 hours
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
Manages medical care and health needs.
All 3 RN Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
3
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
9 hoursAssists with medical care and medications.
All 4 LPN Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
4
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
10.3 hoursHelps with daily care and mobility.
All 13 CNA Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
13
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
7.4 hours
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
Total hours from contractors
1,061 contractor hours this quarter
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
| Certified Nursing Assistant | 13 | 0 | 13 | 4,250 | 92 | 100% | 7.4 |
| Medication Aide/Technician | 12 | 0 | 12 | 3,796 | 92 | 100% | 7.1 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1,348 | 87 | 95% | 10.3 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 2 | 0 | 2 | 932 | 65 | 71% | 7.9 |
| Registered Nurse | 3 | 0 | 3 | 900 | 73 | 79% | 9 |
| Dental Services Staff | 2 | 0 | 2 | 550 | 67 | 73% | 8 |
| Other Dietary Services Staff | 1 | 0 | 1 | 517 | 63 | 68% | 8.2 |
| Administrator | 0 | 1 | 1 | 488 | 61 | 66% | 8 |
| Physical Therapy Aide | 0 | 1 | 1 | 223 | 63 | 68% | 3.5 |
| Speech Language Pathologist | 0 | 4 | 4 | 195 | 62 | 67% | 2.3 |
| Physical Therapy Assistant | 0 | 2 | 2 | 55 | 27 | 29% | 2.1 |
| Occupational Therapy Aide | 0 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 4 | 4% | 7.1 |
| Respiratory Therapy Technician | 0 | 1 | 1 | 27 | 36 | 39% | 0.8 |
| Qualified Social Worker | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 26 | 28% | 1 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 3% | 5.1 |
| Medical Director | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3% | 1 |
Includes penalties issued in 2025
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)
14% lower than State averageState average: $44K
17% fewer fines than State averageState average: 2.4
Serious action where Medicare and/or Medicaid temporarily stops payments for new residents until issues are fixed.
0
100% fewer payment denials than State averageState average: 0.3
Penalties are imposed by CMS for violations of federal nursing home regulations.
1 penalty in the past 3 years
Jan 23, 2025 · $24K
Fines imposed for noncompliance, which can be assessed per day or per instance of violation.
Jan 23, 2025Last updated: Jan 2026
These measures show how residents usually do over time at this home, based on health outcomes and preventive care.
A composite score based on pressure ulcers, falls with injury, weight loss, walking ability decline, and activities of daily living decline.
14.3
37% worse than State averageState average: 10.5
A composite score based on activities of daily living decline, walking ability decline, and incontinence.
25.5
23% worse than State averageState average: 20.7
Percent of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased
23.2%
22% worse than State averageState average: 19.0%
Percent of long-stay residents whose ability to move independently worsened
27.9%
44% worse than State averageState average: 19.4%
Percent of low risk long-stay residents who lose control of their bowels or bladder
25.3%
7% worse than State averageState average: 23.8%
Percent of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury
6.9%
58% worse than State averageState average: 4.4%
Percent of long-stay high risk residents with pressure ulcers
10.6%
127% worse than State averageState average: 4.6%
Percent of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection
5.1%
63% worse than State averageState average: 3.1%
Percent of long-stay residents who lose too much weight
3.0%
41% better than State averageState average: 5.1%
Percent of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms
14.5%
180% worse than State averageState average: 5.2%
Percent of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication
19.6%
16% worse than State averageState average: 16.9%
Percent of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine
53.5%
42% worse than State averageState average: 91.9%
Percent of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine
76.0%
20% worse than State averageState average: 95.5%
Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine
17.5%
77% worse than State averageState average: 75.6%
Percent of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication
2.1%
In line with State averageState average: 2.2%
Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine
30.0%
59% worse than State averageState average: 73.5%
Quality measures are calculated from Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments. For most measures, lower percentages indicate better care quality.
53% of new residents, usually for short-term rehab.
35% of new residents, often for short stays.
12% of new residents, often for long-term daily care.
Source: CMS Long-Term Care Facility Characteristics (Data as of Jan 2026)
Total residents
26Residents meet regularly to discuss policies, care quality, and activities
State-approved Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program on-site
Organized group of residents that meets regularly to discuss facility policies, quality of life, and activities.
Data sourced from CMS Long-Term Care Facility Characteristics quarterly report. Payer mix reflects the current resident census by primary payment source.
Historical financial and operational data for Agewise Living Inc from 2012–2023, based on CMS SNF Cost Reports.
Key figures below are for fiscal year ending in 12/2023.
Based on CMS SNF Cost Report for fiscal year ending in 12/2023.
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."
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."
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."
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."
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.
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.
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.
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).
The home's total operating expense for the year — all the costs of running it, salaries included (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3).
Most residents typically stay for a few weeks or months before returning home or moving on.
Most new residents arrive under Medicare (53% of admissions), and a typical Medicare stay runs around 2 months.
Coverage residents most often arrive under.
Coverage residents most often leave under.
0.0 miles from city center
Estimated distance in miles from Sterling's city center to Agewise Living Inc's address, calculated via Google Maps.
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The information below is reported by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.
| Lexington Park Assisted Living | NH AL IL SNF | Topeka (West Southwest 2) | - | 60 | A+ | 60 | studio / 1 bed |
| Larksfield Place Independent Living | NH AL IL MC RC SNF | Wichita | - | 80 | A+ | 32 | - |
| Brewster Place | NH AL IL MC RC SNF | Topeka (South/Southeast 1) | - | 141 | A+ | 56 | - |
| Aberdeen Village | NH AL IL MC SNF | Olathe (Aberdeen Village) | - | 60 | - | 45 | - |
| Agewise Living Inc | NH AL | Sterling | - | 45 | - | 44 | - |
Agewise Living Inc has a walk score of 44. Somewhat walkable. A few nearby services may be reachable on foot, but most trips require transportation.
According to KS state health department records, Agewise Living Inc's license number is 175299.
Agewise Living Inc's occupancy is 58%.
Agewise Living Inc is registered as a non-profit in KS.
Karen Smith is the administrator of Agewise Living Inc.
Agewise Living Inc has 45 beds.
Yes — there is 1 photo of Agewise Living Inc in the photo gallery on this page.
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