Life Care Center of La Center

Nursing Home & Skilled Nursing · La Center, KY

CMS overall rating

252 W. 5Th St, La Center, KY 42056 View map

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Life Care Center of La Center accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay.

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Life Care Center of La Center accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay.

Overview of Life Care Center of La Center

Life Care Center of La Center is a 70-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility operated by La Center Operations, LLC at 252 West 5th Street in La Center, Ballard County, Kentucky. Services include Alzheimer’s and dementia care, memory care, respite care, and physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Accepted are Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay, with an average stay of 89 days and a mix of short-term rehabilitation and long-term care residents.

The facility is graded 5 stars by CMS, 79.2 percent above Kentucky’s average, with all four sub-ratings above state mean. Health inspection performance runs 70.1 percent above Kentucky’s average. Across 2 inspections since 2018, the community totaled 9 citations, all moderate in severity, with no critical or serious findings, complaint investigations, fines, and payment denials across eight years. Nurse hours reach 3h 43m per resident daily, 8 percent above Kentucky’s average. The facility has limited availability at 87.8 percent occupancy which is above Kentucky’s 81.3 percent average.

Amenities feature a community re-entry program, a certified dietitian, landscaped grounds and courtyards, and a beauty salon and barber shop. In place are a certified activity director and resident and family councils.

With consistently above-average ratings across all CMS categories, Life Care Center of La Center is best for skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and memory care in rural Ballard County.

Facility Direct Line (270) 665-5681

Quality ratings

Measured by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Staffing hours breakdown

Hours per resident per day — compared to state averages

Total nursing care / resident

3h 43m per day

vs avg

4 of 6 metrics below state avg

Standout metric Physical Therapist is +42% above state avg

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	▼ 17% State avg: 46m per day · National avg: 41m 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.	52m per day	▲ 6% State avg: 49m per day · National avg: 52m 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 12m per day	▼ 9% State avg: 2h 26m per day · National avg: 2h 20m 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 18m per day	▼ 6% State avg: 3h 30m per day · National avg: 3h 26m 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.	6m per day	▲ 42% State avg: 4m per day · National avg: 4m 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.	16m per day	▼ 49% State avg: 31m per day · National avg: 28m per day

Capacity and availability

89 days

70-bed community

A moderately sized community that may balance personal attention with shared amenities and social activities.

1 year in operation

A newer community that may feature more recent facilities and programs.

Walk Score: 37 / 100

Somewhat walkable. A few nearby services may be reachable on foot, but most trips require transportation.

About this community

Occupancy

Occupancy rate

86%

Higher than the Kentucky average: 81.3%

Occupied beds

60 / 70

Average occupied beds in Kentucky homes 80 beds

Facility TypeLong Term Care (nursing Facility)

StatusActive

IssuanceFebruary 1, 2025

CountyBallard

License Number100011

CMS Certification Number185320

Life Care Center of La Center is administered by Ginger Atkins.

Owner NameLa Center Operations, LLC

Rehabilitation Services

24-Hour Staffing

Pets not allowed

24-Hour Security And Fire Safety Systems

Beauty Salon And Barber Shop

Bedside And Bathroom Call Lights

Certified Dietitian

Community Re-Entry Program

Complimentary Wireless Internet

Daily Activity Schedule

Family/Resident Councils

Fine Dining Program

Flat-Screen Tvs

Flexible Visiting Hours

Full-Time

Certified Activity Director

Homelike Setting

Housekeeping And Laundry Services

Landscaped Grounds And Courtyards

Library

Non-Smoking Facility

Pet Visitors Allowed

Private And Semiprivate Rooms

Private Bathrooms

Religious Services

Patient/Family Education Program

Telephone And Cable Television Hookups

Transportation Services

Since 2018 · 8 years of data 9 deficiencies 3 inspections

Inspection Scorecard This scorecard compares key inspection, deficiency, and complaint metrics at this facility against the Kentucky state average. Metrics rated ≥15% worse than average are highlighted in red; those ≥15% better are highlighted in green.

Since 2018 vs. Kentucky state average

Overall vs. KY average

Latest Inspection November 14, 2024 Annual Inspection

Deficiencies Deficiencies are formal regulatory issues recorded during state inspections.	This Facility	KY Average	vs. KY Avg
Total deficiencies Formal regulatory issues recorded by inspectors across all inspection types.	9	6	This facility has 50% more total deficiencies than a typical Kentucky assisted living residence (9 vs. KY avg 6).↑ 50% worse
Deficiencies per year Average deficiencies per year since 2018.	1.1	0.8	This facility has 38% more deficiencies per year than a typical Kentucky assisted living residence (1.1 vs. KY avg 0.8).↑ 38% worse
Deficiencies per inspection Average deficiencies per inspection.	3	1.5	This facility has 100% more deficiencies per inspection than a typical Kentucky assisted living residence (3 vs. KY avg 1.5).↑ 100% worse

Inspections State inspections evaluate whether the facility meets health and safety standards.	This Facility	KY Average	vs. KY Avg
Total inspections Combined count of all routine and focused inspections. Excludes complaint investigations.	3	4	This facility has had 25% fewer total inspections than the Kentucky average (3 vs. KY avg 4). More inspections can mean more regulatory scrutiny rather than worse care.↓ 25% fewer

Show Inspection Reports

Inspections since 2018

Total health inspections 2

State average N/A

Last Health inspection on Dec 2019

Total health citations

State average N/A

Citations per inspection

4.5

State average N/A

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

All 9 citations resulted from standard inspections.

Breakdown of citation severity (last 8 years)

Critical health citations

In line with State average

State average: N/A

Serious health citations

In line with State average

State average: N/A

0 critical citations State average: N/A

0 serious citations State average: N/A

9 moderate citations State average: N/A

0 minor citations State average: N/A

Citations history (last 8 years)

Quality of Care moderate citation Dec 18, 2019

Corrected

Care Planning moderate citation Dec 18, 2019

Corrected

Resident Rights moderate citation Dec 18, 2019

Corrected

Nutrition moderate citation Sep 27, 2018

Corrected

Total staff 76

Employees 71

Contractors 5

Staff to resident ratio 1.33 : 1

0% compared with State average

State average ratio: 0 : 0

Avg staff/day 31

Average shift 8.9 hours

0% compared with State average

State average: 0 hours

Total staff hours (quarter) 25,488

Nursing staff breakdown

9.6 hours

10 hours

9.8 hours

Contractor staffing

140 contractor hours this quarter

Occupational Therapy Assistant: 3 Medical Director: 1 Occupational Therapy Aide: 1

Staff by category


Certified Nursing Assistant	35	0	35	12,189	92	100%	9.8
Licensed Practical Nurse	10	0	10	4,316	92	100%	10
Registered Nurse	6	0	6	1,586	92	100%	9.6
Clinical Nurse Specialist	3	0	3	1,403	67	73%	7.8
Speech Language Pathologist	4	0	4	958	69	75%	7.8
Physical Therapy Assistant	2	0	2	800	71	77%	7.1
Administrator	1	0	1	528	66	72%	8
Respiratory Therapy Technician	1	0	1	523	68	74%	7.7
Nurse Practitioner	1	0	1	512	64	70%	8
RN Director of Nursing	1	0	1	460	64	70%	7.2
Qualified Social Worker	2	0	2	459	59	64%	7.4
Dietitian	1	0	1	450	58	63%	7.8
Mental Health Service Worker	1	0	1	445	57	62%	7.8
Other Dietary Services Staff	2	0	2	438	57	62%	7.5
Physical Therapy Aide	1	0	1	281	47	51%	6
Occupational Therapy Aide	0	1	1	90	15	16%	6
Medical Director	0	1	1	29	3	3%	9.5
Occupational Therapy Assistant	0	3	3	22	4	4%	2.8

35 Certified Nursing Assistant

% of Days 100%

10 Licensed Practical Nurse

% of Days 100%

6 Registered Nurse

% of Days 100%

3 Clinical Nurse Specialist

% of Days 73%

4 Speech Language Pathologist

% of Days 75%

2 Physical Therapy Assistant

% of Days 77%

1 Administrator

% of Days 72%

1 Respiratory Therapy Technician

% of Days 74%

1 Nurse Practitioner

% of Days 70%

1 RN Director of Nursing

% of Days 70%

2 Qualified Social Worker

% of Days 64%

1 Dietitian

% of Days 63%

1 Mental Health Service Worker

% of Days 62%

2 Other Dietary Services Staff

% of Days 62%

1 Physical Therapy Aide

% of Days 51%

1 Occupational Therapy Aide

% of Days 16%

1 Medical Director

% of Days 3%

3 Occupational Therapy Assistant

% of Days 4%

View All Staffing Data

No penalties in the past 3 years

No civil money penalties or payment denials were reported in the last 3 years.

High-risk clinical events score 7.8

26% better than State average

State average: 10.5

Functional decline score 15.4

19% better than State average

State average: 18.9

Long-stay resident measures

Significantly above average State avg: 3.5

Need for Help with Daily Activities Increased 12.6%

25% better than State average

State average: 16.8%

Walking Ability Worsened 12.0%

39% better than State average

State average: 19.6%

Low Risk Residents with Bowel/Bladder Incontinence 21.7%

6% worse than State average

State average: 20.5%

Falls with Major Injury 6.1%

61% worse than State average

State average: 3.8%

High Risk Residents with Pressure Ulcers 2.0%

66% better than State average

State average: 5.8%

Urinary Tract Infection 0.5%

74% better than State average

State average: 1.9%

Lost Too Much Weight 6.3%

7% better than State average

State average: 6.8%

Depressive Symptoms 3.4%

76% better than State average

State average: 14.3%

Antipsychotic Use 3.7%

76% better than State average

State average: 15.6%

Pneumococcal Vaccine 100.0%

6% better than State average

State average: 93.9%

Influenza Vaccine 98.2%

In line with State average

State average: 96.2%

Hospitalizations per 1,000 days 1.22

35% better than State average

State average: 1.87

ED visits per 1,000 days 0.85

61% better than State average

State average: 2.19

Short-stay resident measures

Significantly above average State avg: 2.2

Pneumococcal Vaccine 91.3%

9% better than State average

State average: 83.7%

Antipsychotic medication increase 0.0%

100% better than State average

State average: 1.9%

Influenza Vaccine 93.0%

11% better than State average

State average: 83.6%

Re-hospitalized after SNF stay 18.5%

24% better than State average

State average: 24.5%

Emergency department visits 0.0%

100% better than State average

State average: 13.9%

Falls with major injury 3.4%

340% worse than State average

State average: 0.8%

Ability to care for self at discharge 51.4%

In line with State average

State average: 53.7%

Successful return to home or community 45.6%

10% worse than State average

State average: 50.6%

Breakdown by payment type

Medicare

36% of new residents, usually for short-term rehab.

Typical stay 1 - 2 months

Private pay

39% of new residents, often for short stays.

Typical stay 1 - 2 months

Medicaid

26% of new residents, often for long-term daily care.

Typical stay 6 - 7 months

Total residents 57

Medicare

12.3% of residents

Medicaid

70.2% of residents

Private pay or other

17.5% of residents

Programs & Services

Residents Group

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

Active Resident Council

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

Financial Trends

Historical financial and operational data for Life Care Center of La Center from 2011–2023, based on CMS SNF Cost Reports.

Key figures below are for fiscal year ending in 12/2023.

Occupancy Rate 87.8% ↑ 5.3pp vs 2022

Net Patient Income $785.1K ↑ ~$641.8K vs 2022

Payroll Costs $4.1M ↑ ~$239.6K vs 2022

Operating Margin 11.4% ↑ 9.0pp vs 2022

Metric	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Occupancy %	92.6%	91.6%	89.1%	95.4%	88.0%	84.9%	79.4%	82.8%	81.9%	78.5%	82.6%	87.8%
Beds	70	67	66	66	66	66	63	61	61	62	65	68
Net Income	$747,924	$217,566	-$62,921	-$620,870	-$172,748	-$636,287	-$323,369	-$430,533	-$272,900	$233,018	$148,839	$789,874
Gross Revenue	$6,362,176	$6,249,073	$6,045,659	$6,001,014	$5,559,037	$5,873,807	$6,165,429	$6,091,724	$5,472,881	$6,574,946	$8,011,842	$8,830,001
Operating Expenses	$5,056,363	$5,109,500	$5,239,144	$5,830,195	$4,874,223	$5,340,512	$5,159,605	$5,191,372	$5,319,837	$5,450,211	$5,787,581	$6,077,301
Net Patient Income	$744,221	$214,805	-$66,040	-$624,156	-$175,314	-$639,850	-$327,770	-$432,968	-$742,870	-$129,438	$143,389	$785,146
Net Patient Revenue	$5,800,584	$5,324,305	$5,173,104	$5,206,039	$4,698,909	$4,700,662	$4,831,835	$4,758,404	$4,576,967	$5,320,773	$5,930,970	$6,862,447
Payroll Costs	$2,725,324	$3,079,241	$3,093,480	$3,168,159	$2,846,871	$3,377,843	$3,367,483	$3,389,940	$3,405,207	$3,592,866	$3,860,940	$4,100,504
Operating Margin %	12.8%	4.0%	-1.3%	-12.0%	-3.7%	-13.6%	-6.8%	-9.1%	-16.2%	-2.4%	2.4%	11.4%
Medicare %	17.4%	15.0%	17.4%	11.5%	10.5%	13.0%	19.2%	12.0%	7.8%	17.1%	16.5%	14.1%
Medicaid %	65.4%	68.4%	65.9%	68.1%	71.2%	64.1%	60.8%	60.4%	72.9%	58.9%	58.0%	60.3%
Private %	17.2%	16.7%	16.7%	20.4%	18.3%	22.9%	20.0%	27.6%	19.3%	24.0%	25.5%	25.6%
Net Patient Revenue/Day	$245	$233	$238	$226	$222	$230	$258	$254	$250	$299	$303	$315
Cost/Day	$214	$223	$241	$254	$230	$261	$276	$277	$291	$307	$295	$279
Avg Length of Stay	144.2 days	163.5 days	169.6 days	232.2 days	187.5 days	108.8 days	92.6 days	84.4 days	130.6 days	83.4 days	72.3 days	89.3 days

Finances and operations

Based on CMS SNF Cost Report for fiscal year ending in 12/2023.

Net patient revenue

$6.9M

Net patient income

$785.1K

For-profit Corporation

Net patient revenue

$6.9M

Net patient income

$785.1K

Other income

$4.7K

Payroll costs

$4.1M 59.8% of net patient revenue

Other operating costs

$2.0M

Total costs

$6.1M

TYPE OF STAY

Mix of rehab and long-term care

This home supports both short-term rehab and long-term care, with residents staying for a wide range of durations.

New residents most often arrive under private pay (39% of admissions), and a typical private pay stay runs around 1 - 2 months.

Coverage residents most often arrive under.

Medicare 36%

Private pay 39%

Medicaid 26%

Coverage residents most often leave under.

Medicare 23%

Private pay 52%

Medicaid 25%

0.0 miles from city center Estimated distance in miles from La Center's city center to Life Care Center of La Center's address, calculated via Google Maps.

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The information below is reported by the Louisiana Department of Health, Health Standards Section.


Westport Place Health Campus	NH AL RC SNF	Louisville	-	22	-	47	Studio
Hermitage Care & Rehabilitation Center	NH SNF	Owensboro	-	92	A+	49	-
Twin Rivers Nursing And Rehab Center	NH HOS PC RC SNF	Owensboro	-	132	-	52	Private Rooms / Semi-Private Rooms
Hopkins Center	NH SNF	Woodburn	-	50	-	7	Private Rooms / Semi-Private Rooms
Life Care Center of La Center	NH SNF	La Center	-	70	-	37	-

Nursing Home Explorer

Who is the owner of Life Care Center of La Center?

Life Care Center of La Center is legally operated by La Center Operations, LLC, and administered by Ginger Atkins.

Is Life Care Center of La Center in a walkable area?

Life Care Center of La Center has a walk score of 37. Somewhat walkable. A few nearby services may be reachable on foot, but most trips require transportation.

What is the license number of Life Care Center of La Center?

According to KY state health department records, Life Care Center of La Center's license number is 100011.

What is the occupancy rate at Life Care Center of La Center?

Life Care Center of La Center's occupancy is 86%.

Are pets allowed at Life Care Center of La Center?

No, Life Care Center of La Center has a no-pet policy.

Does Life Care Center of La Center operate as a for-profit or non-profit?

Life Care Center of La Center is registered as a for-profit in KY.

Who is the administrator of Life Care Center of La Center?

Ginger Atkins is the administrator of Life Care Center of La Center.

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Life Care Center of La Center

Overview of Life Care Center of La Center

Quality ratings

Staffing hours breakdown

Capacity and availability

About this community

Occupancy

License Details

Ownership & Operating Entity

Therapy & Rehabilitation

Staffing & Medical

Additional Policies & Features

Amenities & Lifestyle

Contact Life Care Center of La Center

Inspection History

Inspection Scorecard This scorecard compares key inspection, deficiency, and complaint metrics at this facility against the Kentucky state average. Metrics rated ≥15% worse than average are highlighted in red; those ≥15% better are highlighted in green.

Deficiencies Deficiencies are formal regulatory issues recorded during state inspections.

Inspections State inspections evaluate whether the facility meets health and safety standards.

Health Inspection History

Inspections since 2018

Breakdown of citation severity (last 8 years)

Citations history (last 8 years)

Staffing Data

Nursing staff breakdown

Registered Nurse

Licensed Practical Nurse

Certified Nursing Assistant

Contractor staffing

Staff by category

35 Certified Nursing Assistant

10 Licensed Practical Nurse

6 Registered Nurse

3 Clinical Nurse Specialist

4 Speech Language Pathologist

2 Physical Therapy Assistant

1 Administrator

1 Respiratory Therapy Technician

1 Nurse Practitioner

1 RN Director of Nursing

2 Qualified Social Worker

1 Dietitian

1 Mental Health Service Worker

2 Other Dietary Services Staff

1 Physical Therapy Aide

1 Occupational Therapy Aide

1 Medical Director

3 Occupational Therapy Assistant

Penalties and fines

Quality of care over time

Long-stay resident measures

Short-stay resident measures

Breakdown by payment type

Medicare

Private pay

Medicaid

Facility Characteristics

Programs & Services

Residents Group

Active Resident Council

Financial Trends

Financial Performance

Payroll & Labor Costs

Payer Mix (percentage)

Finances and operations

Who this home usually serves

Mix of rehab and long-term care

Admissions

Discharges

Places of interest near Life Care Center of La Center

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