75 of the 267 Medicare-certified nursing homes in Kentucky (28%) are independently owned, and all are listed below. 20 of the 75 graded homes earn an A and 6 earn a D or F. They average 4.58 nursing hours per resident per day, 0.63 hours above the 3.95 for every home in Kentucky. Nazareth Home in Louisville grades highest at A (99 out of 100).
How independently owned homes in Kentucky compare
This group set against every nursing home in Kentucky, from the current CMS release.
Nursing hours per resident per day
4.58
All homes in Kentucky: 3.95
Better than the local average
Nurse staff turnover
45.9%
All homes in Kentucky: 46.4%
Better than the local average
Average ElderGrade score
75.8/100
All homes in Kentucky: 72.2/100
Better than the local average
Grade spread
A
B
C
D
20 grade A, 30 grade B, 19 grade C, 6 grade D,
The best-graded independently owned home in Kentucky is
Nazareth Home
in Louisville, KY, grade A, 99/100.
Every independently owned nursing home in Kentucky
Spring Creek runs 226 certified beds in Murray under for-profit LLC ownership, and its nurse staffing averages 4.31 hours per resident day, about 12% above the national figure of 3.86. That headcount looks good until you notice weekends run roughly 16% below the home's own weekday level, and annual turnover sits at 62.8% against a national average of 45.8%, so the people providing that care are cycling through fast. The current record carries 21 deficiencies, five of them at harm or jeopardy level, plus five fines totaling $52,540, with the last inspection in May 2025. One star for health inspections and two for staffing tell you where the trouble sits, even though the quality measure rating is four.
Tradewater Pointe runs a lean operation in Dawson Springs, with 4.86 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 26% above the national average, and its most recent inspection in March 2026 found six deficiencies, none at the harm or jeopardy level. The catch is who's delivering that care over time: annual turnover sits at 70.5% against a national average of 45.8%, and weekend staffing drops about 14% below weekday levels, so the faces and the coverage both thin out regularly. One abuse-related deficiency also shows up on the record. Ownership is a for-profit limited liability company, and the quality measure star rating sits at 1 out of 5 despite a 4 out of 5 on inspections, worth asking about before you decide.
Staffing is the strongest part of the picture at Christian Health Center Corbin: 4.12 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 7% above the national average, with weekend coverage dipping about 13% below its own weekday level. Turnover sits at 41.1%, a bit better than the 45.8% national figure. The trouble is the inspection record. Seven deficiencies are on file, three at the harm or jeopardy level and three tied to abuse, plus a single $181,590 fine. The most recent inspection was March 2025, so the record is current, not old. Quality and staffing measures score well; the health inspection side, where a 1-out-of-5 rating reflects those harm-level findings, is what pulls the overall picture down.
Madison Health and Rehabilitation Center runs 92 certified beds in Richmond under corporate for-profit ownership, and the staffing numbers are the first thing to look at. Nurse coverage sits at 3.56 hours per resident per day, roughly 8% under the national average, and weekends drop about 9% below what the home staffs on weekdays. Annual turnover is 51.6% against a national 45.8%, so aides and nurses are cycling through steadily.
The inspection record shows 12 deficiencies, two of them serious enough to cite harm or jeopardy, though none abuse-related. CMS rates the home 2 out of 5 on health inspections and 1 out of 5 on both quality measures and staffing. The most recent inspection was July 2025, so the picture is current.
Kenwood Health and Rehabilitation Center in Richmond runs 93 certified beds under corporate for-profit ownership, and the staffing numbers are where the story starts. At 3.65 nurse hours per resident day, it sits about 5% under the national average of 3.86, and weekends drop roughly 15% below its own weekday coverage, so the thinnest shifts come when families tend to visit. Turnover at 40.7% is actually better than the 45.8% national figure, which matters for consistency of care. The inspection record is genuinely strong: a 5-out-of-5 CMS health inspection rating, one deficiency on the current record, none at harm level, none abuse-related, and a survey as recent as July 2025. Quality measures and staffing both rate 2 out of 5, though, which is the tension here, clean inspections, lighter day-to-day coverage.
Florence Park Care Center runs 150 beds under corporate ownership, and the numbers on the direct-care side are thin: 3.49 nurse hours per resident day against a national average of 3.86, with weekends dropping roughly 11% below its own weekday staffing. That gap matters because weekends are when families often visit and when residents still need help. Annual turnover sits at 57.4%, well above the 45.8% national figure, so the people providing care keep changing. The current inspection record shows 21 deficiencies, two serious enough to reach harm or jeopardy level. One bright spot: the most recent inspection was January 15, 2026, so the state has looked at this building recently.
River Oaks sits at 3.88 total nurse hours per resident day, which is technically above the national average of 3.86, a difference small enough to call even. The problem is how those hours land: weekends run about 9% thinner than weekdays, so the coverage your family sees on a Tuesday isn't what shows up on a Sunday. Federal inspectors have cited 16 deficiencies on the current record, including one abuse-related finding, though none rose to the harm or jeopardy level. The last inspection was July 2025, so the record is recent. A single fine of $6,380 is on file. For a 122-bed for-profit LLC, the staffing pattern and citation history are the things worth asking about directly.
Lexington Premier runs 120 certified beds under for-profit LLC ownership, and the staffing numbers tell you a lot. At 3.54 nurse hours per resident day, it sits about 8% under the national average of 3.86, and weekends dip roughly 5% below its own weekdays, so coverage thins out exactly when families tend to visit. Turnover is 53.2% against a national 45.8%, meaning more than half the nursing staff leaves each year. The current record shows 42 deficiencies, seven of them serious enough to involve harm or jeopardy, plus one abuse-related citation and a $240,331 fine. Last inspection: August 2025.
Perkins Country Manor runs 32 beds in Augusta under corporate for-profit ownership, and its staffing sits just under the national average at 3.73 nurse hours per resident day. Weekends drop about 13% below its own weekday coverage, which matters in a building this small, there's no cushion when someone calls in. The bigger concern is turnover: 61.8% of nursing staff leaving annually against a national 45.8% means caregivers are cycling through constantly, and CMS rates staffing and quality measures at just one star each. Inspections look steadier: five deficiencies on record, none at harm level, no abuse findings, and a single $6,900 fine. The last survey was February 2025.
Bourbon Heights sits in Paris, Kentucky, licensed for 99 beds and run as a nonprofit. The staffing numbers look strong on paper, 4.74 nurse hours per resident day, well above the national average, but that average comes with a catch: weekend coverage drops about 13% below weekday levels, and nearly 58% of staff turned over in the past year. The inspection record is the real concern. Twenty-nine deficiencies on file, eleven of them serious enough to put residents in harm's way, three tied to abuse, plus two fines totaling nearly $58,000. CMS has placed this home in its Special Focus Facility program, a designation reserved for the homes with the most persistent problems.
Pioneer Trace runs 92 certified beds in Flemingsburg under for-profit LLC ownership, and its nurse staffing sits at 3.42 hours per resident day, roughly 11% under the national average. Weekends are thinner still, about 14% below what the home staffs on weekdays, right when families often visit. The inspection record is the harder part: 12 deficiencies, three serious enough to reach harm or jeopardy level, and two tied to abuse. Three fines total $27,493. Staff turnover, at 40.3%, is actually a little better than the 45.8% national figure, so retention isn't the main problem here. The most recent inspection was January 8, 2026.
The staffing numbers at Edgemont Healthcare are where I'd start. At 2.92 nurse hours per resident per day, it runs about a quarter below the national average, and weekend coverage dips even further below its own weekday level. That matters more than any single inspection finding, because thin staffing tends to be the condition that produces everything else.
The record backs that up: 26 deficiencies, three of them at the level where a resident was actually harmed or put in jeopardy, plus three abuse-related citations and a $133,225 fine. Annual staff turnover sits at 100 percent, the entire nursing workforce turning over in a year, against a national rate near 46 percent. The most recent inspection was in July 2025, so this is current, not stale.
Harrison Nursing and Rehabilitation Center runs on thin staffing. At 3.18 nurse hours per resident day, it sits about 18% under the national average of 3.86, and weekends drop roughly 11% below what the home manages on weekdays, meaning the thinnest coverage lands when backup is hardest to find. The inspection record backs that up: 39 deficiencies, six of them serious enough to threaten resident harm, plus five fines totaling $34,409. All three CMS ratings, health inspections, quality measures, staffing, come in at one star out of five. Corporate-owned and certified for 54 beds, its most recent inspection was April 2, 2026.
Elkton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center runs on thinner staffing than most homes in the country, 3.16 nurse hours per resident day against a national average of 3.86, and it gets worse on weekends, when coverage drops about 13% below the home's own weekday level. That kind of gap matters most when families visit on Saturdays and Sundays and find fewer hands on deck. Staff turnover sits at 62.5%, well above the 45.8% national figure, so the people caring for residents are cycling out faster than average. The current record shows 13 deficiencies, including one tied to abuse, plus seven fines totaling $30,641. State inspectors were last in the building in July 2025.
Auburn Nursing and Rehabilitation Center runs on 3.06 nurse hours per resident per day, about a fifth below the national average, and weekends drop roughly another 10% under its own weekday level. Staff turnover sits at 86.5% against a national 45.8%, meaning most of the people caring for residents weren't there a year ago. The current record carries 19 deficiencies, two of them serious enough to indicate harm or jeopardy, plus $24,850 in fines. All three CMS star ratings, health inspections, quality measures, staffing, sit at 1 out of 5. Ownership changed within the past year, and the most recent inspection was September 12, 2025.
Frequently asked questions
How many independently owned nursing homes are there in Kentucky?
There are 75 independently owned Medicare-certified nursing homes in Kentucky, 28% of the 267 nursing homes there.
Are independently owned nursing homes better staffed?
In Kentucky they average 4.58 total nursing hours per resident per day, against 3.95 for all nursing homes in Kentucky, a difference of +0.63 hours. Staff turnover averages 45.9% against 46.4%.
Which independently owned nursing home grades best in Kentucky?
Nazareth Home in Louisville, KY, grade A, 99 out of 100.
Does being independently owned mean a nursing home is safe?
No. Of the 75 graded independently owned homes in Kentucky, 20 grade A and 6 grade D or F.
Do independently owned nursing homes in Kentucky accept Medicaid?