Nursing home safety in Kentucky
Kentucky has 130 Medicare-certified nursing homes. They average 3 out of 5 CMS stars (0.02 better than the national average), carry 14.3 health-inspection citations each, and 1 is flagged in the records analyzed by CMS for abuse. Federal penalties total $2,192,974. Every flagged and top-rated home is named below.
Source: CMS Care Compare records in Haven’s directory, which may lag CMS updates. Free to cite with attribution to Haven.
Staffing in Kentucky averages 3.99 nurse hours per resident per day (0.10 better than the national average). Citations average 14.3 per home (16.1 better than the national average)— though citation counts reflect how aggressively a state's survey agency inspects, so they compare poorly across state lines.
Kentucky homes CMS currently flags for abuse
CMS applies this icon when a facility was cited for abuse-related deficiencies on a recent inspection. It is a serious signal, not a verdict — read the specific citations, which are on each facility's page, and ask the administrator directly.
- Metropolis Rehab & Hcc — Metropolis · 1★
- Green Valley Care Center — New Albany · 3★
- Indian Creek Healthcare Center — Corydon · 3★
Special Focus Facilities in Kentucky
CMS's own list of homes with a persistent record of poor care. They are inspected about twice as often as other facilities and can be terminated from Medicare and Medicaid if they do not improve.
- Clifton Heights — Louisville · SFF Candidate
- Lyndon Crossing — Louisville · SFF
- Bourbon Heights Nursing Home — Paris · SFF Candidate
Highest-rated nursing homes in Kentucky
Four and five-star homes with no abuse flag and no Special Focus status, ordered by Haven's Scout Score (federal ratings, staffing, and inspection history). Rankings cannot be purchased.
| Community | City | CMS stars | Nurse hrs/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nazareth Home | Louisville | 5 | 5.42915 |
| Baptist Health Hardin | Elizabethtown | 5 | 8.0173 |
| The Transitional Care Center of Owensboro | Owensboro | 5 | 7.81293 |
| Life Care Center of La Center | La Center | 5 | 3.56762 |
| Thomson-Hood Veterans Center | Wilmore | 5 | 5.08574 |
| Signature Healthcare at Jefferson Manor Rehab & We | Louisville | 5 | 3.95051 |
| Nazareth Home Clifton | Louisville | 5 | 4.68271 |
| Westport Place Health Campus | Louisville | 5 | 4.36694 |
| The Springs at Stony Brook | Louisville | 5 | 4.08254 |
| Sanders Ridge Health Campus | Mount Washington | 5 | 3.81995 |
Largest federal penalties in Kentucky
Civil monetary penalties follow serious deficiencies. A large fine history is a question to raise, not an automatic disqualification — some homes correct course, and the citations tell you which.
- Metropolis Rehab & Hcc · Metropolis$361,369
- Lexington Premier Nursing & Rehab · Lexington$240,331
- Signature Healthcare at Summerfield Rehab & Wellne · Louisville$182,488
- Dover Nursing & Rehabilitation Center · Georgetown$163,742
- Signature Healthcare at Colonial Rehab & Wellness · Bardstown$67,987
- Kindred Hospital - Louisville · Louisville$64,799
- The Willows at Hamburg · Lexington$61,627
- Bourbon Heights Nursing Home · Paris$57,841
- Colonial Nursing and Rehabilitation Center · Bowling Green$56,814
- Carmel Home · Owensboro$40,173
Browse Kentucky by area
Kentucky nursing homes: common questions
How many nursing homes in Kentucky have been flagged for abuse?
1 of 130 CMS-certified nursing homes in Kentucky (0.8%) carry the federal abuse icon in the records analyzed, which CMS applies when a facility has been cited for abuse-related deficiencies on a recent inspection. The national rate is 9.9%. Every flagged home is named on this page.
What is the average nursing home rating in Kentucky?
Kentucky nursing homes average 3 out of 5 on the CMS overall star rating, across 129 rated facilities. The national average is 2.98. Staffing averages 3.99 total nurse hours per resident per day versus 3.89 nationally.
Which nursing homes in Kentucky are on the Special Focus list?
3 Kentucky facilities are designated a Special Focus Facility or candidate — CMS's list of homes with a persistent record of poor care, which face roughly double the normal inspection frequency and possible termination from Medicare and Medicaid. They are listed by name on this page.
How much have Kentucky nursing homes been fined?
Federal civil monetary penalties against Kentucky nursing homes total $2,192,974 in the current CMS release. Fines follow serious deficiencies, so a large penalty history is worth asking a facility about directly — they are required to discuss their inspection record with you.
Worried about a specific home in Kentucky?
Every facility page shows that home's own inspection record — what inspectors found, how severe, and when — alongside staffing and pricing. If you need help sorting real options fast, a Haven advisor is free to your family.