All states › Kentucky › La Center › Life Care Center of La Center
252 W. 5th Street La Center, KY 42056 · Ballard County
CMS certification number 185320 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Life Care Center of La Center a good nursing home? Reviews, ratings and inspection record
There are no official resident reviews of nursing homes: Medicare's Care Compare publishes inspections, staffing and quality data instead. Here is what that record shows for Life Care Center of La Center as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall, above the Kentucky average of 3.0.
Online reviews from families and residents are on Google Maps and other sites; they reflect individual experiences and aren't checked by CMS. The full inspection reports, including what inspectors observed, are on Medicare Care Compare.
Staffing
Nursing staff spend about 3.63 hours per resident per day at Life Care Center of La Center, below the Kentucky median of 3.75 (US median: 3.72). About 0.65 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.13 hours, 14% below its all-week average. 27.5% of nursing staff left within a year (Kentucky median 44.3%). That is lower than most homes in Kentucky, a sign of a steadier team.
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Life Care Center of La Center: Medicare and Medicaid
Life Care Center of La Center is certified for both Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare Part A can cover a short skilled-nursing or rehab stay here after a qualifying hospital stay of at least three inpatient days (observation days don't count), for up to 100 days per benefit period. Medicaid can pay for long-term care for residents who meet Kentucky's income and asset rules. Being certified doesn't guarantee a Medicaid bed is open, so ask whether the home accepts residents whose Medicaid application is still pending.
In 2026 Medicare covers days 1–20 in full after the Part A deductible ($1,736 per benefit period); for days 21–100 you pay $217 a day; after day 100 you pay all costs. Medicare doesn't pay for long-term custodial care. Medicare's coverage rules.
Health inspections
The most recent standard inspection was on February 19, 2026 and found 0 deficiencies. In total, inspectors issued 3 citations in the last three years.
Each citation has a scope and severity letter from A to L. A–C: potential for minimal harm. D–F: potential for more than minimal harm. G–I: actual harm. J–L: immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.
What the inspections found
Over the last three years, inspectors issued 3 citations at Life Care Center of La Center across 1 inspection date. None were at the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy levels; 3 were "potential for more than minimal harm" (D–F) and 0 were minimal (A–C). The most common areas cited were quality of life and care (1) and resident assessment and care planning (1). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "notify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave" (tag F0625, level D, December 18, 2019).
December 18, 2019 · 3 citations
DNotify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.
DDevelop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
DProvide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Questions to ask on a tour of Life Care Center of La Center
- What do families most often ask you about before moving in?
- Do you have a Medicaid bed open now, and will you admit someone whose Medicaid application is still pending?
- When is the first care-plan meeting, and can family attend?
Questions come from this home's CMS data: its inspections, staffing and ownership record.
Fines and payment denials
CMS reports no fines or payment denials for this home in the last three years.
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| August 2026 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Life Care Center of La Center
The Medicare-certified hospitals closest to this nursing home, with their CMS data. Ask the home which hospital it usually sends residents to.
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14.4 mi
Massac Memorial Hospital MetropolisEmergency room ★★☆☆☆ Medicare overall 2 of 5Median ER visit 1h 48m for patients treated and sent home
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18.2 mi
Lourdes Hospital PaducahEmergency room ★★★☆☆ Medicare overall 3 of 5Median ER visit 2h 53m for patients treated and sent home
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19.2 mi
Western Baptist Hospital PaducahEmergency room ★★★★☆ Medicare overall 4 of 5Median ER visit 3h 4m for patients treated and sent home
Hospital ratings, ER visit times and more at Hospitals In Each State
Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.
Nearby nursing homes
More nursing homes near Life Care Center of La Center › All nursing homes in La Center ›
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Other Life Care Centers of America nursing homes in Kentucky
- Parkview Nursing & Rehabilitation Center · Paducah · 3 stars
- Life Care Center of Morehead · Morehead · 2 stars
Affiliation comes from CMS's affiliated-entity data, October 2026. All 194 Life Care Centers of America nursing homes ›
Source: CMS Provider Data Catalog (provider information, health deficiencies, penalties), October 2026. Inspection citations and penalties cover the last three years. Nursing Homes In Each State is independent and not affiliated with CMS or Medicare. About the data · Report a problem with this listing. Is this your nursing home? Feature it here.