All states › North Carolina › Banner Elk › Life Care Center of Banner Elk
185 Norwood Hollow Road Banner Elk, NC 28604 · Avery County
CMS certification number 345203 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Life Care Center of Banner Elk 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 Banner Elk as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall, above the North Carolina 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 3.21 hours per resident per day at Life Care Center of Banner Elk, below the North Carolina median of 3.57 (US median: 3.72). About 0.43 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 2.88 hours, 10% below its all-week average. 16.3% of nursing staff left within a year (North Carolina median 48.5%). That is lower than most homes in North Carolina, a sign of a steadier team.
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Life Care Center of Banner Elk: Medicare and Medicaid
Life Care Center of Banner Elk 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 North Carolina'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 August 6, 2025 and found 3 deficiencies. In total, inspectors issued 7 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 7 citations at Life Care Center of Banner Elk across 3 inspection dates. None were at the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy levels; 7 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 (4) and infection control (1). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "provide activities to meet all resident's needs" (tag F0679, level E, August 21, 2024).
August 6, 2025 · 3 citations
DProvide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
DEnsure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
August 21, 2024 · 3 citations
EProvide activities to meet all resident's needs.
DHonor the resident's right to organize and participate in resident/family groups in the facility.
DTry different approaches before using a bed rail. If a bed rail is needed, the facility must (1) assess a resident for safety risk; (2) review these risks and benefits with the resident/representative; (3) get informed consent; and (4) Correctly install and maintain the bed rail.
May 24, 2023 · 1 citation
DProvide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
Questions to ask on a tour of Life Care Center of Banner Elk
- The home averages about 55% of its beds filled. Are any units closed?
- 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 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| August 2026 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Life Care Center of Banner Elk
The Medicare-certified hospitals closest to this nursing home, with their CMS data. Ask the home which hospital it usually sends residents to.
- 5.5 mi
-
5.6 mi
Charles a Cannon Jr Memorial Hospital LinvilleEmergency roomMedian ER visit 1h 52m for patients treated and sent home
-
11.9 mi
Watauga Medical Center BooneEmergency room ★★★☆☆ Medicare overall 3 of 5Median ER visit 3h 12m 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 Banner Elk › All nursing homes in Banner Elk ›
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Other Life Care Centers of America nursing homes in North Carolina
- Life Care Center of Hendersonville · Hendersonville · 3 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.