All states › Ohio › Athens › The Laurels of Athens
70 Columbus Circle Athens, OH 45701 · Athens County
All 2 nursing homes in Athens, OH (2 take Medicaid)
CMS certification number 366396 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is The Laurels of Athens 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 The Laurels of Athens as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 2 out of 5 stars overall, below the Ohio average of 3.2.
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 3.77 hours per resident per day at The Laurels of Athens, above the Ohio median of 3.58 (US median: 3.72). About 0.92 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.33 hours, 12% below its all-week average. 40.4% of nursing staff left within a year (Ohio median 48.9%).
About this nursing home
Paying for care at The Laurels of Athens: Medicare and Medicaid
The Laurels of Athens 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 Ohio'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 April 20, 2026 and found 16 deficiencies. In total, inspectors issued 36 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 36 citations at The Laurels of Athens across 4 inspection dates, 3 of them from complaint investigations. 1 was at the immediate-jeopardy level (J–L), CMS's most serious category, most recently on April 20, 2026. The most common areas cited were quality of life and care (13) and pharmacy service (5). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents" (tag F0689, level J, April 20, 2026). 3 citations were under CMS's abuse, neglect and exploitation rules.
April 20, 2026 · 16 citations
JEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
EProvide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
DHonor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
DProtect each resident from the wrongful use of the resident's belongings or money.
DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
DDevelop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
DProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
DProvide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.
DProvide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
DProvide care or services that was trauma informed and/or culturally competent.
DProvide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
DEnsure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
DProvide timely, quality laboratory services/tests to meet the needs of residents.
DSafeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
DEducate residents and staff on COVID-19 vaccination, offer the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible residents and staff after education, and properly document each resident and staff member's vaccination status.
December 16, 2024 · 5 citations, includes actual harm
GProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
EEnsure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident.
DProvide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
DProvide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
DProvide the appropriate treatment and services to a resident who displays or is diagnosed with dementia.
July 31, 2024 · 3 citations · includes complaint inspection
DProtect each resident from the wrongful use of the resident's belongings or money.
DRespond appropriately to all alleged violations.
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.
October 26, 2023 · 12 citations
FProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
FKeep all essential equipment working safely.
EHonor the resident's right to manage his or her financial affairs.
EEnsure each resident receives and the facility provides food prepared in a form designed to meet individual needs.
DHonor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive.
DKeep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential.
DProvide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
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.
DEnsure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
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.
Questions to ask on a tour of The Laurels of Athens
- Inspectors cited the home at the immediate-jeopardy level on April 20, 2026 under the rule on quality of life and care. What changed afterwards, and can I see the plan of correction?
- CMS cited the home under its abuse and neglect rules on April 20, 2026. How are staff trained, and how are concerns reported?
- 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
1 penalty in the last three years, including $38,912 in fines.
| Date | Type | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 20, 2026 | Fine | $38,912 |
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| August 2026 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 |
Add this rating badge to your websiteFree. Shows The Laurels of Athens's Medicare star rating and updates itself.
Size and colour
Preview
Paste it where the badge should appear: in WordPress, a Custom HTML block or a footer widget; on other sites, any spot that accepts HTML. The badge updates itself when CMS publishes new ratings.
Location
Hospitals near The Laurels of Athens
The Medicare-certified hospitals closest to this nursing home, with their CMS data. Ask the home which hospital it usually sends residents to.
-
1.5 mi
O'bleness Memorial Hospital AthensEmergency room ★★★☆☆ Medicare overall 3 of 5Median ER visit 3h 22m for patients treated and sent home
- 1.6 mi
- 22.7 mi
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 The Laurels of Athens › All nursing homes in Athens ›
Compare The Laurels of Athens with the 3 closest homes side by side ›
Higher-rated nursing homes within 10 miles
- Hickory Creek of Athens · The Plains · 4 stars · 1.9 mi
Other Ciena Healthcare/Laurel Health Care nursing homes in Ohio
- The Laurels of New London · New London · 5 stars
- The Laurels of Milford · Milford · 5 stars
- The Laurels of Blanchester · Blanchester · 5 stars
- The Laurels of Massillon · Massillon · 4 stars
- The Laurels of Worthington · Worthington · 4 stars
- The Laurels of Defiance · Defiance · 4 stars
Affiliation comes from CMS's affiliated-entity data, October 2026. All 80 Ciena Healthcare/Laurel Health Care 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.