SE Ohio Times

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Hickory Creek of Athens stood out as the second largest nursing home in Athens County, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Data shows that the nursing center had a total of 99 beds available, 18 more than the average in Athens County as of the fourth quarter of 2023. They aided an average of 82.5 residents during that period.

Hickory Creek of Athens had an overall rating of 2 from the CMS, which lags behind the average of 2.9 recorded for nursing homes in Ohio.

During the quarter, The Laurels of Athens stood out as the largest nursing home in Athens County, with 111 beds available. Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center came in third place, with 61 beds available.

As of the fourth quarter of 2023, Hickory Creek of Athens achieved a zero-incident record for fines and penalties.

In total, there were four for-profit nursing homes in Athens County, Ohio.

According to US Census data, in 2020, nearly 1 in 6 Americans were aged 65 years or older. Since 1920, the older population skyrocketed from 4.9 million to 55.8 million, reflecting a growth rate of roughly 1,000%, five times higher than the average growth for the overall U.S. population.

A 2021 study suggests that nearly half of this age group, roughly 28 million individuals, may require long-term services and support. Additionally, the study projects that over a third of them may eventually need nursing home care.

“Living a long life is something that many of us want and could get,” said Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, an insurance education group. “But when we live a long life, the chances of us needing long-term care increase exponentially. But when you need that type of care, there are limited options.”

Rank	Nursing Home	Overall Rating
1	The Laurels of Athens	2
2	Hickory Creek of Athens	2
3	Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center	2
4	Arcadia Valley Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation	1