Upper Cumberland Times

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

Data shows that the nursing center had a total of 120 beds available, nine less than the average in Putnam County as of the fourth quarter of 2023. They aided an average of 75.3 residents during that period.

AHC Bethesda had an overall rating of 1 from the CMS, which lags behind the average of 2.7 recorded for nursing homes in Tennessee.

During the quarter, Signature Healthcare of Putnam County stood out as the largest nursing home in Putnam County, with 175 beds available. Standing Stone Care and Rehabilitation came in third place, with 115 beds available.

As of the fourth quarter of 2023, AHC Bethesda has already spent a total of $37,908 in four fines and suffered four penalties.

In total, there were four for-profit nursing homes in Putnam County, Tennessee.

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	Signature Healthcare of Putnam County	2
2	AHC Bethesda	1
3	Standing Stone Care and Rehabilitation	2
4	NHC Healthcare, Cookeville	4