River Region Times

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Merry Wood Lodge stood out as the largest nursing home in Elmore County, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Data shows that the nursing center had a total of 124 beds available, 19 more than the average in Elmore County as of the fourth quarter of 2023. They aided an average of 95.3 residents during that period.

Merry Wood Lodge had an overall rating of 2 from the CMS, which lags behind the average of 3 recorded for nursing homes in Alabama.

During the quarter, Wetumpka Health and Rehabilitation, LLC stood out as the second largest nursing home in Elmore County, with 121 beds available. Tallassee Health and Rehabilitation, LLC came in third place, with 111 beds available.

As of the fourth quarter of 2023, Merry Wood Lodge achieved a zero-incident record for fines and penalties.

In total, there were four for-profit nursing homes in Elmore County, Alabama.

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	Merry Wood Lodge	2
2	Wetumpka Health and Rehabilitation, LLC	3
3	Tallassee Health and Rehabilitation, LLC	2
4	Charlton Place Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center	4