Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River
3070 Healthy Way, Vestavia, AL 35243Map
Medicare/Medicaid certified120 certified beds~112 residents/dayFor profit - Limited Liability company
Last standard health inspection: January 12, 2024 (more than 2 years ago — ratings may not reflect current conditions)
This home's last health inspection was more than 2 years ago — ratings may not reflect current conditions. moreless
Inspections are supposed to happen roughly yearly, but surveyor shortages have left some homes uninspected for much longer. CMS flags facilities whose most recent standard health inspection is more than two years old. For these homes, the health-inspection star is based on old information — things may have improved or declined since.
What to do with this: weigh recent staffing data more heavily than the inspection star, and ask the facility when their last survey was and when they expect the next.
Aspire Physical Recovery Center at Cahaba River is a 120-bed for-profit, LLC-owned nursing home in Vestavia, Jefferson County, Alabama, serving an average of 112 residents per day. As of CMS data processed June 1, 2026, its overall rating is 1 of 5 stars.
CMS star ratings
CMS scores every nursing home 1–5 stars overall, built from three sub-ratings. moreless
Medicare inspects and measures every certified nursing home, then rolls the results into a 1–5 star overall rating. It combines three parts: health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. Five stars means much better than average — it does not mean perfect. One star means much worse than average — it does not mean every shift is bad. Stars are a screening tool, not a verdict. They can lag reality by months, and they can't see things like how kind the aides are or how the building smells at 7am.
What to do with this: use stars to build a shortlist, then visit in person. Nothing on this site replaces walking the halls.
Health-inspection stars are graded on a curve within each state — never compare stars across state lines. moreless
CMS sets health-inspection star cutoffs separately for each state: roughly the top 10% of homes in a state get 5 stars, the bottom 20% get 1 star, no matter how the state compares to others. That means a 4-star home in one state and a 4-star home in another state may have very different inspection records. The stars tell you how a home compares to its neighbors, not to the whole country. That's why this site shows your state's median next to each star rating — and never a national star comparison.
What to do with this: compare stars only between homes in the same state. To compare across states, use staffing hours — those are real numbers, not curves.
Not all three sub-ratings are equally hard to game: inspections are the most objective, quality measures the least. moreless
The three sub-ratings come from different sources. Health inspections are done on-site by trained state surveyors who show up mostly unannounced — the most objective signal. Staffing comes from payroll records that facilities must submit and CMS audits — quite reliable. Quality measures are partly self-reported by the facility from its own resident assessments — useful, but the facility grades some of its own homework.
What to do with this: when sub-ratings disagree, weigh the inspection star most and the quality-measure star least.
Staffing
Reported hours per resident per day, from payroll records. Hours, unlike stars, can be compared across states.
Hours per resident per day: total staff hours worked, divided by the number of residents. moreless
If a home reports 3.5 total nursing hours per resident per day, that's all nursing staff time across 24 hours — roughly one caregiver-hour every 7 hours per resident, spread across day, evening, and night shifts. On a real floor it decides whether call lights get answered in 5 minutes or 25, whether someone has time to help with dinner, and whether night shift is one aide for a hall or two. Unlike star ratings, hours are actual numbers, so they CAN be compared across state lines.
What to do with this: compare a home's hours to the state and national medians shown, and ask the facility how the hours split across day, evening, and night shifts.
RN (registered nurse) hours
LPN (licensed practical nurse) hours
Nurse aide hours
Total nursing hours
CMS also adjusts these numbers for how sick each home’s residents are — a home with sicker residents needs more staff for the same star. This home’s case-mix-adjusted total: 4.91 (US median, adjusted: 3.78).
CMS also adjusts staffing numbers for how sick each home's residents are. moreless
A home full of short-term rehab patients needs different staffing than a home caring for people with advanced dementia or ventilators. Case-mix adjustment estimates how many hours a home's particular residents need, then scales the reported hours so homes can be compared fairly. A home with sicker residents needs more staff for the same star. This page shows reported (raw payroll) numbers and compares them only to other reported numbers — like with like.
What to do with this: if a home's reported hours look low, check whether its residents may simply need less care — and ask the facility directly.
Staff turnover
Total nursing staff turnover: 65.6% · AL median: 47.8% · RN turnover: 51.6% (AL median: 39.3%)
The share of nursing staff who left within the year. Lower is steadier. moreless
Total nursing staff turnover is the percentage of the home's nurses and aides who stopped working there during the year. Around half of nursing-home staff leaving annually is sadly common in this industry. High turnover means residents are cared for by people who don't know them — which matters enormously for dementia care, pain management, and noticing the small changes that catch problems early. Low turnover usually means staff are treated well enough to stay.
What to do with this: when you visit, ask aides how long they've worked there. Long-tenured aides are the best sign a building has.
Inspections & deficiencies
The last 3 inspection cycles, from CMS’s federal health-survey file. State-only citations and fire-safety surveys are not included — an empty list means nothing federal is in this file, not that nothing ever happened.
Each deficiency gets a letter A–L: how severe it was × how widespread it was. moreless
Surveyors grade every deficiency on a grid. Severity runs from 'potential for minimal harm' up to 'immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.' Scope runs from isolated (one or a few residents) to pattern to widespread. A and B are paperwork-level; D–F caused no actual harm but had the potential; G–I caused actual harm; J, K, and L mean immediate jeopardy — the most serious finding a surveyor can make. Most citations nationally are D–E.
What to do with this: scan for G or higher. One J/K/L tells you more than ten D's.
Standard surveys are routine; complaint surveys happen because someone reported a problem. moreless
A standard survey is the routine top-to-bottom inspection every home gets on a recurring cycle. A complaint survey happens because a resident, family member, or staff member reported something to the state — surveyors come specifically to investigate it. Infection-control surveys focus on practices like hand hygiene and isolation procedures. A deficiency found during a complaint survey means someone cared enough to report it and a surveyor confirmed enough to cite it.
What to do with this: note which deficiencies came from complaints — they show you what residents and families actually experienced.
The F-number on each deficiency is CMS's code for which federal requirement was violated. moreless
Every federal nursing-home requirement has a tag number. F0686, for example, is the pressure-ulcer requirement; F0600 is freedom from abuse. The tag tells you exactly which rule was broken, and the description next to it is CMS's own plain-language summary of that rule. The same tag appearing across multiple inspections is a pattern worth noticing.
What to do with this: if the same tag repeats across surveys, ask the facility what changed since the last citation.
This data shows federal health surveys only — state-only citations and fire-safety surveys aren't included. moreless
CMS's public deficiency file contains federal health-survey citations. It does not include citations issued under state-only rules, fire-safety (Life Safety Code) surveys, or anything older than three inspection cycles. A facility with no rows here may still have state citations or fire-safety findings. 'No deficiencies in this file' never means 'no violations ever.'
What to do with this: for the full picture, check your state health department's site and medicare.gov/care-compare, which shows fire-safety results separately.
17 deficiencies across the last 3 inspection cycles, in CMS’s federal health-survey file:
- Nutrition and Dietary: 6
- Resident Rights: 5
- Quality of Life and Care: 2
- Infection Control: 2
- Resident Assessment and Care Planning: 1
- Pharmacy Service: 1
January 12, 2024Standard + Complaint surveyTag F0550D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected February 19, 2024
January 12, 2024Standard + Complaint surveyTag F0553D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Allow resident to participate in the development and implementation of his or her person-centered plan of care.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected February 19, 2024
January 12, 2024Standard + Complaint surveyTag F0554D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Allow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected February 19, 2024
January 12, 2024Standard + Complaint surveyTag F0578J — immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety, isolated
Honor 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.
Past Non-Compliance · corrected February 10, 2023
January 12, 2024Standard + Complaint surveyTag F0656D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected February 19, 2024
January 12, 2024Standard + Complaint surveyTag F0695D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected February 19, 2024
January 12, 2024Standard + Complaint surveyTag F0755D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected February 19, 2024
January 12, 2024Standard + Complaint surveyTag F0804F — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespread
Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected February 19, 2024
September 19, 2019Standard surveyTag F0693D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Ensure that feeding tubes are not used unless there is a medical reason and the resident agrees; and provide appropriate care for a resident with a feeding tube.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected October 24, 2019
September 19, 2019Standard surveyTag F0803E — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, pattern
Ensure 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.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected October 24, 2019
Show 7 more deficiencies
September 19, 2019Standard surveyTag F0806D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Ensure each resident receives and the facility provides food that accommodates resident allergies, intolerances, and preferences, as well as appealing options.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected October 24, 2019
September 19, 2019Standard surveyTag F0812F — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespread
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected October 24, 2019
September 19, 2019Standard surveyTag F0814F — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespread
Dispose of garbage and refuse properly.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected October 24, 2019
September 19, 2019Standard surveyTag F0880D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected October 24, 2019
August 16, 2018Standard surveyTag F0582D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected September 20, 2018
August 16, 2018Standard surveyTag F0812F — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespread
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected September 20, 2018
August 16, 2018Standard surveyTag F0880E — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, pattern
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected September 20, 2018
Fines & penalties
CMS can fine a home or stop paying for new admissions. Shown per CMS's current data window (~3 years) — not all-time. moreless
When deficiencies are serious or aren't fixed, CMS can impose a fine (a civil money penalty) or a payment denial — refusing to pay for new Medicare/Medicaid admissions until the home fixes the problem. Payment denials hit harder than most fines because they stop revenue. CMS's public dataset covers a rolling window of roughly the last three years, so the totals here are recent history, not an all-time record. Many facilities have no penalties in the window — that's common, not remarkable.
What to do with this: a recent large fine deserves a direct question on your visit — what happened, and what changed?
Fines: 1 totaling $16,801 — per CMS data (rolling ~3-year window).
| Date | Type | Amount / length |
|---|---|---|
| January 12, 2024 | Fine | $16,801 |
Ownership & chain
Who actually owns and controls the facility — individuals, companies, and their stakes. moreless
Nursing homes are often owned through layers: an operating company, a property company, management companies, and individual investors with percentage stakes. CMS publishes who holds 5%-or-greater interests and who has operational control. Ownership matters because it sets the budget: research has linked some ownership structures, especially certain chains and investment vehicles, to lower staffing. That's a pattern across the industry, not a verdict on any one building.
What to do with this: know who owns the home before you sign anything, and ask the administrator who actually sets the staffing budget.
Part of Nhs Management (43 facilities). Chain average overall rating: 3.0★ — this facility: 1★.
Most US nursing homes belong to a chain. The chain's average rating is context for this home's rating. moreless
A chain is a group of facilities sharing an owner or operator. Chains share budgets, policies, and management practices, so a chain's average rating tells you something about the company behind the building. A home rating well above its chain's average may have an unusually strong local team; one below it may be the chain's neglected building. Either way, the chain sets the constraints the local staff work within.
What to do with this: if the chain average is low, ask the administrator what this building does differently.
| Owner / manager | Role | Stake | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northport Holding Operations, LLC (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 100% | 09/15/2011 |
| Estes, James (Individual) | 5% or greater indirect ownership interest | 51% | 09/15/2011 |
| James N Estes Jr Family Dynasty Tr No 2 (Organization) | 5% or greater indirect ownership interest | 18% | 12/27/2012 |
| James Norman Estes Jr Tr (Organization) | 5% or greater indirect ownership interest | 6% | 06/30/2013 |
| Jennifer E Agee Family Dynasty Tr No 2 (Organization) | 5% or greater indirect ownership interest | 18% | 12/27/2012 |
| Jennifer Lee Estes Tr 031093 (Organization) | 5% or greater indirect ownership interest | 6% | 06/30/2013 |
| Regions Bank (Organization) | 5% or greater mortgage interest | NOT APPLICABLE | 09/11/2015 |
| Cahaba River Health Realty, LLC (Organization) | 5% or greater security interest | NOT APPLICABLE | 08/01/2016 |
| Regions Bank (Organization) | 5% or greater security interest | NOT APPLICABLE | 09/11/2015 |
| Holmes, Letchernique (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/03/2022 |
| Patterson, Derek (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/03/2022 |
| Rasco, Lynn (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/01/2022 |
| Estes, James (Individual) | Corporate officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 09/15/2011 |
| Long, Phillip (Individual) | Corporate officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 10/01/2019 |
| Holmes, Letchernique (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/03/2022 |
| Patterson, Derek (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/03/2022 |
| Rasco, Lynn (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/01/2022 |
| Wheeler, John (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 10/14/2022 |
| Wheeler, John (Individual) | W-2 managing employee | NOT APPLICABLE | 10/14/2022 |
Nearby facilities in Jefferson County
Most families compare 2–3 homes. Same county, sorted by overall rating:
Visiting? Go in with questions.
Built from this facility’s own CMS data — bring them on the tour.
- Their total nursing staff turnover (65.6%) is above the AL median (47.8%) — ask how long the aides on your person's unit have worked there.
- CMS data shows 1 fine totaling $16,801 in its current data window — ask what the citations were for and what changed afterward.
- Their weekend total nurse staffing (4.10/resident/day) is lower than their overall figure (4.86) — ask who covers weekends and how shifts are filled when someone calls out.
- CMS flags that the most recent health inspection here was more than 2 years ago — ask when they expect the next survey and what has changed since the last one.
- Their last standard health inspection was January 12, 2024 — ask what's improved since then.
- CMS records that this facility has a resident council — ask to speak with a council member before deciding.
- They have 120 certified beds and serve an average of 112 residents per day — ask which unit your person would be on and who staffs it overnight.
Data: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (data.cms.gov), processing date June 1, 2026. This site is not affiliated with CMS or any government agency.