Lutheran Care Center
702 West Cumberland, Altamont, IL 62411Map
Medicare/Medicaid certified96 certified beds~43 residents/dayNon profit - Corporation
Last standard health inspection: September 30, 2025
Lutheran Care Center is a 96-bed nonprofit, corporation-run nursing home in Altamont, Effingham County, Illinois, serving an average of 43 residents per day. As of CMS data processed June 1, 2026, its overall rating is 5 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: 4.41 (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: 29.2% · IL median: 44.6% · RN turnover: 12.5% (IL median: 40%)
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.
11 deficiencies across the last 3 inspection cycles, in CMS’s federal health-survey file:
- Quality of Life and Care: 4
- Infection Control: 2
- Environmental: 2
- Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation: 2
- Pharmacy Service: 1
September 30, 2025Standard + Complaint surveyTag F0689J — immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety, isolated
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Past Non-Compliance · corrected September 15, 2025
September 30, 2025Standard 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 31, 2025
September 30, 2025Standard surveyTag F0912B — no actual harm, potential for minimal harm, pattern
Provide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected October 10, 2025
March 28, 2025Complaint surveyTag F0689G — actual harm, isolated
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Past Non-Compliance · corrected March 17, 2025
November 15, 2024Complaint surveyTag F0600D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected December 13, 2024
November 15, 2024Complaint surveyTag F0609D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected December 13, 2024
July 26, 2024Standard surveyTag F0689G — actual harm, isolated
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected August 29, 2024
July 26, 2024Standard 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 August 29, 2024
June 9, 2023Standard surveyTag F0689D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected July 14, 2023
June 9, 2023Standard surveyTag F0759D — no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected July 14, 2023
Show 1 more deficiency
June 9, 2023Standard surveyTag F0912B — no actual harm, potential for minimal harm, pattern
Provide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.
Deficient, Provider has date of correction · corrected July 14, 2023
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: 2 totaling $19,208 — per CMS data (rolling ~3-year window).
| Date | Type | Amount / length |
|---|---|---|
| March 28, 2025 | Fine | $11,190 |
| July 26, 2024 | Fine | $8,018 |
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.
CMS lists no chain affiliation for this facility.
| Owner / manager | Role | Stake | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faith Lutheran Church (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 10/01/1980 |
| Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 10/01/1980 |
| Holy Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 10/01/1980 |
| Holy Cross Lutheran Church (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 02/20/2012 |
| Immanuel Lutheran Church (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 07/23/2012 |
| St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 04/28/2003 |
| St. John Lutheran Church (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 10/01/1980 |
| St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 11/28/2011 |
| St. John's Lutheran Church (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 10/01/1980 |
| St. John's Lutheran Church of Shelbyville (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 10/01/1980 |
| St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church Elca (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 10/01/1980 |
| St. Paul Lutheran Church (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 10/01/1980 |
| St. Peter's Lutheran Church (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 10/01/1980 |
| Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 10/01/1980 |
| Trinity Lutheran Church Nalc (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 10/01/1980 |
| Zion Lutheran Church (Organization) | 5% or greater direct ownership interest | 5% | 10/01/1980 |
| Asbell, Mariya (Individual) | Adp of the snf | NOT APPLICABLE | 08/14/2023 |
| Clifton, Joni (Individual) | Adp of the snf | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/01/2024 |
| Cliftonlarsonallen LLP (Organization) | Adp of the snf | NOT APPLICABLE | 09/30/2013 |
| Cornett, Alexis (Individual) | Adp of the snf | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/29/2025 |
| Feldhake, Dawn (Individual) | Adp of the snf | NOT APPLICABLE | 08/30/2021 |
| Harris, Samantha (Individual) | Adp of the snf | NOT APPLICABLE | 11/23/2022 |
| Herrmann, Krystle (Individual) | Adp of the snf | NOT APPLICABLE | 08/30/2012 |
| Huntley, Kathryn (Individual) | Adp of the snf | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/11/2016 |
| Milburn-Gehle, Marcia (Individual) | Adp of the snf | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/19/2012 |
| Miller, Emily (Individual) | Adp of the snf | NOT APPLICABLE | 05/15/2025 |
| Mulvaney, Ronald (Individual) | Adp of the snf | NOT APPLICABLE | 02/10/2025 |
| Opilka, John (Individual) | Adp of the snf | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/25/2025 |
| Reeter, Tamyra (Individual) | Adp of the snf | NOT APPLICABLE | 05/23/2022 |
| Aherin, Diane (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/25/2021 |
| Behrns, Dorothy (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2025 |
| Biggs, Charles (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2026 |
| Blievernicht, Dennis (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/26/2015 |
| Braasch, Susan (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2026 |
| Bray, Frederick (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2025 |
| Corder, Kathryn (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2025 |
| Garbe, Vera (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/26/2015 |
| Givens, Joann (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/25/2016 |
| Hanfland, Susan (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/26/2023 |
| Hanson, Deborah (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/27/2020 |
| Hastings, Jack (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2026 |
| Heiden, Douglas (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2025 |
| Heiden, Sandra (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2024 |
| Hoffmeister, Cheryl (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2026 |
| Kirchhoff, Mike (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2026 |
| Magnus, Twila (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2026 |
| Miller, Emily (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/02/2021 |
| Opilka, John (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/30/2001 |
| Reynolds, Beth (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/26/2023 |
| Schroeder, Kimberly (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 08/25/2025 |
| Soltwedel, Beverly (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2026 |
| Stremming, Kurt (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/26/2015 |
| Stuckmeyer, Lea (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/25/2022 |
| Traub, David (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2026 |
| Wetherell, Diane (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2025 |
| Williams, Robert (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/26/2015 |
| Wohltman, Norma (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2026 |
| Wyckoff, Gerald (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/25/2022 |
| Wyckoff, Kathy (Individual) | Corporate director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/25/2022 |
| Miller, Emily (Individual) | Corporate officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/02/2021 |
| Stremming, Jeff (Individual) | Corporate officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2025 |
| Asbell, Mariya (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 08/14/2023 |
| Clifton, Joni (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/01/2024 |
| Cornett, Alexis (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/29/2025 |
| Feldhake, Dawn (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 08/30/2021 |
| Harris, Samantha (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 11/23/2022 |
| Herrmann, Krystle (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 08/30/2012 |
| Huntley, Kathryn (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/11/2016 |
| Milburn-Gehle, Marcia (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/19/2012 |
| Miller, Emily (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/02/2021 |
| Mulvaney, Ronald (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 02/10/2025 |
| Opilka, John (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/30/2001 |
| Reeter, Tamyra (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 05/23/2022 |
| Workman, Christine (Individual) | Operational/managerial control | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/16/2017 |
Nearby facilities in Effingham 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.
- CMS data shows 2 fines totaling $19,208 in its current data window — ask what the citations were for and what changed afterward.
- Their weekend total nurse staffing (3.26/resident/day) is lower than their overall figure (3.57) — ask who covers weekends and how shifts are filled when someone calls out.
- Their last standard health inspection was September 30, 2025 — 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 96 certified beds and serve an average of 43 residents per day — ask which unit your person would be on and who staffs it overnight.
- They report 3.57 total nursing hours per resident per day (IL median: 3.34) — ask how those hours split across day, evening, and night shifts.
- CMS lists no chain affiliation for this facility — ask who owns the home and who sets the staffing budget.
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.