Okeechobee Times

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Lake Placid Health and Rehabilitation Center stood out as the largest nursing home in Highlands County, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Data shows that the nursing center had a total of 180 beds available, 60 more than the average in Highlands County as of the fourth quarter of 2023. They aided an average of 141.4 residents during that period.

Lake Placid Health and Rehabilitation Center had an overall rating of 2 from the CMS, which lags behind the average of 3.1 recorded for nursing homes in Florida.

During the quarter, The Palms of Sebring stood out as the second largest nursing home in Highlands County, with 120 beds available. St. Camillus Post-Acute and Rehabilitation Center|Oaks at Avon came in third place, with 104 beds available.

As of the fourth quarter of 2023, Lake Placid Health and Rehabilitation Center has spent a total of $9,880 in two fines and suffered two penalties.

In total, there were three for-profit nursing homes in Highlands County, Florida.

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	Lake Placid Health and Rehabilitation Center	2
2	The Palms of Sebring	2
3	St. Camillus Post-Acute and Rehabilitation Center	2
3	Oaks at Avon	5
5	Royal Care of Avon Park	5