Diversicare of Oneonta, as reported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), led Blount County as the largest nursing home during the first quarter of 2026.
The center offered 120 beds — 8 beds more than the county’s first-quarter average — and cared for an average of 111.2 residents in that time frame.
CMS assigned Diversicare of Oneonta an overall 2-out-of-5 rating, which is below the 3-point average held by Alabama nursing homes.
TLC Nursing Center ranked as the county’s second largest facility with 103 beds available during the same quarter.
By the end of the first quarter of 2026, Diversicare of Oneonta had incurred $9,318 in fines and received two penalties.
Blount County, Alabama, had a total of two for-profit nursing homes.
According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the number of older adults in the United States continues to rise while populations among younger age groups drop. From 2020 to 2024, Americans age 65 and older saw a 13% increase, whereas those under 18 decreased by 1.7%. Over the past 100 years, the nation’s older adult population has expanded significantly, growing from 4.9 million individuals in 1920 to more than 61 million in 2024.
A 2021 study found nearly half of this demographic, about 28 million people, may need long-term services and supports. The same research projects that over one-third could eventually require 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. “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 | Diversicare of Oneonta | 2 |
| 2 | TLC Nursing Center | 5 |
Information in this article was obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The source data can be found here.
