Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center keeps it all in the family

With an aging population and longer life expectancy, nursing homes have become a fast-growing industry.

Previously made up of hundreds of mom-and-pop establishments, a 2023 study published in the International Journal of Social Determinants of Health and Health Services found that nursing homes made $126 billion in net revenue in 2019.

Nursing home conglomerates such as the Ensign Group, Genesis HealthCare and Life Care Centers of America each make over $1 billion in revenue annually, according to a list published by healthcare data firm Definitive Healthcare.

However, there are still many smaller nursing homes throughout the United States, such as Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Athens. Located on 75 Kimes Lane, Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center opened in 1965. After the passing of its founder Ihla Fae Kimes in 1999, Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center was passed down to her nephew.

Laura Rittenhouse, long term care administrator of Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, is Ihla Fae Kimes’ great-niece and has been working at Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation since 2004. As long-term care administrator, she is responsible for the entire oversight and operations of the facility. In total, Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center houses 61 permanent residents and has 65 staff members, not including contracted services.

The facility specializes in providing comprehensive care for residents who need assistance with daily living. Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center offers short term stays for rehabilitation and long term stays for those who require continuous care. The facility also offers respite care for caregivers who need a break.

“If someone has had a hip replacement or a stroke and they’re recovering, when they leave the hospital they can come to us for short term intensive therapy, any nursing treatments, any help that they need and then they can go home,” Rittenhouse said. “A large part of our community is made up of what we call our short-term residents who come in to help get them to recover longer to get stronger and have better outcomes when they actually go home.”

Rittenhouse said residents are admitted if they require more care than their family can manage or if they are not safe living alone. Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center provides care for residents with varying levels of need, from those who require minor assistance to those who need extensive care.

In addition to skilled nursing care, Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center offers physical therapy, psychiatric services, wound care, Alzheimer’s care and assistance with activities of daily living such as brushing their teeth, getting dressed and dealing with mobility issues.

Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center also partners with community organizations and suppliers to provide additional support and services to residents. For example, a nurse practitioner visits monthly to manage residents’ psychiatric care.

Julie Patrick, social services director at Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, has worked at the facility for nearly nine years and has worked with the elderly for over 30 years. She said that while the transition to long term care can be challenging, it often goes smoother at Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center due to its welcoming environment and community involvement.

“We try to set up the rooms and let families bring in as many personable things as they can. It’s very difficult when a patient does go into long term care, because they only bring a suitcase, maybe a few items, something to hang on the wall, maybe a picture,” Patrick explained. “So, we always encourage them to set it up the best they can with the little bit they have and what space they have.”

Patrick said the family-owned and operated facility cultivates a home-like atmosphere to help ease residents into their new surroundings. A great deal of emphasis is placed on socialization and making sure that residents familiarize themselves with their caregivers and getting them involved in activities such as exercise programs, pet therapy, bingo and music therapy.

With the exception of a handful of rooms that only have a single bed, most rooms have double beds and residents are assigned roommates to keep them company. Rittenhouse said that a great deal of effort is placed into finding suitable roommates for residents, because the staff at Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center place a great deal of emphasis on socialization as a means of improving quality of life.

“A lot of people really thrive with having a roommate. Some people might come in and assume they want a room alone, when they actually do a lot better with a roommate,” Rittenhouse explained. “It’s somebody to talk to, it’s somebody basically to be in your home with you. You know, socialization is very important.”

Attention to all of these small details has helped Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center gain a positive reputation throughout the community, especially among senior citizens and their families. Patrick said that in her three decades of working in nursing homes, she’s never seen people be as excited about moving in as they are at Kimes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

“Many people come here and check in here that want to come here, not by force,” Patrick said. “We’ve had spouses come walk right through the door and say: ‘This is my new home; I want to move in.’”