Nursing home
Merry Wood Lodge
280 Mt Hebron Road, Elmore, AL 36025 · Map
For profit - Limited Liability company · Part of Genesis Healthcare (193 facilities) · 124 certified beds
Merry Wood Lodge is a Medicare-certified nursing home in Elmore, Alabama. CMS rates it 2 out of 5 stars overall (3/5 for staffing, 1/5 for health inspections). Nurse staffing is 3.16 hours per resident per day, below the Alabama average of 3.91. Its most recent inspection on Sep 1, 2024 cited 8 deficiencies. Note: it is a CMS Special Focus Facility under enhanced oversight and it carries a CMS abuse icon.
- CMS abuse iconThis facility has an active abuse icon on its CMS record.
- Special Focus Facility candidateCMS lists this facility as a candidate for enhanced oversight.
- 1 fine totaling $182,968In CMS records: 2 total penalties, 1 Medicare payment denial.
CMS quality ratings
Ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), updated monthly. 5 stars is the highest quality.
How Merry Wood Lodge compares
This facility vs. the Alabama and national averages, from CMS data. For staffing, higher is generally better; for turnover and deficiencies, lower is better.
| Metric | This facility | Alabama avg | National avg | Compared with the state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total nurse staffing (hrs/resident/day) | 3.16 | 3.91 | 3.89 | below avg |
| RN staffing (hrs/resident/day) | 0.78 | 0.64 | 0.68 | above avg |
| Aide staffing (hrs/resident/day) | 1.93 | 2.50 | 2.34 | below avg |
| Nursing staff turnover | 51.3% | 48.7% | 46.4% | above avg |
| Deficiencies cited, last inspection | 8.0 | 3.9 | 9.5 | above avg |
Staffing
Hours per resident per day as reported to CMS. Higher numbers indicate more direct care time.
Staff turnover
Lower turnover typically indicates better working conditions and continuity of care. National average for nursing staff is 46.4%.
Recent health inspection
CMS inspects nursing facilities regularly. Deficiencies are categorized by severity.
Penalties in CMS records: 1 fine totaling $182,968, 2 total penalties, 1 Medicare payment denial.
What inspectors found at Merry Wood Lodge
Specific deficiencies cited in recent CMS health inspections, most recent first. Severity follows the CMS scope/severity scale. Source: CMS Care Compare.
- Actual harm
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · Oct 17, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Immediate jeopardy
Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
Administration Deficiencies · Sep 1, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Immediate jeopardy
Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently.
Administration Deficiencies · Sep 1, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Immediate jeopardy
Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · Sep 1, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Immediate jeopardy
Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · Sep 1, 2024 · Full report (PDF)
Show all 12 deficiencies
- Immediate jeopardy
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · Sep 1, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Dispose of garbage and refuse properly.
Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies · Sep 1, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies · Sep 1, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Minimal
Electronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data.
Administration Deficiencies · Sep 1, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies · Mar 3, 2020 - Potential for harm
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies · Mar 3, 2020 - Potential for harm
Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited.
Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · Mar 3, 2020
Read the full inspection reports on Medicare.gov Each inspection there has a “Read the full report” link with the inspectors’ written findings.
About this facility
- Address
- 280 Mt Hebron Road
Elmore, AL 36025 - CMS certification #
- 015019
- Ownership
- For profit - Limited Liability company
- Certified beds
- 124
- Avg residents/day
- 95.8
- Provider type
- Medicare and Medicaid
- First certified
- 1974-01-01
- Chain
- Genesis Healthcare (193 facilities)
- Setting
- Urban
Part of Genesis Healthcare
Genesis Healthcare operates 193 nursing facilities across the United States. View all Genesis Healthcare facilities →
Not SLA enrolled. This facility hasn’t enrolled in resident survey verification. Learn about enrollment →
Location and nearby
Explore the area around Merry Wood Lodge using Google Maps.
Other public records
- Website says A memory care unit, respite stays
Full public records, with dates and sources
Care and services
From the community’s website
What Merry Wood Lodge says about itself, quoted from its own site. We have not checked these claims against licensing records. Ask about each one on a tour.
- Has a separate memory care unit, wing or neighborhood.
Memory Care Unit Director
(page, checked Oct 12, 2026) - Offers respite or short-term stays.
Respite care
(page, checked Oct 12, 2026) - Apartment types named: private room, semi-private room.
Private and Semi-Private Rooms
(page, checked Oct 12, 2026)
Location and nearby care
- Nearest hospital with an emergency room
- Elmore Community Hospital, Wetumpka. 7.9 miles away, straight line.
- Nearest Medicare nursing home
- Wetumpka Health and Rehabilitation, LLC, Wetumpka. 5.9 miles away, straight line.
- Nearest home health agency office
- Centerwell Home Health, Prattville. 7.4 miles away, straight line. Agencies travel to clients, so ask which ones serve this address.
- Nearest pharmacy
- Walgreens. 4.2 miles away, straight line. From OpenStreetMap, which does not list every pharmacy, so one may be closer.
- Area
- USDA classes ZIP code 36025 as metropolitan (metropolitan high commuting).
- Dialysis within 15 miles
- Fmc Prattville, Prattville, 7.5 miles away, straight line (CMS rating 2 of 5 stars)
Davita Pdi-Elmore County, Wetumpka, 7.8 miles away, straight line (CMS rating 3 of 5 stars)
Davita Pdi-Prattville, Prattville, 8.7 miles away, straight line (CMS rating 3 of 5 stars) - Hospice
- 11 Medicare hospices tell CMS they serve ZIP code 36025.
Enhabit Hospice Prattville, office in Montgomery, 15.1 miles away, straight line (CMS family survey rating 4 of 5 stars)
Aveanna Hospice Of Montgomery, office in Montgomery, 15.4 miles away, straight line
Amedisys Hospice Of Montgomery, office in Montgomery, 15.9 miles away, straight line (CMS family survey rating 4 of 5 stars) - Nearest geriatric medicine practice
- American Family Care, LLC, Calera. 44.4 miles away, straight line. 1 geriatric medicine doctor listed there.
Distances are straight lines from the community, not driving distance. Hospitals, home health, dialysis, hospice and doctors come from CMS provider data (CMS, hospital list updated Jul 22, 2026). Star ratings are CMS’s own.
Emergency and natural hazard risk
Public hazard maps for this location. Ask the community about its emergency plan, its generator and where residents would go in an evacuation.
- Flood zone
- Outside the high and moderate risk flood areas on FEMA's flood map (Zone X, minimal flood hazard, or not studied). (FEMA flood map)
- FEMA National Risk Index
- Overall: relatively moderate. By hazard: hurricane relatively low, inland flooding relatively moderate, wildfire very low, tornado relatively moderate, heat wave relatively high, earthquake relatively low. These are FEMA’s ratings for the census tract, compared with tracts nationwide. (FEMA, December 2025)
A flood zone describes the map at this point, not the building's elevation. In an emergency, follow the local emergency management agency.
What we checked
Every public source we searched for this community. “Nothing on record” means we found no record that matched it. A record can be missed when a name or address differs.
| Source | Data as of | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Department of Labor wage and hour cases | Oct 15, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| OSHA workplace safety inspections since 2016 | Oct 15, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| FEMA flood map | See above | |
| USDA wildfire risk | Apr 15, 2026 | Not shown: FEMA rates wildfire risk here very low |
| FEMA National Risk Index | See above | |
| CMS hospitals, home health, dialysis, hospice and doctors; OpenStreetMap pharmacies | See above | |
| HUD Multifamily Properties - Assisted | Jul 6, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| State Veterans Homes (NASVH directory) | Sep 20, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| CMS Hospice - General Information | Aug 19, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| CMS Home Health Care Agencies | May 27, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| The community’s own website | See above |
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Frequently asked questions
Is Merry Wood Lodge a good nursing home?
CMS gives Merry Wood Lodge an overall rating of 2 out of 5 stars, including 3/5 for staffing and 1/5 for health inspections. These ratings come from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and are updated monthly.
How is Merry Wood Lodge staffed?
Merry Wood Lodge reports 3.16 total nurse hours per resident per day, compared with the Alabama average of 3.91.
Has Merry Wood Lodge had inspection problems?
Its most recent CMS inspection cited 8 deficiencies. This facility is on CMS's Special Focus list for enhanced oversight.
How many beds does Merry Wood Lodge have?
Merry Wood Lodge is certified for 124 beds.