Cranberry House
State licensed6215 US 19E, Elk Park, NC 28622
Assisted LivingMemory Care
Secure memory care24-hour supervisionMedication management
Call for pricing
Prices not published
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Medicare-certifiedSkilled Nursing
Life Care Center of Banner Elk
Banner Elk, North CarolinaMedicare inspection record
About Life Care Center of Banner Elk
Life Care Center of Banner Elk is a for profit - corporation nursing home in Banner Elk, NC with 118 certified beds.
Community at a glance
Capacity
118 residents
Location
Banner Elk, NC
Status
Listed in a public registry
Care & services offered
Skilled Nursing
Contact & location
185 Norwood Hollow Road, Banner Elk, North Carolina 28604
Medicare inspection record
From CMS Care Compare, the federal record every Medicare-certified nursing home is held to. Data as of September 1, 2026. Check it on Medicare.gov
At its most recent standard inspection, on August 6, 2025, state inspectors cited 3 health deficiencies (the North Carolina average is 4.7).
Nurses and nurse aides spend 3 hours 11 minutes with each resident a day, below the North Carolina average of 3 hours 51 minutes.
Medicare has not fined Life Care Center of Banner Elk in the last three years.
Staffing
| Measure | This home |
|---|---|
| Nurse and aide time per resident, per day | 3 hours 11 minutesBelow the North Carolina average |
| Registered nurse time per resident, per day | 25 minutesBelow the North Carolina average |
| Nursing staff who left in the past year | 18%Below the North Carolina average |
Inspections
6 health citations in the last three years. Each one is a federal standard inspectors found the home was not meeting.
August 6, 2025 · Standard inspection · 3 citations
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Infection ControlCorrected Aug 22, 2025Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Pharmacy ServiceCorrected Aug 22, 2025Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Quality of Life and CareCorrected Aug 22, 2025
August 21, 2024 · Standard inspection · 3 citations
Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a pattern (level E)Quality of Life and CareCorrected Sep 12, 2024Try different approaches before using a bed rail. If a bed rail is needed, the facility must (1) assess a resident for safety risk; (2) review these risks and benefits with the resident/representative; (3) get informed consent; and (4) Correctly install and maintain the bed rail.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Quality of Life and CareCorrected Sep 12, 2024Honor the resident's right to organize and participate in resident/family groups in the facility.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Resident RightsCorrected Sep 12, 2024
Fines and payment denials
No fines or Medicare payment denials in the last three years.
About the home, per Medicare
- Ownership
- For profit - Corporation
- Legal business name
- Banner Elk Operations LLC
- Medicare-certified beds
- 118
- Average residents per day
- 66
- Accepts
- Medicare and Medicaid
- First certified
- October 1, 1981
- Part of a chain
- Life Care Centers of America, 194 homes
- Inside a hospital
- No
- Continuing care retirement community
- No
- Resident or family council
- Resident
- Sprinklers in all required areas
- Yes
- CMS Certification Number
- 345203
Location
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185 Norwood Hollow RoadBanner Elk, NC 28604
1 other community within 10 miles
Senior living near Banner Elk
1173 HIGHLAND HALL RD, Boone, NC 28607
Assisted Living
Assisted living & personal care24-hour supervisionMedication management
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The Waters of Roan Highlands,llc
Medicare-certified146 BUCK CREEK ROAD, Roan Mountain, TN 37687
Skilled Nursing
Medicare & Medicaid certifiedSprinkler systemsBoth & family councilSkilled nursing & rehabilitation+1 more
Call for pricing
Prices not published
Questions about Life Care Center of Banner Elk
How did Life Care Center of Banner Elk do on its last inspection?+
State inspectors visited on August 6, 2025 and cited 3 health deficiencies. The North Carolina average is 4.7.
How much nursing care does each resident get at Life Care Center of Banner Elk?+
Nurses and aides spend 3 hours 11 minutes with each resident per day, including 25 minutes from registered nurses. 18% of nursing staff left over the past year.
Has Life Care Center of Banner Elk been fined by Medicare?+
Medicare's records show no fines against Life Care Center of Banner Elk in the last three years.
Does Medicare cover skilled nursing?+
Medicare covers up to 100 days of skilled nursing per benefit period after a qualifying 3-day hospital stay — fully for the first 20 days, then with a daily copay. Long-term custodial stays are generally not covered.
How much does a nursing home cost?+
A semi-private room averages about $7,900 per month nationally; private rooms cost more. Medicaid is the largest payer for long-term nursing home care.
What is the CMS star rating?+
Medicare rates nursing homes 1 to 5 stars on its Care Compare site. We don't repeat those stars here. Each nursing home page shows Medicare's underlying record instead: inspections, staffing and fines, with a link to check it on Medicare.gov.