South Central Reporter

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Vandalia Rehabilitation and Health Care C. stood out as the largest nursing home in Fayette County, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Data shows that the nursing center had a total of 116 beds available, 29 more than the average in Fayette County as of the fourth quarter of 2023. They aided an average of 33.6 residents during that period.

Vandalia Rehabilitation and Health Care C. had an overall rating of 1 from the CMS, which lags behind the average of 2.6 recorded for nursing homes in Illinois.

During the quarter, Fayette County Hospital stood out as the second largest nursing home in Fayette County, with 85 beds available. Aperion Care St. Elmo came in third place, with 60 beds available.

As of the fourth quarter of 2023, Vandalia Rehabilitation and Health Care C. has already spent a total of $396,440 in two fines and suffered four penalties.

In total, there were two for-profit nursing homes in Fayette County, Illinois.

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	Vandalia Rehabilitation and Health Care C.	1
2	Fayette County Hospital	5
3	Aperion Care St. Elmo	4