Nursing HomeMedicaid Top Rated

Cottage of the Shoals

Strong Medicare quality ratings; families often praise highly effective physical and occupational therapy. Still worth an in-person visit.

500 John Aldridge Drive, Tuscumbia, AL 35674|103 beds|Licensed & Active

5/5

Medicare

Inspection

Quality

Staffing

Google rating

3.9/5

based on 98 Google reviews

(256) 383-4541 Directions Website

Street View

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What this means for your family

This facility is highly regarded for its physical therapy team and helpful admissions staff, making it a potential choice for short-term rehab. However, families must be vigilant regarding basic care; we strongly recommend unannounced visits to verify hygiene standards and to ensure your loved one is receiving consistent assistance with daily needs.

Google Reviews

98 reviews on Google

“Cottage of the Shoals receives highly polarized feedback, with many families praising the rehab therapy team and specific staff members for their dedication and communication. However, a significant number of reviewers report serious concerns regarding chronic understaffing, poor hygiene, and neglectful care, particularly regarding assistance with basic needs like feeding and toileting.”

Quality Themes

Tap a score for details

Strengths

Highly effective physical and occupational therapy
Attentive and professional administrative staff
Compassionate nursing and CNA care for many residents
Strong support during the admission and discharge process

Concerns

Chronic understaffing leading to long response times (mentioned by 4 reviewers)
Poor hygiene and cleanliness (urine odors, dirty rooms) (mentioned by 5 reviewers)
Neglect of basic patient needs (feeding, changing diapers, toileting) (mentioned by 6 reviewers)
Inadequate communication from nursing staff to families (mentioned by 3 reviewers)

Rating Trends

Tap a year to see what changed

Distribution · 107 analyzed

How They Respond to Reviews

37%response rate

This facility responds to some reviews.

Questions for Your Tour

1I noticed that the facility is very active in responding to family feedback online; how do you incorporate that family input into your daily care plans?
2Given the current staffing levels, what specific protocols do you have in place to ensure that residents receive timely assistance with personal care like toileting and hygiene?
3Could you walk me through your housekeeping schedule and how you maintain room cleanliness to ensure a fresh environment for residents?
4With physical and occupational therapy being a noted strength here, how do you integrate those sessions into a resident's daily routine to keep them engaged and active?
5How do you ensure consistent communication between the nursing team and family members regarding a resident's health status or any changes in their care?
6In the event of a medical emergency, what is your process for stabilizing a resident and how quickly can we expect to be notified as a family?

Personalized based on this facility's data

Key Review Excerpts

“The physical therapy and occupational therapy departments are best in state! I’d put them up against anyone.”

Long-term resident's family · 2024★★★★☆

“Taylor made it so simple. He took the time to answer all my questions and to take me around to look at the facility. His knowledge of how to get the process going was what moved me to choose Cottage of the Shoals.”

Long-term resident's family · 2025★★★★★

“They tell lies to cover up anything that's going on. You will not get the best care at this facility. You will come out going to the hospital or in a body bag! They are nasty and it smells all the time.”

Family member · 2026★☆☆☆☆

Source: 98 Google reviews

Staffing

Staffing Hours

per resident/day · Medicare 2026

RN Hours

0.78hrs

Registered nurses for medical care

Total Nursing

3.35hrs

82%

All nurses + aides combined

Staff Turnover

63%

Lower is better (< 30% = good)

RN Turnover

64%

Lower is better (< 30% = good)

Total nursing hours are below minimum, though RN coverage is adequate. This may mean fewer aides for daily tasks like bathing and mobility.

Quality Measures

Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 17 measures

Medicare Rating

5/ 5

Better Than Avg

measures

Worse Than Avg

measures

Mixed Results

measures

Long-Stay Residents

💊

Residents on antipsychotic medication

↓ Lower is better

This Facility8.2%

Better than Avg

Here

8.2%

15.5%

21.4%

😔

Residents with depression symptoms

↓ Lower is better

This Facility11.3%

Mixed vs Avgs

Here

11.3%

12.1%

1.4%

Highly dependent on how each facility screens and codes depressive symptoms, so it varies widely between facilities.

💊

Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication

↓ Lower is better

This Facility28.5%

Worse than Avg

Here

28.5%

19.5%

24.7%

💉

Residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better

This Facility100.0%

Better than Avg

Here

100.0%

93.4%

91.7%

🚶

Residents whose walking got worse

↓ Lower is better

This Facility9.9%

Better than Avg

Here

9.9%

15.3%

13.3%

🛏️

Residents needing more daily help over time

↓ Lower is better

This Facility9.5%

Better than Avg

Here

9.5%

14.4%

12.7%

Short-Stay Residents (Rehab / Post-Acute)

💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better

This Facility99.4%

Better than Avg

Here

99.4%

81.8%

84.8%

💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu

↑ Higher is better

This Facility96.4%

Better than Avg

Here

96.4%

79.8%

80.3%

💊

Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics

↓ Lower is better

This Facility0.0%

Better than Avg

Here

0.0%

1.6%

2.0%

Source: Medicare quality measures

US average from Medicare published data

Inspection History

Medicare Inspection History

3-year lookback · Medicare 2026

3deficiencies

Near state avg (3.9)

Cottage of the Shoals shows a pattern of recurring deficiencies, particularly with infection control (cited twice) and fire safety equipment maintenance (cited twice across different surveys). The facility has also had issues with abuse reporting procedures, medical records management, and resident rights access. While all deficiencies were corrected according to provider reports, the repeat violations in key safety areas suggest ongoing challenges with maintaining consistent compliance standards.

Aug 5, 2021Routine3 findings

0573Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Rights Deficiencies

Let each resident or the resident's legal representative access or purchase copies of all the resident's records.

0842Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.

0880Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

May 14, 2019Routine3 findings

0880Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

0355Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Properly select, install, inspect, or maintain portable fire extinguishes.

0920Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies

Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.

Aug 2, 2018Routine2 findings

0355Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Properly select, install, inspect, or maintain portable fire extinguishes.

0609Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies

Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.

Ownership & Operations

Who Operates This Facility

Owner / Operator

Cottage of the Shoals

Organization Type

for profit

Chain Affiliation

Chain Name

Genesis Healthcare

Chain Size

187 facilities nationwide

Chain avg rating: 2.4/5 · Rank 65 of 188

Ownership & Management

Owners

Genesis Holdings LLC

Owner · Organization

100%

Gen Operations I LLC