Kirkwood by the River
Meets baseline Medicare standards with room for improvement. A tour and talking to current residents' families is the best next step.
based on 98 Google reviews
Watch Kirkwood by the River
Get an email when new inspections, ratings, or penalties are published for this facility.
We’ll only email you about this — no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
What this means for your family
Kirkwood by the River offers a beautiful environment and excellent independent living, but the skilled nursing and memory care units have significant, recurring reports of neglect and understaffing. If you are considering this facility, you must tour the specific unit where your loved one will reside and ask pointed questions about staff-to-patient ratios and how they handle hygiene and call-light response times.
Google Reviews
Google Reviews
98 reviews on Google“Kirkwood by the River receives high praise for its beautiful, tranquil setting and strong sense of community, particularly within its independent living cottages. However, families should be aware of a significant divide in experiences, as multiple reviewers have raised serious concerns regarding neglect, understaffing, and hygiene issues in the skilled nursing and memory care units.”
Quality Themes
Tap a score for detailsStrengths
- Beautiful, scenic campus
- Strong sense of community and social activities
- Attentive and caring staff in independent living
- Compassionate end-of-life care
Concerns
- Neglect and lack of basic care in skilled nursing/memory care (mentioned by 4 reviewers)
- Unsanitary conditions and strong odors (urine) (mentioned by 3 reviewers)
- Severe understaffing and slow response times (mentioned by 3 reviewers)
- Confusing or difficult visitor parking (mentioned by 2 reviewers)
Rating Trends
Tap a year to see what changed
Distribution · 75 analyzed
How They Respond to Reviews
This facility actively engages with reviewer feedback.
Questions for Your Tour
- 1Given the beautiful, scenic nature of the campus, what specific outdoor activities or social programs are available to help residents stay active and connected with the community?
- 2I noticed the facility has a strong emphasis on compassionate end-of-life care; could you explain how your team coordinates with families to ensure comfort and dignity during those times?
- 3To help us plan our visits, could you walk us through the best way to navigate the parking area and the check-in process for family members?
- 4Regarding the skilled nursing and memory care units, what protocols do you have in place to ensure consistent daily hygiene and timely responses to resident needs?
- 5We appreciate that the leadership team is active in responding to feedback online; how do you typically handle and resolve concerns raised by families regarding medication management or care quality?
- 6How does your staff ensure that residents in memory care receive consistent, personalized attention throughout the day to maintain their well-being and comfort?
Personalized based on this facility's data
Key Review Excerpts
“Kirkwood by the River (KBTR) skilled nursing staff took extraordinary care of our Mother through her last days and we cannot thank you enough. She passed peacefully with dignity and grace.”
“Is it perfect? No. None are. But this one is the best one in the area. I am so thankful to the staff and especially to Crystal who called me last Thursday to tell me I needed to get there immediately.”
“Patients sitting in wheelchairs in the hallways begging to go to bed. The smell of urine makes you nauseous. Staff ignores and neglects the residents.”
Staffing
Staffing Hours
per resident/day · Medicare 2026RN hours are below the national benchmark. RNs handle complex medical needs and medication, so ask about coverage during your visit.
Quality Measures
Quality Measures
Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 16 measures
9
measures
7
measures
Residents on antipsychotic medication
Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication
Residents vaccinated for pneumonia
Residents needing more daily help over time
Residents with depression symptoms
Highly dependent on how each facility screens and codes depressive symptoms, so it varies widely between facilities.
Residents whose bladder or bowel control got worse
Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia
Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu
Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics
US average from Medicare published data
Inspection History
Medicare Inspection History
3-year lookback · Medicare 2026
Kirkwood by the River shows a pattern of recurring fire safety and infection control deficiencies across three surveys from 2018-2021, with fire safety issues (sprinkler systems, smoke doors, exit signs) and infection control problems appearing multiple times. While all 19 deficiencies have correction dates, the repeated nature of fire safety violations and persistent infection control issues across different surveys suggests ongoing challenges in maintaining consistent safety standards that families should discuss during visits.
Oct 7, 2021Routine8
Emergency Preparedness Deficiencies
Implement emergency and standby power systems.
Smoke Deficiencies
Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
Smoke Deficiencies
Install smoke barrier doors that can resist smoke for at least 20 minutes.
Miscellaneous Deficiencies
To conduct inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors by qualified individuals.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies
Ensure receptacles at patient bed locations and where general anesthesia is administered, are tested after initial installation, replacement or servicing.
Infection Control Deficiencies
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Egress Deficiencies
Have properly located and lighted "Exit" signs.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies
Have proper medical gas storage and administration areas.
Mar 28, 2019Routine4
Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Emergency Preparedness Deficiencies
Conduct testing and exercise requirements.
Smoke Deficiencies
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
Infection Control Deficiencies
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Mar 22, 2018Routine7
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Provide care by qualified persons according to each resident's written plan of care.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Infection Control Deficiencies
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Smoke Deficiencies
Install an approved automatic sprinkler system.
Smoke Deficiencies
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
Ownership & Operations
Who Operates This Facility
Kirkwood by the River
nonprofit
Ownership & Management
Key personnel
Contact
Get in Touch
Contact this facility directly and verify the details that matter most to your family.
References & Resources
Medicare Care Compare
Official Medicare quality ratings, inspections & staffing data
Google Maps
Photos, directions & neighborhood info
Google Reviews
98 reviews from families & visitors
Official Website
Visit kirkwoodbytheriver.com
Medicare data downloads
Original nursing home datasets
EveryPlace is a research directory. Facility information is compiled from public sources — Medicare.gov, state licensing portals, Google Places, and publicly available street-level imagery. Listings do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or advertisement, and we do not accept payment for placement. Families should verify all details directly with the facility and the original sources linked above before making any care decisions. See our Research Policy for our editorial standards, correction process, and image-removal policy.
Nearby Alternatives
East Glen
4.1 miNursing Home · Birmingham, AL
St Martin's in the Pines
4.9 miNursing Home · Irondale, AL
Cavalier Healthcare of Trussville
5.1 miNursing Home · Trussville, AL
Eastview Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center
5.3 miNursing Home · Birmingham, AL
Fair Haven
5.6 miNursing Home · Birmingham, AL
Birmingham Nursing and Rehabilitation Center East
6.7 miNursing Home · Birmingham, AL