Ellery Care
D

Cherokee Trails Nursing Home

330 E. Bagley Rd., Rusk, TX 75785 · Cherokee County

Government · 140 certified beds · 36% occupancy · (903) 683-5438

Deciding as a family?

Cherokee Trails Nursing Home reviews: what the government record shows

The U.S. government (CMS) rates Cherokee Trails Nursing Home 2 out of 5 stars overall, below average. Its nurse staffing is 1% below the Texas median. Inspectors cited it for 1 immediate-jeopardy finding in recent inspection cycles.

Updated September 2026 from the latest CMS data release. Ellery Care shows the government's own inspection and safety record, not consumer reviews.

At a glance

CMS overall rating
2 of 5 stars
Nurse staffing
3.22 hrs/resident/day (-1% vs TX median)
Antipsychotic drug use
8.1% of long-stay residents (TX median 8.3%)
Falls with major injury
2.5% of long-stay residents (TX median 3%)
Federal fines (3 yrs)
$30,933
Inspection findings
38 cited, 1 immediate-jeopardy
Federal abuse-warning flag
No

Source: CMS Care Compare (Nursing Homes), dataset 4pq5-n9py, retrieved 2026-09-05.

What this means for your family

A mixed record. The strengths and concerns below are worth weighing against a visit.

Concerns

  • !CMS rates it just 2 of 5 stars overall.
  • !Nurse staffing of 3.22 hrs/resident/day is below the Texas median of 3.27.
  • !Cited for 1 immediate-jeopardy finding (the most serious category) in recent inspections.

Questions to ask on your visit

  • ·How many residents does each nurse and aide care for on the day, evening, and overnight shifts?
  • ·Can we see the most recent inspection report and the plan of correction?

Touring in person? Our free nursing-home tour checklist has 30 questions to ask and the red flags to watch for, printable to take with you.

A plain-English read of this home's public record. Not advice — always visit in person.

Common questions about Cherokee Trails Nursing Home

Is Cherokee Trails Nursing Home a good nursing home?

Cherokee Trails Nursing Home in Rusk, Texas holds a 2 of 5 star CMS overall rating. A mixed record. The strengths and concerns below are worth weighing against a visit.

How is Cherokee Trails Nursing Home staffed?

Cherokee Trails Nursing Home reports 3.22 nurse hours per resident per day, below the Texas median of 3.27 hours per resident per day.

Has Cherokee Trails Nursing Home been fined or flagged for abuse?

Cherokee Trails Nursing Home has paid approximately $30,933 in federal fines in roughly the last three years, and does not currently carry a federal abuse-warning flag.

CMS quality ratings

Overall★★★★★
Health inspections★★★★★
Staffing★★★★★
Quality of resident care★★★★★

Source: CMS Care Compare (Nursing Homes), dataset 4pq5-n9py, retrieved 2026-09-05. Stars are CMS's own five-star ratings.

Nurse staffing

Staffing is the single strongest predictor of nursing home quality, and the number pay-to-play referral sites rarely show you.

TX median 3.27

3.22 nurse hours per resident per day. 1% below the Texas median of 3.27.

Total nurse
3.22 hrs
RN
0.36 hrs
LPN
1.00 hrs
Aide
1.86 hrs

Nursing staff turnover: 65.3% · RN turnover: 66.7%

Safety & compliance flags

No CMS warning flags on record.

Recent inspection findings

The specific problems state inspectors cited, the detail behind the star ratings, and what referral sites never show. Findings CMS records as corrected are marked.

38
total findings
1
immediate jeopardy
0
caused actual harm
22
from complaints
  • Potential for harmTag F0689 · May 20, 2026Corrected Jun 14, 2026

    Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

    Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

  • Potential for harmTag F0761 · May 20, 2026Corrected Jun 14, 2026

    Ensure 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.

    Pharmacy Service Deficiencies

  • Potential for harmTag F0812 · May 20, 2026Corrected Jun 21, 2026

    Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.

    Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies

  • Potential for harmTag F0921 · May 20, 2026Corrected Jun 14, 2026

    Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.

    Environmental Deficiencies

  • Potential for harmTag F0640 · May 20, 2026Corrected Jun 14, 2026

    Encode each resident’s assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment.

    Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

  • Potential for harmTag F0641 · May 20, 2026Corrected Jun 14, 2026

    Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.

    Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

  • Potential for harmTag F0880 · May 20, 2026Corrected Jun 14, 2026

    Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

    Infection Control Deficiencies

  • Potential for harmTag F0550 · Feb 11, 2026ComplaintCorrected Feb 13, 2026

    Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.

    Resident Rights Deficiencies

  • Immediate jeopardyTag F0689 · Sep 25, 2024ComplaintCorrected Sep 26, 2024

    Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

    Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

  • Potential for harmTag F0584 · Mar 19, 2025Corrected Apr 28, 2025

    Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.

    Resident Rights Deficiencies

Showing the 10 most recent and serious of 38 findings. See the full inspection history on Medicare.gov.

Antipsychotic drug use

The share of long-stay residents given antipsychotic medication. These drugs are sometimes used to sedate residents with dementia, a practice CMS and resident advocates watch closely. Lower is better.

8.1%
of long-stay residents
Texas median 8.3%
National median 13.4%

This is at or below the Texas median, which is a reassuring sign for how the home manages dementia care.

Source: CMS MDS Quality Measures, long-stay antipsychotic measure, retrieved 2026-09-05. See the Texas study

Preventable harm

Two injuries that good staffing and attentive care are meant to prevent: serious falls and pressure ulcers (bedsores). These are the outcomes families fear most, and they rarely appear on referral sites. Lower is better on both.

Falls with major injury
2.5%
of long-stay residents
Texas median 3% · National median 2.8%
Pressure ulcers (bedsores)
2.8%
of long-stay residents
Texas median 3.3% · National median 4.2%

The serious-fall rate here is at or below the Texas median, a reassuring sign for how closely the home supervises residents.

Source: CMS MDS Quality Measures, long-stay falls and pressure-ulcer measures, period 2025Q2-2026Q1, retrieved 2026-09-05. Texas falls study · bedsore study

Federal fines and penalties

Money CMS has fined this home, plus other federal penalties, over roughly the last three years. Fines follow serious or repeated violations.

Total fines
$30,933
Number of fines
1
Payment denials
0

Source: CMS Care Compare (Nursing Homes), dataset 4pq5-n9py, retrieved 2026-09-05. See the most-fined homes in Texas

Ownership

This home is government (government - hospital district). It is independently operated, not part of a multi-facility chain.