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River Valley Place of Ottumwa is a 100-unit assisted living and memory care community at 173 East Rochester Street in Ottumwa, Iowa. Administered by Amy McAtee and certified as a dementia-specific program, the facility serves Wapello County with a continuum of care including respite stays and personalized clinical support. The campus is highly accessible with a Walk Score of 77, offering pedestrian proximity to central city services and local errands.
While a November 2024 complaint investigation concluded with zero deficiencies, earlier surveys from 2022 to 2024 identified substantive concerns regarding medication security, staffing levels, and resident-to-resident aggression. In 2024, state inspectors substantiated multiple complaints involving the theft of controlled substances and delayed emergency responses, leading to notification of law enforcement. Despite these findings, the community maintains an active license and has shown documented progress in correcting administrative and care-related deficiencies.
Professional care is delivered under a 24-hour staffing model that coordinates medication administration, activities of daily living, and on-site therapy. Recent occupancy data shows a current census of approximately 28 residents, significantly below the facility’s 100-unit capacity, which has been a declining trend since 2019. Clinical services include specialized memory care programming, speech therapy, and occupational therapy intended to maintain resident independence. The facility provides 24-hour awake staff and an emergency call system in all units to support prompt medical monitoring.
The campus environment provides a residential atmosphere with restaurant-style dining and the specialized “Better Days” memory care program. Shared clinical and social spaces include landscaped outdoor gardens, a computer lounge, and an on-site beauty salon. Residents live in private apartments ranging from studio to two-bedroom layouts and have access to weekly housekeeping and scheduled local transportation. The community is also pet-friendly and coordinates with the SPARK Program to engage memory care residents using Montessori-style techniques.
Prospective residents and their representatives should evaluate the current medication management protocols and staffing stability during an on-site visit. It is advisable to ask the administrator for specific details on the corrective actions implemented following the 2024 theft and safety citations and to verify that current incident response times meet the resident’s specific clinical or long-term care goals for 2026.
Lower than the Iowa average: 75.4%River Valley Place of Fort Madison is administrated by Lisa Elmore.
In Iowa, the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing conducts unannounced health and safety surveys to monitor compliance and protect residents in long-term care settings.
This scorecard compares key inspection, citation, and complaint metrics at this facility against the Iowa state average. Metrics rated ≥15% worse than average are highlighted in red; those ≥15% better are highlighted in green.
Deficiencies
| This Facility | IA Average | vs. IA Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total deficiencies
Formal regulatory issues recorded by inspectors across all inspection types.
| 33 | 27 | This facility has 22% more total deficiencies than a typical Iowa assisted living residence (33 vs. IA avg 27).↑ 22% worse |
|
Deficiencies per year
Average deficiencies per year since 2009.
| 1.9 | 1.6 | This facility has 19% more deficiencies per year than a typical Iowa assisted living residence (1.9 vs. IA avg 1.6).↑ 19% worse |
|
Deficiencies per inspection
Average deficiencies per inspection.
| 1.7 | 1.8 | This facility has 6% fewer deficiencies per inspection than a typical Iowa assisted living residence (1.7 vs. IA avg 1.8).↓ 6% better |
Inspections
| This Facility | IA Average | vs. IA Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total inspections
Combined count of all routine and focused inspections. Excludes complaint investigations.
| 20 | 15 | This facility has 33% more total inspections than a typical Iowa assisted living residence (20 vs. IA avg 15).↑ 33% worse |
An editor-reviewed summary of the themes and findings across this facility's recent inspection reports.
144.8 miles from city center
Estimated distance in miles from Fort Madison's city center to River Valley Place of Fort Madison's address, calculated via Google Maps.
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River Valley Place of Fort Madison is located in Fort Madison, Iowa.
Here are the financial assistance programs available to residents in Iowa.
The information below is reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.
| The Kensington in Fort Madison |
AL Assisted Living A licensed, long-term care setting for seniors or individuals with disabilities who need help with daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and medication management — but not 24-hour skilled nursing. Offers housing, meals, and around-the-clock support while aiming to maximize resident independence.
MC Memory Care Secured, specialized care for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia. Staff trained in cognitive impairment, with higher staff-to-resident ratios and an environment designed to reduce confusion and wandering risk. | Fort Madison | 91
Facility
91
IA AVG
73
Rank
#88 / 407 | No |
61
Facility
61
IA AVG
45
Rank
#145 / 528 | - | 7
Facility
7
IA AVG
19
Rank
#211 / 282 |
44.0%
Facility
44.0%
IA AVG
66.2%
Rank
#312 / 379 | 6 | 2
Facility
2
IA AVG
6.6
Rank
#57 / 348 | 1
Facility
1
IA AVG
0.8
Rank
#250 / 348 |
| River Valley Place of Fort Madison |
AL Assisted Living A licensed, long-term care setting for seniors or individuals with disabilities who need help with daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and medication management — but not 24-hour skilled nursing. Offers housing, meals, and around-the-clock support while aiming to maximize resident independence. | Fort Madison | 70
Facility
70
IA AVG
73
Rank
#163 / 407 | No |
0
Facility
0
IA AVG
45
Rank
#514 / 528 | - | 17
Facility
17
IA AVG
19
Rank
#151 / 282 |
37.1%
Facility
37.1%
IA AVG
66.2%
Rank
#350 / 379 | 20 | 13
Facility
13
IA AVG
6.6
Rank
#300 / 348 | 0
Facility
0
IA AVG
0.8
Rank
#1 / 348 |
| Birkwood Village of Fort Madison |
NH Nursing Home Licensed facility providing 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. Staffed by RNs, LPNs, and CNAs. Inspected and star-rated annually by CMS. Accepts Medicare (short-term rehab) and Medicaid (long-term care).
AL Assisted Living A licensed, long-term care setting for seniors or individuals with disabilities who need help with daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and medication management — but not 24-hour skilled nursing. Offers housing, meals, and around-the-clock support while aiming to maximize resident independence. | Fort Madison | 42
Facility
42
IA AVG
73
Rank
#320 / 407 | No |
0
Facility
0
IA AVG
45
Rank
#514 / 528 | - | 2
Facility
2
IA AVG
19
Rank
#257 / 282 |
69.0%
Facility
69.0%
IA AVG
66.2%
Rank
#189 / 379 | 2 | 5
Facility
5
IA AVG
6.6
Rank
#158 / 348 | 0
Facility
0
IA AVG
0.8
Rank
#1 / 348 |
The legal owner and operator of River Valley Place of Fort Madison is No Related Entities Found.
According to IA state health department records, River Valley Place of Fort Madison's license number is S0280.
According to IA state health department records, River Valley Place of Fort Madison's license expires on August 8, 2026.
River Valley Place of Fort Madison's occupancy is 37%.
The team at River Valley Place of Fort Madison can be reached at [email protected].
Lisa Elmore is the administrator of River Valley Place of Fort Madison.
River Valley Place of Fort Madison has 70 beds.
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