Bickford of West Des Moines
Assisted Living & Memory Care · West Des Moines, IA

Bickford of West Des Moines

Assisted Living & Memory Care · West Des Moines, IA

Overview of Bickford of West Des Moines

Bickford of West Des Moines offers assisted living and memory care in West Des Moines, Iowa. Assisted living includes help with daily tasks such as dressing, bathing, and medication while the resident has a private room. Memory care provides a secured setting with supervision for someone at risk of wandering.

Both care levels are available on one campus, so a resident whose needs grow can move from assisted living to memory care without leaving the community or starting over socially. That makes Bickford of West Des Moines a potential fit for someone whose care needs may change over time. The community has 66 beds and offers private rooms, giving each resident an individual room rather than shared accommodation.

Respite care provides a short stay when a family’s usual caregiver needs to travel or recover. Pets are allowed, so residents may keep a pet in the community, and salon services provide grooming on site. Dining includes homestyle food made from scratch. West Des Moines has a Walk Score of 59 out of 100 and is described as somewhat walkable, so some errands can be done on foot and a resident who no longer drives may be able to get out independently. Tesse Lester serves as the administrator.

By The Numbers

Community insights.

Bed count Info A smaller, more intimate setting that may offer a quieter environment and closer staff-resident interactions. 66 Rank #151 / 334Bed count — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 151st out of 334 homes we track in Iowa for bed count. Shows this facility's certified or reported bed count compared to other Iowa facilities. Larger communities may offer more amenities, programs, and on-site services for residents and families.Communities with the same value for a metric share the same rank. Rankings cover every community we track in Iowa that reports data for that category. Communities without available data are excluded, so the pool size varies from metric to metric.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.

Smaller home · May offer a more intimate, personalized care environment.

Years of operating Info A longer operating history, which may indicate experience navigating regulations and delivering ongoing care. This is the number of years in operation under current management. Rank #46 / 258Years in operation — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 46th out of 258 homes we track in Iowa for years in operation. Shows how long this facility has been in operation compared to other Iowa facilities. Longer operating histories may benefit residents, families, and staff.Communities with the same value for a metric share the same rank. Rankings cover every community we track in Iowa that reports data for that category. Communities without available data are excluded, so the pool size varies from metric to metric.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
27 years
Walk Score Info Somewhat walkable. Some errands can be accomplished on foot, with a mix of nearby amenities. Rank #131 / 424Walk Score — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 131st out of 424 homes we track in Iowa for walk score. Shows how walkable this facility's neighborhood is compared to the average walk score across Iowa facilities. Higher scores benefit residents, families, and staff.Communities with the same value for a metric share the same rank. Rankings cover every community we track in Iowa that reports data for that category. Communities without available data are excluded, so the pool size varies from metric to metric.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
59 / 100
Occupancy rate Info Occupancy lower than 85% suggests more openings may be available. Rank #174 / 295Occupancy rate — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 174th out of 295 homes we track in Iowa for occupancy. Shows this facility's occupancy rate versus the Iowa average, with its Statewide rank out of 295. Higher occupancy signals strong local demand and financial stability.Communities with the same value for a metric share the same rank. Rankings cover every community we track in Iowa that reports data for that category. Communities without available data are excluded, so the pool size varies from metric to metric.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
53% This home usually has availability
Lower than the Iowa average: 63.7%
Occupied beds
35 / 66

About this community

License Details

Facility TypeAssisted Living Programs For People With Dementia
StatusActive
IssuanceApril 30, 1999
ExpirationApril 30, 2027
CountyPolk
License NumberS0043
Year Opened04/30/1999

Ownership & Operating Entity

Bickford of West Des Moines is administered by Tesse Lester.

Therapy & Rehabilitation

1 service
Respite Care

Staffing & Medical

1 service
24-Hour Staffing

Contact Information

Amenities & Lifestyle

Salon
Dining
ActivitiesActivities are designed to keep residents engaged, social, and active
Specific ProgramsMontessori Memory Care

Contact Bickford of West Des Moines

Inspection History

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.

Inspection Scorecard Info This scorecard compares key inspection, violation, 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.

Overall vs. IA average 1 Worse Metrics worse than Iowa average:
• State violations (57% above)
2 Better Metrics better than Iowa average:
• Violations (59% below)
• Violations per inspection (49% below)

Violations Info Violations are formal regulatory issues recorded during state inspections.

This FacilityIA Averagevs. IA Avg
Violations Info Total violations cited across all inspections on record. Iowa reports these as a federal and a state component, shown below; the two add up to this total. 1127 This facility has 59% fewer violations than a typical Iowa assisted living residence (11 vs. IA avg 27).↓ 59% better
State violations Info Part of the Violations total above — the share cited under Iowa state licensing requirements. Federal + state add up to the total. 117 This facility has 57% more state violations than a typical Iowa assisted living residence (11 vs. IA avg 7).↑ 57% worse
Violations per inspection Info Average violations per inspection. 0.91.76 This facility has 49% fewer violations per inspection than a typical Iowa assisted living residence (0.9 vs. IA avg 1.76).↓ 49% better

Inspections Info State inspections evaluate whether the facility meets health and safety standards.

This FacilityIA Averagevs. IA Avg
Total inspections Info Combined count of all inspections conducted at this facility. 1213 This facility has had 8% fewer total inspections than the Iowa average (12 vs. IA avg 13). More inspections can mean more regulatory scrutiny rather than worse care.↓ 8% fewer

What does this home offer?

Pets allowed icon
Pets allowed icon

Pets Allowed

Housing options icon
Housing options icon

Housing Options: Private Rooms

Building type icon
Building type icon

Building Type: Single-story

Transportation services icon
Transportation services icon

Transportation Services

Fitness and recreation icon
Fitness and recreation icon

Fitness and Recreation

Managed by Tesse Lester

Executive Director

Places of interest near Bickford of West Des Moines

Address 1.2 miles from city center Info Estimated distance in miles from West Des Moines's city center to Bickford of West Des Moines's address, calculated via Google Maps.

Calculate Travel Distance to Bickford of West Des Moines

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Address

Compare Assisted Living around West Des Moines

Info below is compiled from the IA Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL), senior community websites & trusted data sources such as Walk Score & BBB.

Communities are listed from highest-ranked to lowest-ranked based on our methodology.

Care Types in This Table AL (Assisted Living): Housing with help for daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication, without 24-hour skilled nursing. NH (Nursing Home): 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility): Round-the-clock nursing care, often for recovery after surgery, injury, or illness. MC (Memory Care): Secured, specialized care for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia. IL (Independent Living): Community living with dining, activities, and transportation for active seniors who need little personal care. ADC (Adult Day Care): Daytime supervision, health monitoring, and social activities for seniors who live at home.
City and state of the facility. Used for mapping and state-average comparisons.
Licensed bed capacity (maximum allowed). Not the same as how many beds are currently filled.
Indicates whether residents are allowed to have pets in the facility.
Third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100). Convenience/context metric, not a healthcare quality measure.
Description of bed or unit types offered (e.g. assisted living, memory care), as reported in state or facility disclosures.
Number of years the company has been in operation.
Reported or derived occupancy for the facility—typically how fully licensed capacity is utilized. Compare across peers in the same market.
Better Business Bureau grade for the operating company. Reflects complaint handling and business practices, not clinical care quality.
Count of regulatory inspections in the reporting window. Higher volume can reflect more oversight visits, complaint-driven surveys, or routine licensure cycles.
Inspection events categorized as complaint-related by the state regulator.
Count of incident-based investigations (e.g. reported events) in the regulatory record for the reporting period.
Cedar Ridge Village
AL
IL
NH
SNF
West Des Moines
68
Facility 68
IA AVG 71
Rank #141 / 334
Yes
51
Facility 51
IA AVG 46
Rank #175 / 424
-
9
Facility 9
IA AVG 18
Rank #169 / 258
51.5%
Facility 51.5%
IA AVG 63.7%
Rank #181 / 295
A+2
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 7
Rank #1 / 299
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #1 / 299
Bickford of West Des Moines
AL
MC
West Des Moines
66
Facility 66
IA AVG 71
Rank #151 / 334
Yes
59
Facility 59
IA AVG 46
Rank #131 / 424
Private Rooms
27
Facility 27
IA AVG 18
Rank #46 / 258
53.0%
Facility 53.0%
IA AVG 63.7%
Rank #174 / 295
-12
15
Facility 15
IA AVG 7
Rank #275 / 299
7
Facility 7
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #295 / 299
Heritage Court Assisted Living
AL
West Des Moines
56
Facility 56
IA AVG 71
Rank #192 / 334
No
31
Facility 31
IA AVG 46
Rank #305 / 424
-
27
Facility 27
IA AVG 18
Rank #46 / 258
35.7%
Facility 35.7%
IA AVG 63.7%
Rank #271 / 295
-9
7
Facility 7
IA AVG 7
Rank #191 / 299
1
Facility 1
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #205 / 299
Cedar Ridge Village
AL
IL
NH
SNF
West Des Moines (Heritage Bend)
40
Facility 40
IA AVG 71
Rank #261 / 334
Yes
5
Facility 5
IA AVG 46
Rank #408 / 424
1 Bed / 2 Bed
5
Facility 5
IA AVG 18
Rank #210 / 258
95.0%
Facility 95.0%
IA AVG 63.7%
Rank #9 / 295
A+16
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 7
Rank #93 / 299
1
Facility 1
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #205 / 299
Edgewater, a WesleyLife Community for Healthy Living
AL
ADC
IL
MC
NH
SNF
West Des Moines
40
Facility 40
IA AVG 71
Rank #261 / 334
Yes
7
Facility 7
IA AVG 46
Rank #402 / 424
1 Bed / 2 Bed-
97.5%
Facility 97.5%
IA AVG 63.7%
Rank #7 / 295
-22
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 7
Rank #93 / 299
5
Facility 5
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #281 / 299

Rank badges are statewide: each community is ranked against every IA community we track that reports that metric, not just the 5 on this page. See how we rank facilities

Financial Assistance for
Assisted Living in Iowa

Bickford of West Des Moines is located in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Here are the financial assistance programs available to residents in Iowa.

Get Financial aid guidance

Elderly Waiver

Iowa Medicaid Elderly Waiver

Age 65+
General Iowa resident, Medicaid-eligible, nursing home-level care need.
Income Limits (2025) ~$2,829/month 300% FBR, individual
Asset Limits $2,000 (individual), $3,000 (couple).
IA

Rural focus; waitlists possible.

Benefits
In-home care (5-7 hours/day) Meals ($6/meal) Respite (240 hours/year) Adult day care ($60/day)

Iowa Family Caregiver Support

IA NFCSP

Age Caregiver of someone 60+
General Iowa resident.
Income Limits No strict limit; prioritizes low-income.
Asset Limits Not applicable.
IA

Limited slots; rural emphasis.

Benefits
In-home respite (4-6 hours/day) Adult day care (~$60/day) Short-term facility care (up to 5 days)

Medicare Savings Program (MSP)

Iowa Medicare Savings Program

Age 65+ or disabled
General Iowa resident, Medicare Part A/B.
Income Limits (2025) ~$2,510/month (QMB), ~$3,380/month (SLMB), ~$3,598/month (QI)—individual.
Asset Limits $9,430 (individual), $14,130 (couple).
IA

Three tiers; no waitlist.

Benefits
Covers Part B premiums ($174.70/month) Deductibles ($240/year) Copays (~20%)

Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)

Iowa PACE

Age 55+
General Iowa resident, nursing home-level care need, safe with PACE support.
Income Limits (2025) ~$2,829/month 300% FBR, Medicaid-eligible
Asset Limits $2,000 (individual), $3,000 (couple).
IA

Limited to western Iowa (e.g., Council Bluffs); expanding slowly.

Benefits
Personal care (5-7 hours/day) Medical care Meals Transportation Therapy Respite

VA Aid and Attendance (A&A) and Housebound Benefits

Iowa VA Aid and Attendance/Housebound

Age 65+ or disabled veteran/spouse
General Iowa resident, wartime service, need for ADL help (A&A) or homebound.
Income Limits (2025) Net income < ~$1,984/month (veteran with dependent, A&A); pension offsets income.
Asset Limits ~$155,356 net worth limit
IA

High veteran demand in rural areas.

Benefits
Cash (~$1,433-$2,642/month veteran, ~$951-$1,318 spouse) for care costs (e.g., in-home, assisted living)

Able Up Iowa

Able Up Iowa

Age 65+ or disabled
General Iowa resident, ability to repay loan, need for assistive tech or mods.
Income Limits (2025) No strict limit; must demonstrate repayment capacity.
Asset Limits Not specified; credit-based.
IA

Loans up to $25,000; statewide via Easterseals partnership.

Benefits
Loans for wheelchairs Ramps Walk-in tubs (~$500-$10,000 avg.) Reducing reliance on paid care

Frequently Asked Questions about Bickford of West Des Moines

Is Bickford of West Des Moines in a walkable area?

Bickford of West Des Moines has a walk score of 59. Somewhat walkable. Some errands can be accomplished on foot, with a mix of nearby amenities.

What is the license number of Bickford of West Des Moines?

According to IA state health department records, Bickford of West Des Moines's license number is S0043.

When does Bickford of West Des Moines's license expire?

According to IA state health department records, Bickford of West Des Moines's license expires on April 30, 2027.

What is the occupancy rate at Bickford of West Des Moines?

Bickford of West Des Moines's occupancy is 53%.

How long has Bickford of West Des Moines been in business?

Bickford of West Des Moines has been operating for approximately 27 years, based on available licensing and registration records.

Are pets allowed at Bickford of West Des Moines?

Yes, Bickford of West Des Moines allows residents to bring their pets.

What is the best email address for Bickford of West Des Moines?

The team at Bickford of West Des Moines can be reached at Tesse.Lester@bickfordseniorliving.com.

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