Overview of Chatham Oaks

Chatham Oaks sits at 4515 Melrose Ave in Iowa City, offering both memory care and assisted living under one roof. It’s a small place, just 16 beds, run by administrator Lydia Olson-Kelley. Smaller communities like this one tend to mean staff actually know residents by name.

Here’s the honest logistical note: the neighborhood scores a 1 out of 100 on walkability. That’s about as car-dependent as it gets. Family visiting will want to plan on driving, not walking, for errands or outings nearby.

On the care side, Chatham Oaks provides what’s described as an intermediate level of support, built for residents who need a secure, supervised setting but not necessarily the most intensive nursing care available. Nursing services run around the clock, so there’s coverage day and night. The community also offers independent living options alongside its memory care and assisted living services, which gives some room for residents whose needs shift over time without necessarily requiring a move somewhere else.

Iowa’s Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing reviews this community periodically, the way it does with every long-term care facility in the state. The themes that come up in that review process for Chatham Oaks center on medication management and how well care plans and documentation are kept up to date.

This is a small, closely-staffed memory care and assisted living community in a quiet, car-dependent part of Iowa City, with round-the-clock nursing and some flexibility built in as residents’ needs evolve.

Bed community size
16-bed community Rank #403 / 406Bed count — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 403rd out of 406 homes 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.Facilities with the same value for a metric share the same rank. Rankings are based only on facilities in Iowa that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
A smaller, more intimate setting that may offer a quieter environment and closer staff-resident interactions.
Walk Score
Walk Score: 1 / 100 Rank #507 / 528Walk Score — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 507th out of 528 homes 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.Facilities with the same value for a metric share the same rank. Rankings are based only on facilities in Iowa that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
Car-dependent. Most errands require a car, with limited nearby walkable options.

About this community

License Details

Facility TypeResidential Care Facilities
StatusActive
IssuanceFebruary 1, 2026
ExpirationJanuary 2, 2027
CountyJohnson
License Number520457

Ownership & Operating Entity

Chatham Oaks Inc. is administered by Lydia Olson-Kelley.

Contact Information

Contact Chatham Oaks Inc.

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.

Since 2020 · 6 years of data 14 deficiencies 10 inspections

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

Since 2020 vs. Iowa state average
Overall vs. IA average 0 Worse No metrics in this bucket. 2 Better Metrics better than Iowa average:
• Total deficiencies (48% below)
• Deficiencies per inspection (22% below)

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

This FacilityIA Averagevs. IA Avg
Total deficiencies Info Formal regulatory issues recorded by inspectors across all inspection types. 1427 This facility has 48% fewer total deficiencies than a typical Iowa assisted living residence (14 vs. IA avg 27).↓ 48% better
Deficiencies per inspection Info Average deficiencies per inspection. 1.41.8 This facility has 22% fewer deficiencies per inspection than a typical Iowa assisted living residence (1.4 vs. IA avg 1.8).↓ 22% 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. 1015 This facility has had 33% fewer total inspections than the Iowa average (10 vs. IA avg 15). More inspections can mean more regulatory scrutiny rather than worse care.↓ 33% fewer

Inspection Reports Summary Info An editor-reviewed summary of the themes and findings across this facility's recent inspection reports.

  • The most recent inspection on June 26, 2025, found no deficiencies during complaint and incident investigations.
  • The March 20, 2025, investigation cited three deficiencies related to failure to document discharge records, personal property, and medication disposition.
  • Multiple inspections since 2021 repeatedly found failures in tuberculosis screening, service plan updates, and medication/diet order documentation.

Places of interest near Chatham Oaks Inc.

Address 3.5 miles from city center Info Estimated distance in miles from Iowa City's city center to Chatham Oaks Inc.'s address, calculated via Google Maps.

Calculate Travel Distance to Chatham Oaks Inc.

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Compare Assisted Living around Iowa City

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 to lowest based on our ranking methodology.

FeatherStone at Hickory Hill
AL
MC
Iowa City (Hoover)
170
Facility 170
IA AVG 71
Rank #10 / 406
Yes
13
Facility 13
IA AVG 45
Rank #452 / 528
Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed
1
Facility 1
IA AVG 19
Rank #268 / 286
29.4% -2
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 7
Rank #1 / 294
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #1 / 294
Legacy Senior Living
AL
IL
Iowa City (Lucas)
136
Facility 136
IA AVG 71
Rank #26 / 406
Yes
23
Facility 23
IA AVG 45
Rank #405 / 528
Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed
25
Facility 25
IA AVG 19
Rank #86 / 286
52.2% A+17
5
Facility 5
IA AVG 7
Rank #146 / 294
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #248 / 294
Oaknoll Retirement Residence
AL
IL
NH
Iowa City (Roosevelt)
70
Facility 70
IA AVG 71
Rank #156 / 406
No
33
Facility 33
IA AVG 45
Rank #344 / 528
Private Rooms
49
Facility 49
IA AVG 19
Rank #14 / 286
81.4% -12
2
Facility 2
IA AVG 7
Rank #55 / 294
1
Facility 1
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #200 / 294
Melrose Meadows Retirement Community
AL
IL
Iowa City (Weber)
52
Facility 52
IA AVG 71
Rank #251 / 406
Yes
23
Facility 23
IA AVG 45
Rank #405 / 528
Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed
23
Facility 23
IA AVG 19
Rank #106 / 286
57.7% A+14
7
Facility 7
IA AVG 7
Rank #186 / 294
1
Facility 1
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #200 / 294
Chatham Oaks Inc.
AL
Iowa City (Weber)
16
Facility 16
IA AVG 71
Rank #403 / 406
No
1
Facility 1
IA AVG 45
Rank #507 / 528
----10
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 7
Rank #89 / 294
5
Facility 5
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #276 / 294

Financial Assistance for
Assisted Living in Iowa

Chatham Oaks Inc. is located in Iowa City, 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 Chatham Oaks Inc.

What neighborhood is Chatham Oaks Inc. in?

Chatham Oaks Inc. is in the Weber neighborhood of Iowa City.

Is Chatham Oaks Inc. in a walkable area?

Chatham Oaks Inc. has a walk score of 1. Car-dependent. Most errands require a car, with limited nearby walkable options.

What is the license number of Chatham Oaks Inc.?

According to IA state health department records, Chatham Oaks Inc.'s license number is 520457.

When does Chatham Oaks Inc.'s license expire?

According to IA state health department records, Chatham Oaks Inc.'s license expires on January 2, 2027.

Are pets allowed at Chatham Oaks Inc.?

No, Chatham Oaks Inc. has a no-pet policy.

What is the best email address for Chatham Oaks Inc.?

The team at Chatham Oaks Inc. can be reached at lydia.olsonkelley@unitypoint.org.

Who is the administrator of Chatham Oaks Inc.?

Lydia Olson-Kelley is the administrator of Chatham Oaks Inc..

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