Located northeast of Des Moines, Prairie Vista Village in Altoona is an independent living, assisted living, short-term rehab, and long-term care community that provides graceful and compassionate care. The person-centered community understands the meaning of family which is why they make it a point to create an environment that is home-like and welcoming. Prairie Vista is where residents feel comfortable and secure in a nurturing environment.
Residents can rest easy knowing that they are placed first with the list of services and amenities provided for them: ADLs, transportation, library, and private dining rooms. Skilled nursing and personalized care are also offered to the residents.
Compare Assisted Living around Des Moines (Metro Area)
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.
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.
RESC (Residential Care):
Personal care and daily-living support in a smaller, more intimate residential setting.
IL (Independent Living):
Community living with dining, activities, and transportation for active seniors who need little personal care.
HC (Home Care):
Professional care delivered in the person's own home, from companionship to skilled nursing.
HOS (Hospice Care):
Comfort-focused care for those with a terminal illness, prioritizing quality of life over treatment.
|
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.
|
Reported or derived occupancy for the facility—typically how fully licensed capacity is utilized. Compare across peers in the same market.
|
Count of regulatory inspections in the reporting window. Higher volume can reflect more oversight visits, complaint-driven surveys, or routine licensure cycles.
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Vista Village | AL IL NH SNF | S Altoona | - | Yes |
6
Facility
6
IA AVG
47
Rank
#484 / 504 | - | - |
| Scottish Rite Park | AL HC IL MC RESC SNF | Des Moines | - | No |
78
Facility
78
IA AVG
47
Rank
#55 / 504 | - | - |
| Calvin Community AL | AL IL MC SNF | Des Moines (Lower Beaver) | 162
Facility
162
IA AVG
72
Rank
#15 / 403 | No |
57
Facility
57
IA AVG
47
Rank
#176 / 504 | 21.0% | 3 |
| Holiday Beaverdale Estates | AL IL | Des Moines (Beaverdale) | - | Yes |
64
Facility
64
IA AVG
47
Rank
#125 / 504 | - | - |
| Bishop Drumm Retirement Center | AL IL NH SNF | Johnston | - | No |
67
Facility
67
IA AVG
47
Rank
#112 / 504 | - | - |
| Trinity Center at Luther Park | AL IL MC NH SNF | Des Moines (East Village) | 120
Facility
120
IA AVG
72
Rank
#37 / 403 | Yes |
91
Facility
91
IA AVG
47
Rank
#2 / 504 | 90.8% | 24 |
| Azria Health Park Place | AL | Des Moines | - | No |
46
Facility
46
IA AVG
47
Rank
#254 / 504 | - | - |
| Copper Shores Village | AL HOS IL MC NH SNF | Des Moines | - | Yes |
42
Facility
42
IA AVG
47
Rank
#283 / 504 | - | - |
Rank badges are statewide: each community is ranked against every IA community we track that reports that metric, not just the 28 analyzed for Des Moines.
Scottish Rite Park is an independent living community nestled in the heart of Des Moines, Iowa. For over 50 years, this nonprofit community has thrived, offering a warm and sociable atmosphere that welcomes all who enter. Scottish Rite Park provides comprehensive healthcare services that cater to varying needs. With offerings that include memory care, long-term skilled nursing, and rehabilitative care, residents can rest assured that their well-being is in capable hands. Spanning an expansive 10 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, Scottish Rite Park boasts meticulously designed spaces and a myriad of opportunities for residents to connect and thrive.
Each amenity has been thoughtfully curated to cater to diverse interests and ensure that residents have ample opportunities for leisure and entertainment. From a state-of-the-art fitness center to a cozy movie theater, a penthouse for special gatherings, a delightful restaurant, and an art gallery showcasing captivating works, there is no shortage of options for residents to indulge for exciting small group activities. For a nursing home, this place exceeds expectations. Its team works hard to give residents the highest quality of life possible in their golden years.
A residential senior living community offering assisted living and independent living choices for older adults in Des Moines, Iowa, is Holiday Beaverdale Estates. Nestled in the Beaverdale neighborhood on Douglas Avenue, it provides a residential setting that captivates seniors seeking supportive care with varying independence levels.
Assisted living here supports occupants needing help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, medication management, and meal preparation, while encouraging as much independence as possible for each person. This type of care environment typically pairs personal assistance with a residential setting that many families find more serene and personal than larger facilities. For those wanting less support, the independent living option lets active seniors enjoy community amenities and social opportunities with minimal care assistance, so it fits those who cherish autonomy and an engaged lifestyle. The Beaverdale area where Holiday Beaverdale Estates sits scores 64 on the Walk Score, indicating moderate walkability. In turn, some errands can be done on foot, but a quick drive is required for most trips. The neighborhood offers a quieter, residential character that suits those prioritizing a neighborhood feel over a busier commercial setting. Nearby family members will perceive the area as relatively and easily navigable for regular visits.
Holiday Beaverdale Estates accepts assisted living and independent living occupants, making it a flexible choice for families with different care needs or for people with possibly changing needs. For those considering the home, an on-site tour is the best way to evaluate room options, see daily amenities and activities, and discuss specific care services and pricing directly with the team.
Bishop Drumm Retirement Center in Des Moines, Iowa, is a 150-bed nursing home run by Sylvania Franciscan Health. The community admits short-term rehabilitation patients and long-term residents, accepting payment through Medicare, Medicaid, and private funds. The facility maintains an average occupancy rate of 72 percent, with typical resident stays lasting around 172 days.
Clinical care includes specialized orthopedic therapy and skilled nursing, with staff on-site 24 hours a day. Residents receive an average of 3 hours and 58 minutes of direct nursing attention daily, under the supervision of registered nurses who perform regular health assessments. For local seniors who live at home, the campus offers daytime adult care programs and short-term respite stays.
The neighborhood has a walkability score of 67 out of 100, indicating that the surrounding area is moderately walkable for visitors and families.
Prospective residents looking for a community that offers a full continuum of nursing care and daytime programming can call Bishop Drumm Retirement Center directly to verify bed availability or discuss enrollment details.
Operating under the Gardens at Luther Park organization, Trinity Center at Luther Park is a 120-bed nursing home that provides short-term rehabilitation and long-term skilled care for residents aged 55 and older. The building maintains a high local volume with a 91% occupancy rate and manages an extended 239-day average length of stay. Financial coverage handles a standard mix of Medicare, Medicaid, and private-pay sources. The campus is built in an exceptionally walkable downtown neighborhood, making local errands and shops easily accessible on foot.
Daily care lines supply an average of 4 hours and 34 minutes of direct nursing time per resident each day, with a combination of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nurse aides covering the floor alongside on-site physical therapists. On the compliance side, public monitoring files from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing indicate that state inspectors have noted recurring administrative issues centered on care documentation, food handling protocols, and basic infection control.
Beyond the medical operations, daily life on the campus is organized around faith-based Christian values, spiritual support programs, regular activities, and local volunteer networks.
Prospective representatives researching faith-based senior care options or multi-level nursing setups can review these state health filings to assess the property’s operational history. The public records outline a busy, highly occupied facility backed by solid daily direct care hours and a walkable location, balanced against some recurring regulatory points regarding kitchen and documentation maintenance.
Azria Health Wichita is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center in the city. The nursing home is proud to be one of the only few communities in the city that delivered exceptional individualized care for its unique residents. They aim to change the meaning of recovery for seniors through the exceptional level of care that is delivered by their patient-friendly staff as an approach to offer the best care possible for their residents. Azria strives to have all its residents experience the comprehensive and exemplary care offered.
Expect nothing but quality when it comes to their service: an advanced level of recovery found in long-term and post-acute rehabilitative services. They also proudly offer specialized care programs such as neurological and stroke services, orthopedic care, prosthetic training, pulmonary rehabilitation, post-cardiac care, and wound care– all created to have the right provision of multidisciplinary healthcare services such as therapy, enriching activities, and discharge planning.
Copper Shores Village is part of the Immanuel senior living network in Des Moines, Iowa. The community is open to residents 55 and older and spans independent living, assisted living, and memory care under one roof.
Immanuel operates outside the federal CMS framework, which means no Medicare or Medicaid certification. Private pay is the payment model here, consistent with how most faith-affiliated independent and assisted living communities in Iowa are structured. The Immanuel brand is organized around a lifelong learning and wellness orientation, with a faith-based community identity built into the model. Programming includes recreational activities and socialization; 24-hour care is available.
The Walk Score of 42 puts this in the “some errands walkable, most require a car” range, which is fairly typical for Des Moines residential neighborhoods outside the core.
Copper Shores Village is a faith-oriented, multi-level care community in Des Moines for adults 55 and older, built around wellness and engagement programming and operating on a private-pay basis as part of the Immanuel network.
How we rank these assisted living communities
Every community above is evaluated across six weighted categories using public data including state inspection records, review platforms, BBB profiles, and operator-published materials.
Weighting overview
- 35%Resident Experience
- 25%Regulatory
- 15%Visual Media
- 10%Website
- 10%Stability
- 5%Environment
Resident & Family Experience 35%
The single largest share of every ranking. Aggregated review sentiment and volume from major platforms — the closest signal to real resident experience.
- Includes
- Review Sentiment
- Review Volume
Regulatory & Safety Record 25%
State inspection records, citations, and complaint visits. We weight per-inspection rates more heavily than raw counts.
- Includes
- State Inspections
- Citations/Inspection
- % Inspections w/ Citations
- Complaint Visits
- Accreditations
- BBB Rating
Visual Media & Transparency 15%
Communities that publish high-quality visuals give families a real preview. No photos or tours = a negative transparency signal.
- Includes
- Video Tours
- Virtual Walkthroughs
- Photo Quantity
- Photo Quality
Website & Operator Transparency 10%
Site quality and whether the operator publishes basic accountability information — staff names, contact details, ownership.
- Includes
- Website Content
- Mobile Usability
- Staff Info Available
- Owner Info Available
Community Stability 10%
Operational signals indicating whether a community is well-run and meeting demand.
- Includes
- Occupancy Rate
- Bed Options
Environment & Pricing 5%
Walkability and pricing transparency. Walk Score is weighted higher for Independent Living than for Memory Care, where most residents do not leave unaccompanied.
- Includes
- Walk Score
- Pricing Transparency
Nearby Cities
Your Senior Care Partner, Every Step of the Way
We help families find affordable senior communities and unlock same day discounts, Medicaid, and Medicare options tailored to your needs.
Contact us Today
Frequently Asked Questions about Assisted Living in Des Moines, IA
What is the average cost of assisted living in Des Moines, IA?
The average monthly cost of assisted living in Des Moines, IA is approximately $5,300. Actual rates vary by community, level of care, and floorplan.
What is the price range for assisted living in Des Moines, IA?
Assisted living in Des Moines, IA typically ranges from $4,800–$7,400 per month, depending on the community, room type, and care needs.
What is the typical staff-to-resident ratio at assisted living facilities in Des Moines, IA?
Assisted living facilities in Des Moines, IA typically operate with a staff-to-resident ratio in the range of 1:6 to 1:12.
What's the difference between assisted living and memory care in Iowa?
Assisted living in Iowa supports residents with daily activities (bathing, dressing, medication management) while preserving independence. Memory care is a specialized form of assisted living for residents living with Alzheimer's or dementia, and adds 24/7 secured environments, dementia-trained staff, and structured routines designed to reduce confusion and wandering.
What's the difference between assisted living and a nursing home in Iowa?
Assisted living in Iowa is a residential model focused on housing, hospitality, and help with daily activities. Nursing homes (skilled nursing facilities) provide 24/7 medical care from licensed nurses for residents with significant health needs, and are regulated more strictly under both state and federal CMS rules.
Does Iowa Medicaid cover assisted living?
Iowa Medicaid does not directly pay room-and-board for assisted living, but most states (including Iowa) offer Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers that can offset the cost of care services delivered inside a licensed community. Eligibility, waitlists, and covered services vary — check directly with the state Medicaid agency.
What is assisted living?
Assisted living combines private or semi-private apartments with help on activities of daily living (meals, bathing, dressing, medication management) and a social calendar — for residents who need some support but do not need 24/7 medical care.


















