Best Assisted Living in Marshalltown, IA

Overview of The Willows of Marshalltown

The Willows of Marshalltown houses 48 residents across studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units (340–720 square feet) in a two-story building at 2315 Campbell Dr in Marshalltown, Iowa, 4.1 miles from the city center. Administered by Jennifer Stanley and owned by Ben Daniels, the facility has operated since July 2018.

It specializes in assisted living and memory care, serving residents with dementia and cognitive impairment. The community offers on-site transportation, a movie theater, parking, and permits pets.

Occupancy is currently 63 percent (30 beds occupied of 48 licensed), which trails Iowa’s 75.4 percent average.

The neighborhood is car-dependent (Walk Score 1).

The facility’s regulatory record reveals persistent care quality concerns. Eight inspections from December 2018 through May 2025 identified 38 total deficiencies; 41 percent above the state average for assisted living.

The most damaging finding appeared in the May 2025 complaint investigation: a resident suffered a fractured pelvis during a fall because the facility failed to provide adequate care, treatment, and services, including non-functional chair alarms and insufficient staff assistance during the incident.

In September 2024, a complaint-driven recertification inspection documented 11 violations spanning medication administration errors, failure to notify state authorities of major injuries within required timeframes, incomplete tenant evaluations, inability to manage residents who exceeded their care level capacity, and missing nurse documentation and safety protocols.

A December 2022 investigation found service plans were not updated to reflect escalating behavioral medication needs; residents received 57 doses of PRN aggression medication in December alone, up from 5 in August, yet no plan modifications were documented. Only one inspection (July 2020) yielded zero deficiencies.

The overall trajectory shows no sustained improvement.

Harmony Marshalltown is a 72-bed skilled nursing facility located at 910 East Olive Street in Marshalltown, Iowa. Administered by Grace Maitland, the community provides short-term rehabilitation, memory care, and long-term residential services for Marshall County. The campus maintains a current occupancy rate of approximately 71%, which is modestly below the Iowa state average of 75.4%.

The facility is CMS-certified and currently holds a 1-star overall rating, categorized as “Much Below Average”. Between 2023 and 2026, state inspectors conducted multiple surveys resulting in a high frequency of citations, with a January 2026 health inspection yielding 16 deficiencies, well above the Iowa average of 6.1.

Recent complaint investigations substantiated concerns regarding accident hazards, inadequate resident supervision, and unsafe discharge practices. While a September 2025 revisit found the facility in substantial compliance with zero new deficiencies at that time, recurring citations for staffing and resident rights remain on record.

Staffing levels at Harmony Marshalltown present a split clinical profile. Total nursing hours are 4 hours 7 minutes per resident day, which exceeds the Iowa average of 3 hours 48 minutes. However, Registered Nurse (RN) hours are 29 minutes per resident day, 34% below the state average, and weekend RN coverage is 57% below the Iowa mean at 13 minutes. Clinical programs coordinate orthopedic recovery and wound care, supported by physical therapy hours that perform in line with state benchmarks.

The facility features a residential atmosphere with specialized wings for memory care and short-term rehabilitation.Shared amenities and services include:24-hour nursing supervision, dietary management with food safety oversight, and organized social activities. Residents have access to respiratory services and immunization programs, though families should note that 2024 and 2025 surveys identified recurring gaps in food sanitation and infection prevention protocols.

The community accepts both Medicare and Medicaid and is not part of a continuing care retirement community.

Individuals should check the current bedside care standards and resident safety protocols during an on-site tour. It is advisable to ask the administrator for documented proof of corrective actions regarding the January 2026 health citations and to verify that weekend RN staffing levels have been stabilized to meet the individual clinical needs of residents.

Serving Marshalltown, Iowa for 29 years, Bickford of Marshalltown is an assisted living community offering personal care and memory care. It also features studio and one-bedroom apartments in a two-story setting. Moreover, its location on Newcastle Road has a Walk Score of 59, allowing some errands to be completed on foot.

Salon and transportation services support residents’ daily comfort and convenience. It also offers a Montessori-based memory care program with structured, personalized activities for individuals living with cognitive decline. The community also welcomes pets, allowing residents to bring small animal companions.

Overview of Willows of Marshalltown Assisted Living

Willows of Marshalltown Assisted Living is a 66-bed community at 2315 Campbell Drive in Marshalltown, Iowa. Administered by Jennifer Stanley, the facility serves Marshall County under license S0385, which remains active through July 2, 2026. The community currently reports a 61% occupancy rate with 40 residents, slightly below the Iowa state average of 75.4%. The location is highly accessible with a Walk Score of 85, allowing most daily errands to be finished on foot.

State monitoring from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing shows a history of recurring care planning and training deficiencies. Since 2018, the facility has recorded 16 total deficiencies over seven inspections, averaging 2.3 violations per review—a rate 28% above the state per-inspection average. While investigations in 2020 and 2022 resulted in a citations-per-inspection rate of zero, the most recent review in September 2024 identified seven deficiencies involving medication administration, wound care treatment, and delays in resident evaluations.

Professional support is delivered through a 24-hour staffing model providing both assisted living and memory care. An August 2021 investigation substantiated a serious complaint regarding a resident injury during transportation after a wheelchair was not properly secured, resulting in citations for inadequate staff training and care oversight. Although the facility has operated for nine years and provides nursing services and restaurant-style dining, records show a persistent pattern of failing to update service plans as residents’ conditions change.

The residential environment features integrated floral courtyards and social activities within a newer building. Management has historically struggled with documentation compliance, including failures in food safety training for staff and missing signatures on occupancy agreements. Despite periods of clean compliance in 2020 and 2022, the 2024 violations suggest that previous corrective actions in specialized training and care coordination have not been sustained.

Prospective residents should weigh the facility’s walkable location and state-of-the-art building against its repeated findings in core care planning. It is necessary to verify that current personnel have completed all required training for specialized tasks, such as wound care and transportation safety, before making a placement decision. Families may contact the administrative office at (641) 758-3123 to discuss the specific remediation steps implemented after the 2024 inspection to ensure 2026 safety standards are met.