Best Assisted Living in Nebraska

Emerald Nursing & Rehab Cozad is a 67-bed skilled nursing facility on West 18th Street in Cozad, Nebraska, owned and operated by Cozad Operations LLC. The facility manages several financial paths, accepting Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay options. For visitors, the surrounding neighborhood is moderately walkable, meaning family members can complete some daily errands on foot when coming to the property.

Patient stays last an average of 231 days, pointing to a standard operational balance between short-term post-acute recovery and extended long-term placements. This rotation of residents keeps the building functioning at an 84 percent occupancy level. Around-the-clock staffing delivers an average of 3 hours and 32 minutes of total nursing care per resident each day, including 24 minutes from registered nurses and 2 hours and 35 minutes from nurse aides, to handle IV therapy, life-vest monitoring, and rehabilitation for stroke, cardiac, orthopedic, oncology, and pulmonary conditions.

State health department logs reveal that the facility operates within typical regulatory lines. Inspection surveys show that the building resolved past tracking gaps concerning documentation, medication setups, staff training, and infection control, resulting in zero deficiencies on its most recent reviews and maintaining an overall cumulative citations-per-inspection rate of zero.

Older adults have access to private rooms, outdoor patio spaces, personalized menus in the dining area, and on-site telehealth links to coordinate with doctors. The kitchen structures daily meals to fulfill basic nutritional requirements. The weekly routine pairs targeted physical therapy tracks with laundry services, personal care assistance, and open visiting windows for family members.

Situated in Hemingford, NE, Hemingford Care Center is a distinguished nursing home that offers skilled nursing and rehabilitation. The community strives to promote a nurturing environment with its accessible accommodations, striving to accommodate up to 39 residents. Here, residents receive top-notch care for their unique needs to ensure their comfort and healing.

Fun recreational activities and engaging programs are conducted to keep residents active and socially connected. With delicious and healthy meals, residents experience a hassle-free dining that caters to their dietary needs and preferences. Medicare and Medicaid are also accepted to ease residents’ financial burdens. This nursing home is ideal for older adults with complex healthcare needs, especially with its dedicated services and purposely built amenities.

Overview of The Pines at Blue Hill

The Pines at Blue Hill is a 62-bed facility in rural Blue Hill, Nebraska, providing skilled nursing, memory care, and rehabilitation. Opened in May 2023 under private operation, the home accommodates a mix of residents funded by Medicaid (49%), private pay (33%), and Medicare (18%), with an average stay of 159 days. Financial records indicate ongoing operational challenges, highlighted by a low 50% occupancy rate and an overall operating loss.

State health department archives point to a notable shift toward regulatory compliance, though everyday staffing levels and short-term recovery metrics remain weak. The home’s February 2025 license renewal survey came back with zero deficiencies, mirroring recent progress under the current operational structure. This stands in contrast to a heavy historical record from 16 years of prior operations on the property, which accumulated 101 citations, 91% above the state average, along with $23,000 in federal fines in 2024 and older license probations in 2013 and 2017 tied to resident falls.

Daily care lines show total nursing hours average 3 hours and 32 minutes per resident, running 19% below the Nebraska baseline, while registered nurse hours sit 49% below the state average. This leaner clinical coverage matches weaker post-acute outcomes, where short-stay charts show re-hospitalization rates 38% above the state mean and emergency room visits tracking 98% higher than average.

Prospective residents looking into area skilled care or short-term rehab can use these public monitoring files to assess the provider’s current performance. Since the official tracking documentation records low building utilization, thin daily nurse coverage, and high post-acute hospital return rates alongside a completely clean recent inspection and a history of past safety probations, the paperwork shows a facility trying to correct long-standing operational issues.

The Meadows at Ashland is a privately owned, 97-bed skilled nursing facility that offers memory care and rehabilitation services. Business logs indicate extreme operational and financial strain, with occupancy collapsing to just 9%, representing only seven active residents, compared to 88% utilization in 2023. This severe reduction in resident volume drastically impacts incoming revenue and limits the home’s operational sustainability, contributing to its lower overall state and federal quality ratings.

A look at government regulatory records reveals critical, recurring compliance challenges and frequent disciplinary interventions from state authorities. The facility faced a Notice of Disciplinary Action following a May 2025 inspection that cited systemic failures to implement proper fall prevention interventions, which echoed similar mistakes that triggered multiple state probations earlier that same year. Over a 12-year tracking history, the property has accumulated 102 total deficiencies, 96% above the Nebraska baseline, including three high-severity citations and two separate government payment blocks that suspended new admissions.

Everyday direct care staffing runs 9% below the state norm at 3 hours and 56 minutes per resident daily, with registered nurse availability dropping 56% below standard state benchmarks. This thin coverage aligns with lean financial allocation, as payroll commands only 40.5% of overall revenue, while clinical charts reveal poor outcomes across both long-term and short-term metrics, specifically showing high rates of resident hospitalizations, depression, and severe post-acute fall injuries.

Prospective representatives investigating regional skilled nursing or memory care units can evaluate these public tracking files to assess the home’s recent history. Since the state paperwork documents critical underutilization, thin daily clinical oversight, and multiple rapid-succession government probations alongside elevated physical safety risks, the files show a facility experiencing severe, ongoing operational distress.

Overview of Crest View Care Center

Crest View Care Center is a 70-bed skilled nursing facility in Chadron, Nebraska, providing long-term care, memory care, rehabilitation, and respite services. It is operated by Kismet SPF LLC in Dawes County and accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay.

The facility holds a 1-star overall CMS rating, with all sub-ratings — health inspection, staffing, and quality measures — running well below Nebraska’s average. Nurse staffing averages 3 hours and 48 minutes per resident per day, roughly 36% below the state benchmark. The facility’s deficiency rate across the inspection record is 10.5 citations per year, compared to the state’s average of 4.2 — 150% above it.

In January 2026, the facility received a 90-day probationary notice from the state after failing to identify which residents were at risk of falls and to implement prevention measures. A 2015 complaint investigation was substantiated for failure to protect a resident from a pressure ulcer and for misappropriation of resident funds.

The facility’s occupancy rate is 40% compared with Nebraska’s average of 70%, which means most rooms are currently available. Other services included are physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Amenities include private room options, three daily meals, social and recreational activities, and transportation coordination. The facility also received a 2024 Customer Experience Award from Pinnacle Quality Insight.

Crest View is best suited for residents in Chadron and Dawes County needing long-term skilled nursing or memory care, with rehabilitation services available for shorter post-acute stays. However, families considering the facility should ask about its low staffing levels, probation notice, and elevated deficiency history.

Owned by Beverly Schnell, Kimball County Manor is a skilled nursing facility in Kimball, Nebraska. The 49-bed community is on East 7th Street with a Walk Score of 58. Some errands can be accomplished on foot in the surrounding neighborhood. The facility accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and private pay, providing multiple coverage options for residents.

It has an occupancy rate of 96%. Most residents stay an average of 522 days; the home serves both short-term rehabilitation residents and those seeking long-term nursing care.

The home offers a full range of skilled nursing services, including rehabilitation, respite care, and short-term rehab programs, with 24-hour staffing. Total nurse staffing averages roughly 4 hours and 9 minutes per resident each day. Residents receive daily support from registered nurses for approximately 26 minutes per day, nurse aides for 2 hours and 50 minutes per day, and licensed practical nurses for 29 minutes per day. The community also operates an adult day care program and provides restorative therapy services for residents working toward functional goals.

Dining is served three times daily, with alternative entrees available for various preferences. There’s also a snack cart that’s available all day and night. Other amenities include a beauty and barber shop for routine grooming services.

Inspections by the state regulatory agency have identified findings involving resident care practices, safety protocols, medication management, and food service standards. Families evaluating the home should ask how these areas are managed and monitored daily.

Emerald Nursing & Rehab Lakeview is a nursing home at 1405 West Highway 34, Grand Island, Hall County, Nebraska, administered by Tammy Weston and privately owned. The facility provides short-term rehabilitation and long-term nursing care, serving primarily Medicaid residents (60 percent of admissions), Medicare short-term rehabilitation (32 percent), and private pay (8 percent). Average length of stay is 130 days.

Staffing is below state averages across most categories. Registered nurses provide 27 minutes per resident per day, 37 percent below the Nebraska average of 43 minutes. Licensed practical nurses deliver 40 minutes per day, 7 percent below the state average of 43 minutes. Nurse aides work 2 hours 38 minutes per day, 5 percent below the Nebraska average of 2 hours 46 minutes. Total adjusted nursing hours are 3 hours 23 minutes per day, 22 percent below the state average of 4 hours 20 minutes and ranked 114th of 129 Nebraska nursing homes. Weekend total nursing hours reach 3 hours 8 minutes per day, 13 percent below the state average of 3 hours 37 minutes. Weekend registered nurse coverage is notably constrained at 16 minutes per day, 45 percent below the state average of 29 minutes. Physical therapy is a strength at 4 minutes per resident per day, 33 percent above the state average of 3 minutes.

CMS ratings place Emerald at 3 of 5 stars overall (0.2 points above Nebraska average of 2.8). Health inspection rating is 3 of 5 stars (0.2 points above state average); staffing rating is 2 of 5 stars (1.1 points below state average); quality measures rating is 2 of 5 stars (0.7 points below state average). The facility generated $8.7 million in revenue and allocated $3.6 million to payroll (40.9 percent of revenue), ranked 50th among 132 Nebraska nursing homes by payroll. This payroll percentage falls below the 55-65 percent benchmark typical of well-operated facilities, potentially signaling constrained staffing resources.

Inspection history and occupancy data are not available.

Families should request the facility’s inspection history and ask about registered nurse availability, weekend clinical staffing, and protocols for managing care with below-average RN hours.

Overview of Good Samaritan Society – Atkinson

Good Samaritan Society – Atkinson is a 61-bed nonprofit nursing home in Atkinson, Nebraska, operated by a church and administered by Dale Gould. The facility accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and private pay. Medicaid accounts for 46% of new admissions, and a current average length of stay of 117 days — a profile oriented toward long-term care.

The inspection record carries significant weight in any evaluation. Over roughly nine years of state oversight, the facility has averaged 10.1 deficiencies per year — 140% above the Nebraska average of 4.2. In the most recent four-year CMS period, five health inspections produced 39 citations at a rate of 7.8 per inspection, placing it 119th out of 122 Nebraska skilled nursing facilities on that metric. A $23,000 federal civil money penalty was assessed in January 2024, and the most recent citation in April 2025 involved an abuse/neglect finding, rated moderate and subsequently corrected. No immediate jeopardy findings appear in the record.

CMS quality measures and staffing ratings are more positive. The facility holds a 5-star Quality Measures rating — 47% above the Nebraska average — driven in part by a short-stay rehospitalization rate of 4.8%, compared with the state average of 20.9%. Staffing earns 4 stars, 27% above average overall, though CNA staffing averages 2 hours and 1 minute per resident per day against a state benchmark of 2 hours and 46 minutes. The facility’s occupancy rate is 100%, ranked first among 194 Nebraska facilities, compared with the state average of 70.3%.

Amenities include on-site meals, salon services, religious programming, and transportation. The facility participates in caregiver support and home-based services programs and offers respite care. Starting price is approximately $3,761 per month.

Good Samaritan Society – Atkinson is best suited for long-term Medicaid residents in rural Holt County, with the capacity and payer mix to support extended stays

Callaway Good Life Center is a 38-bed skilled nursing home owned by Todd Sutherland in Callaway, Nebraska. The facility operates under a payment framework that accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay. For visitors, the surrounding rural area is car-dependent with a walkability score of 41 out of 100, meaning family members will generally need a vehicle to travel to the property or manage errands.

Stays typically last about a year, showing a standard balance between permanent residential care and short-term post-acute therapy. These ongoing residential needs keep the building running at a 79 percent occupancy level. Around-the-clock staffing handles the daily clinical workload, delivering an average of 4 hours and 19 minutes of total nursing care per resident each day through a combined team of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nurse aides who cover physical rehabilitation, mental health support, and temporary respite care.

State regulatory files reveal a long-term look at the facility’s compliance tracking record. Health department reports indicate that the property updated its operational protocols to clear previous inspection notes regarding fall prevention, staff licensing, and infection control, leaving the current record clear of active enforcement penalties. Across its broader regulatory data profile, the center maintains a cumulative citations-per-inspection rate of zero.

Interested individuals can expect a community layout featuring courtyard access, an on-site beauty shop, and a regular calendar of social programs. Meals are planned to meet standard daily nutritional guidelines and are served with choices in a communal dining space. The routine balances targeted physical recovery sessions with personal care assistance, laundry services, and open visiting times for families.

Overview of The Cedars at Broadwell

The Cedars at Broadwell is a 76-bed nursing home that provides skilled nursing, memory care, and rehabilitation services with 24-hour staffing. Admissions focus primarily on Medicaid recipients, who make up 77% of the census, alongside clients utilizing Medicare and private pay. Residents record an average length of stay of 88 days. Business records indicate notable financial and operational strain, highlighted by declining occupancy trends and a net operating loss of $326 thousand.

Oversight files from state health departments show a sharp contrast between excellent recent inspection reports and weaker long-term clinical data. The home’s most recent routine inspection in February 2025 turned up zero deficiencies, continuing a recent trend of clean state compliance reviews and unsubstantiated consumer complaints. This recent progress follows a heavier historical footprint, including 73 citations over a 15-year window, a $17,000 regulatory fine in 2024, and a 2018 substantiated complaint regarding injury protection.

Daily personnel depth tracks below average, with total nursing care averaging 3 hours and 15 minutes per resident daily to run 25% below the state norm, while registered nurse hours sit 44% below the state baseline. Clinical quality tracking aligns with these lower staffing volumes; long-stay charts show functional physical decline and walking deterioration running 23% to 47% worse than state averages, and short-stay records reveal serious fall rates at nearly four times the Nebraska average.

Families assessing regional skilled nursing options or short-term physical rehabilitation can look over these public records to analyze the provider’s overall trends. Since the official tracking profiles document strong recent compliance and zero deficiencies alongside thin daily care hours, elevated short-stay fall risks, and chronic long-term functional decline marks, the paperwork points to a facility with an improved regulatory record but persistent clinical challenges.