Page 5 of Best Senior Communities in Iowa

Mill Pond offers nursing home, assisted living, independent living, memory care, and skilled nursing in Ankeny, IA. Nursing home and skilled nursing provide licensed nursing care on site around the clock. Assisted living helps with daily tasks such as dressing, bathing, and medication while residents maintain their own apartment. Independent living provides private living with community services and no daily care, while memory care offers a secured setting with supervision for someone at risk of wandering.

Several care levels share one community here. That can suit a resident whose needs grow over time, because a move to a different level of care can happen without leaving Mill Pond. The community has 60 beds and 98% occupancy, meaning nearly all beds were filled at the time represented by that figure. Housing includes studio, one bedroom, and two bedroom layouts. A studio provides one private space, while a two bedroom can suit a couple moving together or someone who wants a companion.

Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, giving families those payment routes for eligible care and services. Total nurse staffing is 5 hours and 13 minutes per resident per day, representing the daily hands on nursing time allocated per resident. Pets are allowed, giving a resident the option to bring a pet when moving in. Jesica Culp serves as the administrator.

Overview of Green Hills Retirement Community

Green Hills Retirement Community offers a vibrant lifestyle designed to support those in their golden years. This sprawling 33-acre property, nestled near Iowa State University, provides an exquisite living experience for individuals aged 55 and above. The community boasts beautifully appointed living spaces, ranging from apartments to townhomes, ensuring residents have a variety of comfortable options to choose from.Beyond the luxurious accommodations, Green Hills offers a plethora of wellness opportunities, engaging activities, and delightful restaurant-style dining experiences, creating a fulfilling environment for its residents.

They provide specialized memory care services, catering to individuals with dementia, alongside independent living options. The community is characterized by a compassionate atmosphere, where residents can enjoy their lives to the fullest. Moreover, Green Hills features a Medicare five-star rated health care center, offering both short-term and long-term services, including comprehensive rehabilitation programs. With all these amenities and services under one roof, Green Hills Retirement Community truly becomes a premier choice for residential assisted living.

Overview of English Valley Nursing Care Center

English Valley Nursing Care Center offers nursing home, assisted living, and skilled nursing care in North English, Iowa. Nursing home care provides a residential setting for ongoing care and supervision, while skilled nursing includes licensed nursing care on site around the clock.

Assisted living helps with daily tasks such as dressing, bathing, and medication while a resident keeps an apartment. The combination may be a good fit for a resident whose care needs may grow over time, since the available care levels can support a move without leaving the community.

The community opened in 1973 and has 44 beds, creating a smaller setting where staff and residents can get to know each other. Valley View Assisted Living (ALP) | S0185 operates English Valley Nursing Care Center, and Jalissa Winn serves as the administrator.

Total nurse staffing is 3 hours and 52 minutes per resident per day. That represents the daily hands on nursing time allocated to each resident. Payment options are Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay: Medicare applies to short term skilled care after a hospital stay, Medicaid can help when savings do not cover a long stay, and private pay means paying directly.

A backyard picnic area gives residents an outdoor place to sit, while gardening provides an activity involving plant care. With a Walk Score of 31, the area is car dependent, so most errands require a car or a ride, making it a quieter residential setting where residents who no longer drive generally need transportation for errands.

Overview of Calvin Community

Located in Des Moines, IA, Calvin Community is a skilled nursing community that offers memory care, assisted living, skilled care, and rehabilitation services. Licensed nurses also support skilled nursing, with 24-hour staffing available. With a wide range of care options, the community can accommodate a resident’s evolving needs without the need to move.

With 59 beds, the community’s size can support staff and residents getting to know each other under the leadership of Billy Meyers. Additionally, housing includes one-bed and two-bed layouts. The two-bed option can also suit a couple moving together or someone who wants a companion.

Through 24-hour staffing, staff are available at any time. Rehabilitation services are also available. Moreover, activity calendars and community events provide scheduled activities.

The community has a Walk Score of 61, placing it in the somewhat walkable band where some errands can be completed on foot. For a resident who no longer drives, certain nearby errands may be possible without a car, while other trips may still require transportation. Total nurse staffing is 4 hours and 39 minutes per resident per day, representing the daily nurse staffing time allocated per resident.

Overview of Cedar Ridge Village

Cedar Ridge Village, situated in the delightful West Des Moines, Iowa, provides a diverse range of senior living options, including independent living and assisted living including care for disabled adults. This community effortlessly combines elegance and comfort, with inviting spaces, high ceilings, and carefully chosen furnishings, ensuring an exceptional living experience for residents.

Residents here can engage in a variety of activities, from card games and book clubs to arts and crafts and movie nights. The community also organizes off site excursions, such as concerts, theater outings, museum visits, and more, enriching the lives of its residents. Their spacious apartments are thoughtfully designed to accommodate different care needs, offering tailored, top-tier services in a meticulously maintained environment. Count on Cedar Ridge Village for superior senior living options, whether you’re seeking assisted or independent living near you.

Overview of Community Memorial Health Center

Community Memorial Health Center, a 62-bed nursing community, provides clinical care at 909 West 1st Street in Hartley, Iowa. The location functions under the local guidance of the Community Memorial Healthcenter Association and carries an average occupancy baseline of 76 percent. Families can route regular billing through a mix of private funding streams, traditional Medicare, or state Medicaid cards. Individual residential timelines average roughly 184 days, signaling a stable, day-to-day balance between ongoing medical housing and temporary physical rehab stays.

The building’s care teams deliver an average of 4 hours and 50 minutes of direct, hands-on attention to every resident each day. Certified nursing aides manage the largest share of this floor time at 2 hours and 37 minutes, while registered nurses add 1 hour and 2 minutes, and licensed practical nurses supply 23 minutes to oversee medication distributions and clinical treatments. On-site services include three meals daily and structured monthly recreational calendars, while the surrounding neighborhood records a walkability score of 43 out of 100, which means visiting guests generally use personal cars to run local tasks.

Official surveys conducted by state regulatory agencies have routinely evaluated administrative documentation, resident housing setups, and floor treatment procedures to confirm compliance with basic healthcare rules. Internal managers follow these recurring public evaluations to refine the facility’s day-to-day care patterns and keep staff clinical protocols aligned with state-level updates.

Prospective residents can call the main business phone to double-check immediate room availability, request a copy of the monthly calendar, or book an afternoon walkthrough of the property.

Overview of Cedar Ridge Village

Cedar Ridge Village is a 68-bed healthcare campus at 8950 Coachlight Drive in West Des Moines, Iowa. Managed by Kathy Dehaven and operated by Central Iowa Hospital Corporation, the facility provides a continuum of care including independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing. Current data indicates a census of 35 residents in the nursing wing, representing a 51% occupancy rate, which is below the Iowa average of 75.4%. The location earns a Walk Score of 51, providing residents with moderate foot access to local amenities in Dallas County.

While the campus maintains high marks in several categories, an August 2025 health inspection identified seven deficiencies. These findings included issues with infection control protocols and resident rights regarding service notifications, though the facility achieved a citations-per-inspection rate of zero for the most severe “immediate jeopardy” classifications. Nurse staffing metrics remain a primary strength, with the facility providing 4 hours and 10 minutes of total nursing time per resident daily.

This level of support includes registered nurse (RN) hours that are approximately 56% higher than the state average. Professional services focus heavily on recovery, with nearly 73% of short-stay residents reaching expected self-care abilities by discharge—a figure significantly higher than the national average. Quality measures for long-term residents also perform at a 5-star level, particularly in areas like pressure ulcer prevention.

Residential options include private apartments with kitchenettes and access to various communal social spaces. The facility provides three nutritional meals daily plus snacks, alongside amenities such as a hair salon, library, and landscaped courtyards. Wellness programming is supported by scheduled transportation for medical appointments and community outings. The community is pet-friendly and maintains a 2.58:1 staff-to-resident ratio, which is 29% better than the regional benchmark.

Prospective representatives evaluating a high-staffed rehabilitation setting with recognized quality standards may find this campus appropriate. Families are encouraged to ask directly about the corrective steps taken regarding 2025 infection control findings and request current nurse-to-resident ratios for the skilled nursing wing before making a placement decision.

The Rose of East Des Moines is an assisted living community in Des Moines, Iowa, with 128 beds. Assisted living here includes help with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and medication while allowing a resident to maintain a private living space, making the community a possible fit for someone who needs regular support without skilled nursing care.

Residents can choose between one bed and two bed housing options. A two bed option may suit someone moving with a companion, while a one bed option is intended for a single resident. The area has a Walk Score of 70, meaning most errands can be handled on foot, so a resident who no longer drives may still reach nearby shops or services independently. Alexis Morrison serves as the administrator.