Page 3 of Best Senior Communities in South Dakota

Ponderosa Lodge Senior Living is a newly established community in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, serving older adults seeking independent or assisted living arrangements. Located at 7400 S Louise Ave, the community provides both independent living options for active seniors who want a supportive residential setting and assisted living services for those who need help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication management. The home also offers respite care, making it an option for short-term stays.

The community is modest in size at 76 beds and features one and two-bedroom housing options, allowing residents to choose a living space that suits their preferences and needs. Ponderosa Lodge opened recently—within the last year—so the setting is new. Martina Castle serves as administrator. At just over $4,000 per month for starting rates, the community is positioned competitively for the market.

The location scores a 30 on the Walk Score, which means some errands and services are accessible on foot, though most outings will require transportation. The surrounding neighborhood is typical of suburban Sioux Falls—quiet and residential, with relatively easy access to the highway. Families should be aware that the community maintains a no-pet policy, so residents’ pets will need alternative arrangements.

For a newly opened home, an in-person tour is especially worthwhile to see how the community is being developed and to get a sense of the daily operations and the team leading the facility.

Overview of United Living Community

United Living Community offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing in Brookings, SD. Independent living provides private living with community services and no daily care; assisted living adds help with daily tasks such as dressing, bathing, and medication while a resident keeps an apartment; memory care provides a secured setting with supervision; and skilled nursing provides licensed nursing care on site around the clock.

The community has 81 beds. Respite care provides a short stay for a family whose usual caregiver needs to travel or recover, while short-term rehabilitation supports a temporary stay focused on rehabilitation needs. Rehabilitation services include hydrotherapy, giving residents an additional therapy option within the community.

A Walk Score of 82 means the area is very walkable, with most errands possible on foot, so a resident who no longer drives can still reach nearby destinations independently. Total nurse staffing is 5 hours and 17 minutes per resident per day, representing 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 rather than long-term residence, while Medicaid may help when savings do not cover a long stay. Liz DeBerg serves as the administrator, and the combination of several care levels may suit a resident whose needs could grow over time without leaving the community.

Overview of Aberdeen Health and Rehab

Aberdeen Health and Rehab has proven an efficient rehabilitative approach to skilled nursing and rehab in order to enhance their quality of life. They have a team of well-trained care staff who deliver a multidisciplinary approach to nursing when providing tailored care– ensuring service with compassion, kindness, and professionalism.

Aberdeen specializes in long-term care, outpatient rehabilitation, and transitional/post-acute care; along with services such as transportation, housekeeping, and laundry– to name a few of the features that residents from both living options get unlimited access to.

Overview of Avantara Redfield

The average length of stay at Avantara Redfield is 229 days. That number separates this facility from a straightforward short-term rehab model and points to something closer to a mixed population: people working through post-acute recovery alongside others with longer-term care needs. The 58-bed nursing home sits on E 3rd St in Redfield, South Dakota, under the administration of Diane Forgey. It opened about a year ago and currently has 38 of its 58 beds filled.

The clinical program list is broad for a facility this size. Residents recovering from cardiac events, orthopedic procedures, pulmonary conditions, oncology treatment, surgery, and stroke or other neurological conditions each have a dedicated recovery track. Full-time therapists are on-site, and a home assessment is completed before discharge. Total nursing coverage is 2 hours and 54 minutes per resident per day; registered nurses account for 38 minutes of that.

Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are all accepted, which matters given that stay length: a resident arriving on Medicare short-term benefits may eventually transition to Medicaid, and the facility’s payment structure accommodates that arc. The neighborhood requires a car for most errands (Walk Score 34).

Avantara Redfield serves people who need structured, supervised recovery after a hospital discharge, and its longer-than-average stay data suggests it also holds residents whose care needs extend well past the typical rehab window.

Overview of Edgewood Prairie Crossings Assisted Living

Located at 1810 South Dorothy Avenue in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Edgewood Prairie Crossings Assisted Living is a 68-bed assisted living community. The single-story residence offers both private and semi-private rooms and has served residents for 1 year. The community is led by administrator Carmen Dougherty.

In addition to assisted living, the community provides short-term stays. It partners with outside medical providers to give residents additional clinical support. Transportation services, fitness programs, and recreational activities are available. Residents can conveniently access nearby medical clinics, shopping, and other destinations throughout Sioux Falls.

Residents enjoy organized social events that encourage them to connect with neighbors and stay involved in activities that match their interests. Three meals and snacks are prepared and served daily. Emergency pendant systems are also available, so residents can quickly call for assistance whenever needed.

The neighborhood has a Walk Score of 31, so a few nearby places can be reached on foot. However, most errands and outings require a car. Families interested in learning more about the community’s programs, apartment layouts, and daily routines should schedule a tour and see the community in person.

Set on the beautiful grounds of Aberdeen, SD, Derian Place Senior Living is a remarkable senior living community that offers assisted living and respite care. Residents live in comfortable and well-designed accommodations with a broad selection of floor plans to choose from, including a studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom floor plans. Acknowledging that individuals require different levels of care at varying stages of their lives, the community provides individualized and flexible care plans that change as residents’ needs change.

The community provides plenty of opportunities for socializing and companionship on a daily basis with their diverse calendar of activities. A licensed nurse is available 24/7 to provide supervision and immediately respond to residents’ needs. Encouraging lifelong learning, the community offers several signature monthly opportunities for it, including learning through guest speakers, fine arts programs, and educational series. The community works closely with their residents in understanding their goals and dreams and help them turn it into a reality.

Overview of Avantara Redfield

Avantara Redfield is a 58 bed nursing home in Redfield, South Dakota, offering hospice care and skilled nursing. Skilled nursing provides licensed nursing care on site around the clock, while hospice supports residents receiving end of life care. The combination suits someone whose needs include ongoing clinical support or hospice services.

The smaller setting may allow staff and residents to get to know one another. Rehabilitation includes short term rehabilitation, giving a resident a time limited stay focused on recovery, as well as post surgical care and orthopedic rehabilitation. Programs for stroke and other neurological conditions, cardiac care, oncology recovery care, and pulmonary care address specific recovery needs.

Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, giving families several ways to cover eligible care or pay directly. Total nurse staffing is 3 hours and 20 minutes per resident per day, representing the daily nursing time allocated to each resident. Diane Forgey serves as administrator.

Overview of Good Samaritan Society Sioux Falls Village

Good Samaritan Society Sioux Falls Village offers nursing home care, assisted living, independent living, and memory care in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Nursing home care provides ongoing nursing support for residents who need a higher level of medical care, while assisted living helps with dressing, bathing, medication, and other daily tasks without giving up an apartment. Independent living provides private living with community services and no daily care. Memory care provides supervision for residents living with dementia.

The range of care levels may suit a resident whose needs could grow over time and who may move between care settings without leaving the community. The home has 177 beds. Medicaid, Medicare, and private pay are accepted. Medicaid may help eligible residents whose savings do not cover a long stay, while Medicare applies to short term skilled care after a hospital stay rather than long term residence.

Total nurse staffing is 4 hours and 15 minutes per resident per day, representing the daily nurse staffing time allocated to each resident. Thomas Fraser serves as the administrator. One bedroom and two bedroom units are available, with a two bedroom layout able to suit a couple moving together or someone who wants a companion.

Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services give residents access to therapy at the community, and local transportation is available for medical appointments. A salon, wellness center, whirlpool, chapel, and religious services provide places for personal care, wellness activities, bathing or relaxation, and worship.

Overview of Avantara Huron

Avantara Huron is a nursing home offering memory care and skilled nursing in Huron, SD. Memory care provides a secured setting with supervision for a resident at risk of wandering, while skilled nursing provides licensed nursing care on site around the clock. The combination may be a good fit for someone whose needs may change over time and who may need to move between care levels without leaving the community.

Avantara Huron has 80 beds. Short-term rehabilitation supports a temporary stay centered on recovery, with cardiac recovery care, orthopedic recovery care, pulmonary recovery care, and wound care available for residents with those needs.

Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, giving families several ways to cover care. Laurie Solem serves as the administrator. A Walk Score of 68 places the area in the somewhat walkable band, meaning some errands can be done on foot for a resident who no longer drives.

Overview of Edgewood Pierre

Administered by Melissa Johnson, Edgewood Pierre is an assisted living community in Pierre, South Dakota. It offers assisted living, adult day care, and memory care. The community is located at 1950 E. 4th Street in Hughes County. The two-story building has 86 beds and offers studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments, giving residents several choices based on their space needs.

Serving residents for about one year, Edgewood Pierre features newer construction and recently built common areas. The surrounding neighborhood has a Walk Score of 6. It’s car-dependent, so most errands require a vehicle. Families who prefer a quieter residential setting instead of a busy commercial area may find the location appealing.

Residents take part in memory care programs offered in a home-like setting. Activities are designed around comfort and familiar daily routines. Shared amenities include a chapel, a family gathering room, several recreation rooms, a dedicated dining room, and an on-site fitness center. The community also provides transportation services and welcomes pets, giving residents both structured support and everyday flexibility.

Families considering Edgewood Pierre may ask about current availability for the studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments because different floor plans may fill at different times.