Page 9 of Best Senior Communities in South Dakota

Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe Care Center is a tribally operated nursing home in Flandreau, South Dakota, that provides skilled nursing, memory care, and long-term residential support in a welcoming, close-knit environment. Administered by Annmarie Kutzke, this 42-bed community is a relatively new nursing home in Moody County. Its approach to care centers on treating residents like family while supporting comfort, dignity, and connection for older adults who require daily clinical or personal assistance.

The community holds a 3-star overall CMS rating, performing above the South Dakota state average in several key areas. Staffing levels and quality measures both significantly exceed the state benchmark, along with health inspection performance. One of the strongest indicators is nursing coverage, with total nursing hours averaging 6 hours and 15 minutes per resident each day, which is higher than the state average and is the highest among South Dakota skilled nursing communities. Registered nurse coverage is especially strong at 1 hour and 47 minutes daily, more than double the statewide average.

Weekend RN coverage also stands out at 1 hour and 19 minutes per day, significantly above the state average and indicative of strong clinical oversight throughout the week. Nurse aide staffing reaches 4 hours and 55 minutes per resident daily, placing the community among the strongest in the state for direct hands-on care. Weekend total nursing coverage remains consistently high as well. Meanwhile, the only staffing category slightly below the state average is LPN coverage, which averages 27 minutes per resident each day.

Across seven health inspections, exceeding the South Dakota average of 4.5 inspections, the community received only 10 total citations. Citations averaged 1.43 per inspection, substantially lower than the statewide average of 3.34 and among the better records in South Dakota. No critical citations were identified, and all reviewed deficiencies from recent inspections were reported as corrected.

Additionally, recent inspections completed in August and September 2025 cited citation categories related to quality of care, nutrition, pharmacy services, and abuse prevention. All of which are standard regulatory review areas and do not suggest a broader pattern of harm or systemic compliance concerns. Confirmed amenities include a courtyard, dining room, living room, spa, salon, laboratory services, and a private family dining space. Physician support and 24-hour staffing are available, as well as memory care.

For older adults and families in the Flandreau and Moody County region, including members of the Santee Sioux Tribe, Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe Care Center offers a compelling option for skilled nursing and memory care supported by exceptional staffing levels, strong clinical oversight, and a consistently favorable inspection history.

Overview of Davis Court

Located on 9th Avenue Northeast, Davis Court is an independent living community in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The community has private and semi-private rooms in a single-story setting. Transportation and maintenance services are also offered to help residents maintain their independence.

Recreational opportunities and wellness programs promote socialization and encourage residents to live actively. Spacious common areas are also available for residents’ leisure. Its surrounding area also earned a Walk Score of 41, allowing residents to access nearby services on foot. However, transportation is still required for most amenities. Davis Court is also located near Manor Park in Aberdeen, providing residents with options for leisure in the area.

Overview of AseraCare Hospice Care – Sioux Falls

AseraCare Hospice Care in Sioux Falls is dedicated to delivering top-notch hospice services, showcasing expertise in managing terminal illnesses. They excel in crafting personalized care plans, ensuring effective pain and symptom management. AseraCare’s compassionate hospice aides not only assist seniors but also support families emotionally and spiritually throughout their journey. Moreover, their commitment to providing exceptional care is evident, with hospice costs often covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurances for eligible patients. Families can rely on AseraCare’s dependable services to help seniors celebrate a life well lived.

Overview of Country View Assisted Living Center

Owned by Vicky Maag, Country View Assisted Living Center sits in Florence, South Dakota, just a few minutes from Watertown. The community offers both memory care and assisted living. Families can start with one level of support and stay if care needs change over time.

The home has been part of the Florence community for 26 years. The long reflect real staying power in a small town. It’s close to the center of Florence, about 0. Prairie Lakes Hospital is roughly 14 miles down the road if a resident ever needs hospital-level care.

Because the surrounding area is rural, getting around by foot is limited. Country View has a walk score of 9, meaning most errands and outings call for a car rather than a walk. Visiting families should plan, particularly if they will run other errands nearby.

Families considering Country View should call ahead for details on room types, daily activities, and dining. A phone conversation can fill in the specifics that aren’t listed here.

Overview of Mitchell Retirement DBA Countryside Living

Countryside Living, also known as Mitchell Retirement, is a locally owned senior living community in Mitchell, South Dakota, that offers independent living and assisted living. Administered by Kathy Zoss and supported by Director of Nursing Jayne Zens, this 60-bed community provides a mid-sized setting for older adults seeking independent living or structured assisted living. Established in 1997, the community has been delivering nearly three decades of stable, continuous service to families in Davison County.

The community offers unfurnished apartments equipped with full appliances, allowing residents to customize their environments with personal belongings and familiar comforts. Dietitian-approved meals are provided three times daily. Weekly housekeeping, laundry, salon services, and shared spaces are also available on-site.

Operating under South Dakota state regulatory guidelines, the community maintains a 24-hour staffing presence to ensure continuous security and peace of mind. Assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), including bathing, dressing, and comprehensive medication management, alongside available medical assistance, is also provided, along with a variety of recreational activities and wellness programs. Located in Mitchell, the community features an exceptional walk score of 81, making it one of the most walkable senior residential settings in the state. Additionally, transportation services are provided for medical appointments.

With a long operating history in the community, combined with a central, walkable location, Countryside Living is ideal for older adults who are largely independent but benefit from some daily assistance, structured social programming, and the security of on-site staff.

Overview of Park Place Assisted Living

Park Place Assisted Living is a senior living community in Reno, Nevada, that offers assisted living and independent living. Licensed as a Residential Facility for Groups and in operation for nearly 30 years, this 60-bed community has studio accommodations on a single-story campus.

The community currently has 41 of 60 beds occupied, representing an occupancy rate of 68%, which is below the state of Nevada’s average of 81.5%. Notably, occupancy has fluctuated over the years, reaching as high as 80% capacity during periods in 2024. Assisted living and independent living are among the living options provided, along with transportation services, housekeeping, fitness and recreation programming, and a pet-friendly environment within a studio-based, single-story layout.

Nevada’s Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance, has inspected the community through annual surveys and complaint investigations since at least 2012, leading to a total of 33 inspections. Over that tracked window, the community has averaged approximately 10.2 deficiencies per year, which is about 44% above the Nevada average of 7.1 per year. Recurring themes include medication management, such as administration errors, unsecured medications, and incomplete medication records, along with staff training compliance regarding caregiver training timelines, elder abuse prevention, infection control, and cultural competency, as well as health and sanitation issues in food safety and kitchen practices.

Moreover, the most recent annual survey, conducted July 16, 2025, cited 14 deficiencies across administrator oversight, caregiver qualifications, medication documentation, TB screening, infection control program review, and first-aid kit compliance. Two substantiated complaint investigations are also on record, including the April 2025 investigation, which confirmed that six employees were performing blood sugar testing and insulin injections without documented training, a finding that coincided with a resident being hospitalized for critically low blood sugar. Another complaint investigation in December 2024 substantiated that a resident went without a prescribed medication for 15 days, resulting in withdrawal symptoms and an emergency room visit, and that a resident’s shower was not wheelchair accessible. However, no fines or license suspensions were listed in the available reports.

The location is situated in a car-dependent part of Reno with a Walk Score of 6, making personal transportation or the community’s own transportation services a practical necessity for most residents.

With a 29-year operating history and smaller scale, Park Place Assisted Living appeals to families seeking a more intimate yet established senior living option. However, interested families are advised to carefully consider the pattern of regulatory findings in recent years, particularly around medication management and staff training, when making a placement decision.

Overview of The Wellshire Huron

The Wellshire Huron is an assisted living community in Huron, South Dakota, offering personal care and rehabilitation services. The 35-bed community is administered by Laurie Solem, who also oversees the nearby skilled nursing community, Avantara Huron. Licensed by the South Dakota Department of Health since July 2025, the community combines assisted living with access to clinical oversight and rehabilitative support for older adults who require varying levels of daily assistance.

24-hour nursing coverage with licensed nurses and certified nursing assistants, housekeeping services, laundry areas on each floor, spacious resident closets, and individually controlled air conditioning are among the confirmed amenities. Rehabilitation services are also provided on-site, allowing residents to access therapy support without the inconvenience of traveling to outside providers.

The community’s location near the center of Huron carries a Walk Score of 68, making it one of the more walkable assisted living options in central South Dakota. Residents and visitors benefit from relatively convenient access to nearby services, shops, and daily necessities.

With a smaller 35-bed capacity, The Wellshire Huron is a great choice for older adults in Huron and throughout Beadle County seeking assisted living with integrated nursing oversight and rehabilitation access, particularly those who value a more personal residential atmosphere than many larger communities. Its shared leadership connection with Avantara Huron also provides continuity and coordination advantages for residents whose care needs change over time.

Golden Ridge Senior Living is an independent living and assisted living community in Lead, South Dakota. They pride themselves on the services that are delivered with only the best in its class brought by their premier level of care entrusted to residents. The memory care community boasts its innovative and modern approach to senior care; they have ensured that they provide a spectrum of care as they understand the unique needs of each individual. Golden Ridge Senior Living’’s management and staff are well-trained professionals that ensure that residents are being heard and provide a lifestyle that suits their needs. 
Beautifully furnished common areas, walking paths, and outdoor patios are offered for seniors to have families come visit more often and have a place to socialize.  Other services include meals, security, and affordable senior housing. 

Overview of Edgewood Cedar View

Part of a larger senior living community, Edgewood Cedar View is a memory care community in Watertown, South Dakota. The community is on 14th Avenue Northeast. It’s about 8 miles from downtown Watertown and less than a mile from Prairie Lakes Hospital, giving residents and families convenient access to nearby medical care. Residents live in private rooms within a single-story building, a layout that can be easier for those living with memory loss to navigate. The community accepts residents beginning at age 55.

Residents receive help with transportation, housekeeping, interior and exterior maintenance, and activities of daily living. Memory care is supported through specialized programs. These are created for people living with dementia and other memory-related conditions. Fitness and recreation activities are also part of the daily schedule, so residents can stay active and engaged.

Indoor common areas, well-lit lounges, a full-service salon, furnished apartments, and outdoor lounge spaces provide comfortable places for residents and visiting family members. The neighborhood has a Walk Score of 34, making it somewhat walkable. A few nearby destinations can be reached on foot, but most errands and outings require driving.

Families exploring memory care at Edgewood Cedar View should ask how daily activities are planned around each resident’s cognitive needs because those routines are important in everyday life within a memory care community.

Overview of Wellshire Park Place

Wellshire Park Place is an assisted living community in Milbank, South Dakota, offering personal care, 24-hour nursing, and on-campus rehabilitation services. With a 36-bed capacity, the community provides care to older adults in Grant County.

Confirmed amenities include 24-hour nursing care, housekeeping services, fitness programming, music, art, games, and group outings. For a 36-bed rural community, the offering of rehabilitation services on-site helps reduce the need for residents to travel to larger centers for therapy. Lifestyle programming also includes fitness, music, art, games, and organized outings, reflecting a community that invests in the social and recreational dimensions of daily life alongside clinical care.

Its location at the Milbank city center, with a Walk Score of 64, places it among the more walkable assisted living choices in northeastern South Dakota, with a range of daily services accessible on foot.

Wellshire Park Place is great for older adults in Milbank and the broader Grant County area who need daily personal care assistance and value access to on-campus rehabilitation services in a walkable, community-centered location.