Page 5 of Best Hospice Care in Iowa

Overview of Everystep

Everystep is a nonprofit hospice and home health organization headquartered at 3000 Easton Boulevard in Des Moines, Iowa. Administered by Leann Uhlenhopp and operating since 1992, the organization serves over 30 counties through a network of branches including Centerville, Mount Ayr, and Winterset. Licensed by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), Everystep provides end-of-life care in private homes, nursing facilities, and dedicated hospice houses.

State and federal oversight is conducted through CMS Medicare Conditions of Participation. Between 2010 and 2025, DIAL performed 15 complaint investigations, resulting in a per-inspection average of 2.1 deficiencies, which is 17% above the state average. While a 2019 survey identified 11 deficiencies related to care planning and physician orders, the most recent inspection on June 24, 2025, resulted in zero deficiencies. No fines or immediate jeopardy findings are currently on record.

Professional support includes a multidisciplinary team of nurses, social workers, and spiritual counselors available 24/7. Beyond hospice and home health, Everystep operates specialized programs like the Amanda the Panda children’s bereavement program and veteran-specific recognition services. The organization is accredited by the Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP) and maintains a 93% family caregiver recommendation rate, which exceeds the Iowa average of 88%.

The East Village headquarters features a Walk Score of 91, serving as a hub for community health and grief support. The Kavanagh House in Des Moines offers a home-like inpatient setting with private bedrooms, family kitchens, and landscaped gardens for acute symptom management. Available services encompass music and pet therapy, assistance with daily living activities, and respite care for primary family caregivers.

Prospective residents and their representatives should consider the organization’s established history and its recent clean regulatory trajectory. It is advisable to ask the intake coordinator about the current frequency of interdisciplinary team reviews and how the organization ensures physician orders are integrated into the care plan within the standard 15-day window.

Designed to support older adults living with dementia or other cognitive changes, Visiting Angels in Cedar Rapids is a memory care community in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Its single-story layout creates an accessible environment that is easier to navigate for residents who may experience confusion or difficulty with orientation.

Private and semi-private room options give families flexibility when selecting a living arrangement. The community also provides structured daily activities, a secure setting, and trained staff who specialize in behavioral and cognitive support to meet the unique needs of memory care residents.

The surrounding neighborhood has a walkability score of 46, allowing access to some nearby services on foot, although most errands and visits require a vehicle. Families can schedule an in-person tour to explore the residences, learn about the care approach, review safety features and daily programming, and determine whether the community is the right fit for their loved one’s needs.

Overview of Silveridge, an Eventide Community

Silveridge, An Eventide Community, is a 72-bed assisted living facility located at 12 Silveridge Drive in Denison, Iowa. Administered by Kara Webb, the community serves Crawford County as an Eventide-affiliated property under a license active through July 2027. Current data shows a 50% occupancy rate with 36 residents, reflecting steady growth since its initial licensing. The location holds a Walk Score of 33, indicating that errands and outside activities require vehicle transportation.

State oversight from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing highlights a record of perfect regulatory compliance. Throughout its 15-year operational history, the facility has recorded zero regulatory deficiencies. All eight inspections conducted between 2011 and September 2025 resulted in a citations-per-inspection rate of zero. Available state records show no history of fines, enforcement actions, or substantiated complaint investigations.

Daily clinical operations include specialized memory care, rehabilitation services, and short-term respite care. Professional support is delivered by licensed nurses and CNAs through a 24-hour staffing model. Clinical reviews consistently note satisfactory program operations and positive tenant feedback regarding personal and health-related services. The facility provides apartment-style living accommodations designed to support residents with cognitive decline or those recovering from illness.

The residential environment is maintained with a focus on housekeeping and program consistency. As an Eventide-affiliated community, the facility operates with local senior living expertise and offers a range of social activities within its 72-bed campus. While the property is independently licensed, it provides a larger-scale setting compared to many rural alternatives, allowing for dedicated memory care and rehabilitation programming.

Families seeking a high level of regulatory consistency may find this community’s unblemished 15-year record particularly notable. It is recommended to observe the interactions between the nursing staff and memory care residents during a personal tour to confirm the facility’s individualized approach. Interested individuals can contact the administration to discuss current availability and ensure the community’s established care protocols meet their 2026 requirements.

Golden Horizons is a 46-bed assisted living and memory care facility at 800 Byron Godberson Drive in Ida Grove, Iowa. Administered by Jenni Sykes, the community serves Ida County under license S0316, which was originally issued in 2011. Current state records from May 2026 show a census of 29 residents, representing 63% occupancy—below the Iowa state average of 75.4%. The facility holds a Walk Score of 55, indicating that some local errands can be completed on foot.

While the facility averaged 1.7 deficiencies per year over its 15-year history, the most recent recertification in September 2025 resulted in a citations-per-inspection rate of zero. This follows a trend of flawless surveys dating back to 2019, successfully remediating earlier administrative and medication errors from the program’s initial years.

Clinical care is managed by 24-hour trained attendants and overseen by a registered nurse. Professional services include medication management, diabetes care, and specialized memory loss support within a secured environment. Residents receive assistance with activities of daily living, such as shower supervision and personal grooming, tailored to individual health assessments. The facility also provides respite care for families needing short-term support.

The residential environment consists of studio and single-bedroom apartments featuring kitchenettes and private bathrooms. Shared amenities include a beauty salon, landscaped courtyards with flower gardens, and a whirlpool therapy room. Residents have access to three home-cooked meals daily, weekly housekeeping, and a calendar of wellness programs. The community is pet-friendly, allowing residents to live with their cats or dogs.

Prospective residents seeking a rural assisted living setting with a strong recent compliance record may find this campus suitable. Families should ask directly about the specific training curriculum for memory care staff and confirm current monthly rates, which typically start between $3,000 and $4,080, before making a placement decision.

Overview of Homestead of Denison

Homestead of Denison is a 43-bed assisted living facility at 2506 3rd Avenue North in Denison, Iowa. Administered by Ashlee Killian, the community serves Crawford County and has been in operation for 27 years. The property currently reports a 58% occupancy rate with 25 residents, a figure below the Iowa state average of 75.4%. Given its central location and a Walk Score of 33, residents generally rely on transportation for errands and medical appointments.

Over 16 years, the facility has recorded an annual average of 0.6 deficiencies, which is 67% lower than the state benchmark. Most recently, the May 2025 recertification survey resulted in a citations-per-inspection rate of zero. While a 2019 complaint was substantiated regarding guardian notification, more recent state reviews indicate these isolated administrative gaps have been addressed.

Clinical care is delivered by 24-hour staffing, including licensed nurses and certified nursing assistants. The campus provides a broad range of services such as skilled nursing, short-term rehabilitation, and hospice care. Professional support includes specialized memory care and outpatient therapy programs tailored for seniors and individuals with disabilities. CMS metrics for similar regional care models show that these multi-level services support resident transitions as medical needs evolve.

The residential environment features private and companion suites with roll-in showers and upscale furnishings. Shared social features include free Wi-Fi, communal dining areas, and organized activities designed for a home-like feel. The facility also offers respite care options for families requiring temporary support. Because the community is located just 0.4 miles from Crawford County Memorial Hospital, residents have quick access to emergency and specialized clinical consultations.

This environment suits seniors seeking small-scale assisted living with integrated medical and rehabilitation services. Families evaluating Homestead of Denison should ask directly about the specific results of the 2025 zero-deficiency survey and confirm current nurse-to-resident ratios for the memory care wing before making a placement decision.

The Hammond Center for Assisted Living is a 38-bed facility located at 907 Orchard Drive in Grinnell, Iowa. Operating as part of the St. Francis Manor Life Plan Community, the facility serves a multi-county region under a license active through July 2026. Current reports indicate a census of 20 residents, representing a 53% occupancy rate. The location is highly accessible, with a Walk Score of 82, allowing residents to reach Grinnell’s downtown amenities and medical offices on foot.

State monitoring records from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing show an unblemished regulatory history. Since its establishment in 2019, the community has maintained a citations-per-inspection rate of zero. The most recent survey in October 2025 resulted in no deficiencies, a result consistent with its previous major reviews in 2019 and 2023. No fines, enforcement actions, or substantiated complaints have been documented during the facility’s seven years of operation.

Clinical care is provided by 24-hour on-site nursing and personal care staff. Services include medication management and customized assistance with daily activities, with residents having priority access to the broader campus’s skilled nursing and rehabilitation units. The care model emphasizes integrated health monitoring within its 20 spacious apartments, supported by professional management and RN oversight.

The residential environment features diverse common areas, including a fitness center, a theater, a pool table, and an indoor walking track. All-inclusive monthly costs cover three meals a day, housekeeping, and local transportation services. Social programming is designed to foster community engagement, taking advantage of the facility’s location in an active college town.

Interested individuals seeking a small-scale community with a perfect regulatory record and high walkability may find this setting appropriate. Families should verify the current availability of specific apartment layouts and confirm the coordination process for transitioning to higher levels of care on the St. Francis Manor campus before making a final decision.

Overview of Hospice of the Midwest – Sioux City, Ia

Located in Sioux City, Iowa, Hospice of the Midwest offers outstanding in-home hospice care, ensuring seniors can navigate life’s final stages within their cherished and secure surroundings. They are committed to providing considerate and dignified end-of-life care, strongly emphasizing enabling patients to live their remaining days to the fullest.

Hospice of the Midwest consists of seasoned and empathetic professionals with a range of hospice services that are meticulously customized to cater to the unique requirements and preferences of both seniors and their loved ones. 

Overview of Sunny View Care Center

Sunny View Care Center is a resident-centered rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility located in Ankeny, just beside The Suites of Ankeny, an assisted living community. Together these two form a formidable community that focuses on the care and well being of their seniors, disabled, and hospice residents and patients. This nursing community offers a variety of services to its patients such as; skilled nursing, rehabilitation, hospice care, respite care, dietary care, and outpatient care. These services are provided by dedicated RNs, LPNs, and CNAs to make sure that each patient receives quality care and assistance.

Part of the activities at Sunny View Care Center are ambulation, eating assistance, grooming, and rehabilitative motion exercises. Their current patient capacity is 94 at maximum. For patients with health plans, this facility accommodates Medicare and Medicaid plan holders.

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.

Overview of Kingsley Specialty Care

Kingsley Specialty Care sits at 305 W 3rd St in Kingsley, Iowa, part of Plymouth County, where getting around still mostly means driving. Walk Score puts the neighborhood at 21, car-dependent territory, so this isn’t a place built around strolling to nearby errands. The 43-bed nursing home is run by Care Initiatives, with Evangelina Klein administering day-to-day operations.

Right now the building is at 72% occupancy, 31 of its 43 beds filled. That’s not packed, but it’s not empty either. What stands out more is how long people tend to stay: 270 days on average.

On staffing, registered nurses put in about 51 minutes per resident each day, and when you add up all nursing staff types together, residents get roughly 3 hours and 18 minutes of nursing care daily. Kingsley also holds a contract with the VA Community Nursing Home Program, so veterans in the area have a direct path into care here alongside everyone else. Coverage-wise, the facility takes Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay, so families aren’t boxed into one payment route. Iowa’s routine inspections for nursing homes like this one tend to circle the same territory: medication management, infection control, staffing credentials, how care plans get documented, and how dietary and food service are handled.

Kingsley Specialty Care is set up for residents who need real, ongoing nursing support, not a brief stay, backed by a staffing structure that shows up daily and payment options that don’t force families into a single lane.