Best Independent Living in West Des Moines, IA

Overview of Cedar Ridge Village

Cedar Ridge Village offers independent living, assisted living, nursing home, and skilled nursing care in West Des Moines, Iowa. Independent living provides a private apartment with community services and no daily care, while assisted living includes help with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and medication. Skilled nursing provides licensed nursing care on site around the clock, so a resident whose needs grow over time may be able to remain in the same community rather than move elsewhere.

Short-term rehabilitation supports a temporary recovery stay, and respite care gives a family caregiver a short-term option when they need to travel or recover. With 40 beds, Cedar Ridge Village is a smaller setting where staff and residents can get to know each other. Private apartments include one-bedroom and two-bedroom layouts, and pets are allowed, so a resident can bring a pet when moving in.

The starting price is $3,280 per month, giving families an initial figure for monthly budgeting. Payment options include Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay. Total nurse staffing is 4h 59m per resident per day, representing the daily nurse staffing time allocated to each resident.

Residents can join grocery store, dinner, museum, botanical garden, concert, play, and seasonal outings, as well as book clubs, arts and crafts, and chair exercise. Rehabilitation services are available. Kathy DeHaven serves as the administrator, and Cedar Ridge Village opened in 2021.

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Starting Price $3,280/Month Pricing updated on October 7th, 2026

Overview of Edgewater, a WesleyLife Community for Healthy Living

Edgewater, a WesleyLife Community for Healthy Living, in West Des Moines, IA, handles skilled nursing and nursing home care. Memory care, assisted living, independent living, and adult day care fill in the remainder of what it offers.

Independent living includes a community’s services but not any daily care. Staff step in to help with bathing, dressing, and managing medication at the assisted living level. Memory care combines watchful staff with a secured space. Licensed nurses carry out the clinical work on the nursing home and skilled nursing side.

Day participants spend the day at Edgewater and head home for the night when it’s over. At 40 beds, the community is small enough for residents and staff to know one another well. Two-bedroom units give a couple, or a person living with a companion, the extra room, and one-bedroom units are the other option for people moving in alone.

Nursing time per resident reaches 4 hours and 53 minutes daily. Payment is by Medicare or by private pay. A caregiver’s own surgery and recovery is one reason families book a short respite stay, and rehabilitation services cover the therapy side of getting better.

A resident who arrives for independent living may later need memory care or nursing, and every one of those levels is already on the service list here. Pets can live here as well. Abby Harlacher serves as administrator.

Woodlands Creek Senior Living offers assisted living, independent living, and memory care in Clive, IA. Independent living provides a private residence with community services and no daily care, while assisted living includes help with bathing, dressing, medication management, and similar daily tasks. Memory care is a secured setting with supervision for residents who may be at risk of wandering. Having all three care levels in one community may suit someone whose needs grow over time, since care can change without moving to a different community.

Woodlands Creek Senior Living opened in 1999 and occupies three stories. Housing includes studios, one-bedroom apartments, and two-bedroom apartments, with the two-bedroom option giving a couple the ability to move together. The starting price is $3,870 per month. Families can use that figure for initial budgeting, though it is not one rate for every care level and apartment type.

Residents may bring pets. A fitness center, salon, barber, spa, restaurant, and bistro are available on site, while the courtyard, garden, patio, and walking paths provide outdoor places to spend time. Transportation is available for residents who need community transportation. LifeLoop is the signature program, with activities addressing physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual wellness.

Woodlands Creek Senior Living is owned by Dial Senior Living. Its combination of independent living, assisted living, and memory care may be a good fit for a resident who wants access to different levels of support within the same community.

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Starting Price $3,870/Month Pricing updated on May 15th, 2026

Fairmeadows Village is an independent living community in West Des Moines, Iowa, for adults 55 and older. Independent living here means a private apartment with community services rather than daily care, making it a possible fit for someone who wants to remain independent in an apartment setting.

Residents can choose a one bedroom or two bedroom apartment. Every apartment is on the ground floor and wheelchair accessible, with zero entry showers that allow step free movement into both the apartment and shower area. Shared spaces include a pool table, community kitchen and dining room, fireplace, large screen movie viewing, and serene outdoor space for shared meals, recreation, and fellowship. Pets are allowed, so residents can continue living with a pet, and Integrated Asset Management is the owner.

Woodlands Creek Senior Living offers assisted living, independent living, and memory care in Clive, IA. Independent living provides private living with community services and no daily care, while assisted living adds help with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and medication. Memory care provides a secured setting with supervision for someone at risk of wandering, and having all three care levels in one community can allow a resident to remain in place if their needs change rather than move elsewhere.

The community opened in 1999, and Dial Senior Living is the owner. Its starting price is $3,870 per month, giving families a baseline for initial budgeting. A fitness center provides onsite exercise, while the salon, barber, and spa keep personal care services within the community; the restaurant and bistro offer onsite dining spaces, and the courtyard, garden, patio, and walking paths provide places to spend time outdoors. Pets are allowed, so a resident can continue living with a pet at the community.

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Starting Price $3,600/Month Pricing updated on October 7th, 2026

Overview of Valley West Apartments

Valley West Apartments is in West Des Moines, IA. It’s independent living, and occupants must be 62 years old or more. Every unit is a one-bedroom. You have your own residence and use the community’s services, but no one arrives for daily care.

In the kitchen, there is a refrigerator, a range, and a microwave. The units are equipped with ceiling fans with overhead lights. The laundry is communal, and pets are allowed.

There’s a community patio with a large area of greenery. The building consists of three levels, and an elevator gives access to each floor. The Walk Score is 59, indicating that some errands can be reached on foot if you don’t use a car.

Overview of Crestview Terrace Apartments

Experience the best of your golden years at Crestview Terrace Apartments, a dedicated 55+ community in West Des Moines, IA, offering independent living. The community features purposely designed and spacious one- and two-bedroom floor plans, ensuring residents are comfortable and safe. Residents can also keep their peace of mind with on-site maintenance and management.

A thoughtfully curated calendar of exciting events and engaging programs is conducted, encouraging residents to live actively and maintain social connections. Delightful restaurants and shops also provide residents with a variety of dining options to meet their dietary needs and preferences. The community is equipped with a library, a fitness center, lounge areas, a gazebo, and a beautifully maintained garden.

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Starting Price $770/Month Pricing updated on October 7th, 2026

Overview of Luther Park Community

Luther Park Community is a senior living community in Des Moines. It serves occupants across a full spectrum of care needs, from independent living to skilled nursing and Alzheimer’s care. Set in a quiet residential neighborhood about 2.4 miles from downtown, the three-story community offers floor plans ranging from studios to two-bedroom apartments. Unit sizes span 517 to 1,050 square feet, so residents can find a layout that fits their space needs.

The home highlights care and independence. Daily life includes a hair salon, outdoor living spaces, an exercise room, and a library, with nutritious meals and transportation to outings integrated into the schedule. Pets are allowed, which matters to many occupants wanting their animal companions around. Central to the daily experience are fitness and recreational activities, alongside the attentive support each resident receives following their care level. The facility’s location scores 45 on the walkability scale, meaning some walkable nearby services, and most errands and appointments require a drive. For visiting families and friends, the residential setting offers a quieter pace than busier commercial areas, with easy access to local parks, shopping, dining, and hospitals nearby.

When considering the facility, families may want to tour the floor plans, observe daily activities and meal service, and discuss the care tier and housing option that best match their family member’s needs and preferences.

Overview of Elite Lodge of Ashworth

Elite Lodge of Ashworth is an independent living community in West Des Moines, IA. Independent living here means private living with community services but no daily care, so it may suit a resident who manages personal care independently and wants access to shared activities. A one-bedroom layout can work well for someone living alone, while a two-bedroom layout can accommodate a couple moving together.

There is plenty to do on the property. Residents can swim in the indoor heated pool or exercise in the fitness center, and the libraries, bridge club, and book club offer spaces for reading, organized card games, and discussion activities. The landscaped grounds cover 11 acres, providing outdoor space on site, and pets are allowed. A Walk Score of 41 places the area in a car-dependent setting, so most errands require a car or a ride; a resident who no longer drives would need transportation for those trips.

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Starting Price $1,500/Month Pricing updated on October 7th, 2026

Glen Meadows Retirement Community offers independent living in West Des Moines, IA. Independent living provides private living with community services for residents who do not need daily care, making the community potentially suitable for someone seeking that arrangement.

Housing options include studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom homes. A studio provides a single private space, while the larger layouts offer additional living or sleeping areas, and pets are allowed for residents who want to bring a pet with them.