Other senior care options in Iowa:

Page 12 of Best Memory Care in Iowa

Why trust this guide? Our editorial team analyzed 233 memory care communities in Iowa using Iowa Dept. of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) data, inspection records, complaints, amenities, and facility-level details. How we rank memory care in IA
Reviewed by
Last updated
Jul 2026
We analyzed
233 homes
Other senior care options in Iowa:
Avg Walk Score: 45/ 100The average Walk Score across facilities in Iowa. A third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100) measuring convenience and context, not healthcare quality. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 50/ 100
Avg No. of Beds: 71The average licensed bed capacity across facilities in Iowa. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 90

Compare Memory Care around Iowa

The information below is reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.

Bethany Home Retirement Center
MC
IL
NH
SNF
Dubuque (Eagle Point District)
66
Facility 66
IA AVG 71
Rank #181 / 406
No
69
Facility 69
IA AVG 45
Rank #103 / 528
1 Bed / 2 Bed--12
4
Facility 4
IA AVG 7
Rank #122 / 306
2
Facility 2
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #241 / 306
Sunrise Retirement Community
MC
AL
IL
NH
RC
SNF
Sioux City
74
Facility 74
IA AVG 71
Rank #136 / 406
Yes
22
Facility 22
IA AVG 45
Rank #411 / 528
Studio- 90.5% 25
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 7
Rank #89 / 306
6
Facility 6
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #294 / 306
Green Hills Retirement Community
MC
AL
IL
NH
SNF
Ames (Hamilton Drive)
56
Facility 56
IA AVG 71
Rank #233 / 406
Yes
18
Facility 18
IA AVG 45
Rank #430 / 528
1 Bed / 2 Bed
40
Facility 40
IA AVG 19
Rank #24 / 284
78.6% 11
2
Facility 2
IA AVG 7
Rank #55 / 306
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #258 / 306
Meth Wick Community
MC
AL
IL
NH
RC
SNF
Cedar Rapids (The Meth-Wick Community)
69
Facility 69
IA AVG 71
Rank #167 / 406
No
23
Facility 23
IA AVG 45
Rank #405 / 528
-- 81.4% ---
Mill Pond
MC
AL
IL
NH
SNF
Ankeny
60
Facility 60
IA AVG 71
Rank #213 / 406
Yes
16
Facility 16
IA AVG 45
Rank #439 / 528
Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed
23
Facility 23
IA AVG 19
Rank #109 / 284
98.3% 16
5
Facility 5
IA AVG 7
Rank #147 / 306
1
Facility 1
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #210 / 306
Wesley Acres
MC
ADC
AL
IL
NH
SNF
Des Moines (Greenwood)
80
Facility 80
IA AVG 71
Rank #105 / 406
Yes
72
Facility 72
IA AVG 45
Rank #89 / 528
-- 91.3% 21
8
Facility 8
IA AVG 7
Rank #204 / 306
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #258 / 306
West Ridge Care Center
MC
NH
SNF
Cedar Rapids
60
Facility 60
IA AVG 71
Rank #213 / 406
No
48
Facility 48
IA AVG 45
Rank #241 / 528
-
34
Facility 34
IA AVG 19
Rank #34 / 284
75.0% 15
4
Facility 4
IA AVG 7
Rank #122 / 306
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #258 / 306
Friendship Village
MC
AL
IL
NH
SNF
Waterloo
72
Facility 72
IA AVG 71
Rank #143 / 406
Yes
52
Facility 52
IA AVG 45
Rank #202 / 528
2 Bed / 3 Bed
50
Facility 50
IA AVG 19
Rank #8 / 284
91.7% 17
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 7
Rank #1 / 306
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #258 / 306
Mayflower Home
MC
AL
IL
NH
SNF
Grinnell
40
Facility 40
IA AVG 71
Rank #324 / 406
No
82
Facility 82
IA AVG 45
Rank #39 / 528
-- 77.5% 11
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 7
Rank #89 / 306
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #1 / 306
Mount Carmel Bluffs
MC
NH
IL
Dubuque (South Switch Junction)
60
Facility 60
IA AVG 71
Rank #213 / 406
No
2
Facility 2
IA AVG 45
Rank #500 / 528
1 Bed / 2 Bed
5
Facility 5
IA AVG 19
Rank #233 / 284
93.3% 10
2
Facility 2
IA AVG 7
Rank #55 / 306
2
Facility 2
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #241 / 306
Spurgeon Manor
MC
AL
IL
NH
SNF
Dallas Center
55
Facility 55
IA AVG 71
Rank #239 / 406
No
47
Facility 47
IA AVG 45
Rank #246 / 528
-- 89.1% 21
8
Facility 8
IA AVG 7
Rank #204 / 306
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #1 / 306
Creekside
MC
AL
IL
NH
Grundy Center
40
Facility 40
IA AVG 71
Rank #324 / 406
No
63
Facility 63
IA AVG 45
Rank #134 / 528
---3
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 7
Rank #1 / 306
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #1 / 306
Newton Village INC
MC
AL
HOS
IL
NH
SNF
West Newton
70
Facility 70
IA AVG 71
Rank #156 / 406
No
67
Facility 67
IA AVG 45
Rank #112 / 528
-
6
Facility 6
IA AVG 19
Rank #224 / 284
52.9% 3
1
Facility 1
IA AVG 7
Rank #31 / 306
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #1 / 306
Wilton Retirement Community
MC
AL
NH
SNF
Wilton
34
Facility 34
IA AVG 71
Rank #372 / 406
No
42
Facility 42
IA AVG 45
Rank #284 / 528
-
12
Facility 12
IA AVG 19
Rank #180 / 284
85.3% 14
4
Facility 4
IA AVG 7
Rank #122 / 306
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #1 / 306
Traditions Memory Care of Newton
MC
HOS
NH
RC
SNF
Newton
46
Facility 46
IA AVG 71
Rank #273 / 406
No
67
Facility 67
IA AVG 45
Rank #112 / 528
-- 100.0% 12
5
Facility 5
IA AVG 7
Rank #147 / 306
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 0.9
Rank #1 / 306
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Overview of The Keystones of Cedar Rapids

Offering a serene country resort experience, The Keystones of Cedar Rapids is a family-owned senior living community at 6325 Rockwell Drive NE in Cedar Rapids. With 30 beds and over two decades of operation, it caters to residents seeking independent living, assisted living, and memory care options. With 12 of 30 beds filled, the home currently operates at 40 percent occupancy. The Walk Score of 33 means some nearby services are walkable, with most residents and visitors needing transportation for daily errands.

The facility holistically approaches senior care with 24/7-available trained care associates. Occupants benefit from valet service, personalized assistance, and monthly rental flexibility. The dining program features seasonal chef-prepared menus, and the community provides housekeeping, linen services, and scheduled transportation for all residents. Spacious one and two-bedroom apartments are tailored with comfort, and occupants have free parking when bringing their cars. The Keystones of Cedar Rapids offers a full set of social and recreational amenities to bolster an active lifestyle. A fitness center, indoor pool, hotel-style clubhouse, theater, and pub provide regular opportunities for occupants to stay sharp and connected, plus enjoy social activities. Such spaces mirror the community’s belief that engagement and lifestyle are crucial to thriving in later years.

Covering 22 years, the state inspection records record a pattern of deficiency findings. Inspections have tracked gaps in care documentation and updates to resident service plans, plus concerns around safety systems and elopement prevention measures. Families considering The Keystones of Cedar Rapids must review inspection details directly and ask management about how these areas are managed daily.

Administrator Lynn Nelson leads the community and can be reached for more information about accommodations and care options offered.

Contact The Keystones of Cedar Rapids

Overview of Kennybrook Village
Kennybrook Village is a senior living community in Grimes, Iowa, offering a range of living options including independent living, assisted living, and memory care. The facility emphasizes a family-like atmosphere and personalized care for its residents. With a variety of activities and dining options, Kennybrook Village aims to enhance the quality of life for seniors.

Contact Kennybrook Village

Overview of Park Vista Retirement Living

Park Vista Retirement Living is an 82-bed senior living community located at 1810 Park Vista Drive in Camanche, Iowa. Administered by Susan Kincaid, the facility is certified as a dementia-specific assisted living program serving Clinton County with a continuum of care that includes independent living, assisted living, and memory care. The campus currently maintains an occupancy rate of approximately 34%, with recent data showing 28 residents in the 82-bed community.

State oversight from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing reveals one of the most favorable compliance records in the region. Regulatory reports through 2026 show an average of 0.5 deficiencies per year, a rate that performs 85% better than the three-year state mean. While the community has recorded a citations-per-inspection rate 28% lower than the Iowa average, a September 2025 recertification survey identified one citation regarding late service plan updates following a resident injury. To date, no federal fines or license restrictions have been issued against the program since its opening in 2018.

Professional support is delivered through a staffing model that provides 24-hour medical monitoring and specialized dementia-focused care. Clinical offerings include medication assistance, physical and occupational therapy, and person-centered memory programming under the “Legacy” and “Closer Care” models. The community utilizes state-of-the-art interactive technology to provide meaningful experiences for memory care residents, though the facility’s Walk Score of 33 indicates a primarily car-dependent location. Quality metrics show that clinical documentation has matured significantly since the initial 2018 licensing cycle.

The campus environment provides a residential atmosphere with restaurant-style dining and a specialized theater room for movies. Shared clinical and social spaces include an on-site beauty salon, a well-stocked library, and secured outdoor patios for memory care residents. Additional features encompass weekly housekeeping, personal laundry services, scheduled local transportation for medical appointments, and pet-friendly apartments ranging from studio to two-bedroom layouts. The facility also coordinates regular social events, live music performances, and daily fitness classes to maintain resident engagement.

Prospective residents and their representatives should evaluate the current staffing stability and market-specific pricing during a facility tour. It is advisable to ask the administrator for specific details on the corrective actions implemented after the 2025 service plan citation and to discuss the community’s occupancy trajectory to ensure the social environment meets the resident’s specific 2026 care goals.

Contact Park Vista Retirement Living

Overview of Woodlands Creek Senior Living

Woodlands Creek’s vision is to create a warm and welcoming independent living environment where seniors feel at home, fostering meaningful relationships and endless possibilities. Their mission revolves around promoting engaging social interactions and providing personalized care to nurture a sense of belonging. Woodlands prioritizes residents’ well-being, ensuring their needs are met with compassion and respect.

Residents at Woodlands Creek enjoy a vibrant lifestyle with a range of scheduled activities for independent living seniors. The community also offers comprehensive services for assisted living and memory care residents, including transportation, access to senior physicians, and round-the-clock nursing staff, ensuring comfort and security for all residents.

 

Contact Woodlands Creek Senior Living

Overview of Jackson Ridge Healthcare Center

Jackson Ridge Healthcare Center runs a 75-bed medical campus on Wesley Drive in Maquoketa, Iowa. The property accommodates both private and semi-private room setups, maintaining an average occupancy rate of around 79 percent. Families can manage local care bills using private funds alongside standard Medicare or state Medicaid authorizations, which supports a balanced census of short-term rehab admissions and extended long-term placements.

The clinical staff provides an average of 4 hours and 16 minutes of direct care per resident each day. Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing aides coordinate this 24-hour floor schedule to oversee specialized memory care wings, routine physical therapies, and scheduled respite care stays. Local appointment transit is handled directly by the building’s logistics team, while the surrounding town neighborhood logs a walkability score of 76 out of 100, letting visitors reach standard retail stops on foot.

Inspectors noted corrections were needed across food service lines, basic infection control guidelines, and clinical chart documentation. Management successfully addressed these points through formal improvement plans that were officially reviewed and accepted by state health regulators.

Interested individuals can call the main reception desk to verify current room availability, request an outline of the daily respite schedules, or arrange a personal walkthrough of the lounges and memory care units.

Contact Jackson Ridge Healthcare Center

Overview of Wellington Place

Wellington Place is a 68-bed nursing home that operates as a continuing care campus, allowing residents to transition between independent living, assisted living, memory support, and skilled nursing. The community has been operating for 19 years and handles financial coverage through Medicare, Medicaid, and private-pay sources. Given its mix of temporary post-acute recovery clients and permanent long-term nursing placements, the facility logs an extended 288-day average length of stay. The property is built in a highly walkable area with a walkability score of 84 out of 100, meaning visiting families and staff can easily manage daily errands on foot.

Files from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing display a minimal citation history alongside solid daily nursing resources. Caregivers supply an average of 4 hours and 20 minutes of direct care per resident each day, with registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants splitting the floor coverage. On the compliance side, official health records show a consistently clean multi-year track record where the few documented citations were minor and resolved. On-site physical therapy and rehabilitation programs are also available to support short-term recovery goals for individuals stepping down from local hospital stays.

Prospective residents searching for a regional multi-level care community or a small-scale nursing home can look through these state reports to examine the building’s historical baseline. The public documentation shows a stable, highly accessible campus backed by consistent daily caregiver hours and an exceptional regulatory track record with minimal paperwork issues.

Contact Wellington Place

Overview of Bickford of West Des Moines

Bickford of West Des Moines is known for its outstanding assisted living facilities and memory care services. They recognize the challenges that aging can bring and offer valuable support in your area. Providing an intimate and transparent environment to seniors, they go beyond traditional nursing homes, fostering a vibrant community with engaging activities like art, baking, and music, creating a tight-knit and uplifting atmosphere.

In addition to these engaging activities, Bickford excels in culinary offerings, accommodating special diets with high culinary standards and restaurant-style dining. Their services encompass medication management, a resident monitoring system, transportation, and a pet-friendly environment. Notably, they have designed spaces tailored to the unique needs of seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s, creating a harmonious facility. Discover their exceptional assisted living and memory care options in your area.

Contact Bickford of West Des Moines

Overview of Senior Suites of Urbandale

Senior Suites of Urbandale is a 100-bed assisted living facility at 4600 86th Street in Urbandale, Iowa. Administered by Dee Luttenegger, the community serves Polk County under a license active through November 2026. The facility reports 17% occupancy with 17 residents, a significant decline from its 2010 census of 44. The property includes a specialized memory loss center and private suites with 24-hour support.

State monitoring through the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing reveals a history of recurring medication control failures. While the facility averages 0.8 deficiencies annually, 33% better than the state average, it has faced repeated citations for improper narcotic counts. Both November 2021 and October 2023 inspections identified failures to complete required controlled-substance counts at shift changes. Most recently, the October 2025 recertification resulted in a citations-per-inspection rate of zero.

Daily clinical services were previously impacted by more severe regulatory findings. A 2012 investigation involving a resident death following two falls resulted in seven deficiencies, including inadequate fall assessments and failures to conduct timely neurological checks. Other past records from 2011 identified issues with service plan updates and medication administration record documentation. Professional care is provided by a team responsible for managing both general assisted living and memory care residents.

The residential environment focuses on the “Veranda” memory loss center located in a western suburb of Des Moines. Current low occupancy may indicate operational challenges or reduced staffing capacity relative to the building’s size. Although recent state evaluations show improvement, historical gaps in nursing oversight and assessment protocols have required multiple corrective actions over the facility’s 25-year operating history.

Prospective residents should carefully weigh the facility’s recent zero-deficiency finding against its documented pattern of narcotic oversight issues. It is necessary to request specific evidence of improved medication governance and updated fall assessment protocols during an on-site visit. Individuals can contact the administrative office to discuss current staffing ratios and to verify that 2026 safety standards meet their expectations for high-acuity care.

Contact Senior Suites of Urbandale

Overview of Kahl Home for Aged & Infirm

Kahl Home for Aged & Infirm is a nonprofit nursing facility in Davenport, Iowa, with 112 beds, operated by the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm. The community accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay, and provides long-term care, skilled nursing, short-term rehabilitation, memory care, and respite placements to residents in Scott County.

CMS rates the facility 2 stars overall, mainly due to its Health Inspection record. In the past six years, the facility underwent 32 inspections, more than twice Iowa’s average of 15, pushing total deficiencies to 74% above the state mean. At the individual survey level, though, the facility performs somewhat better: deficiencies per inspection are 17% below the Iowa average.

Substantiated complaints in the record include a medication error that led to hospitalization, a resident elopement, and more recent findings involving pressure ulcer care and unsafe mechanical lift transfers. No fines or license suspensions are available in the reports.

The facility’s Quality Measures are stronger, with a 4-star CMS rating, with long-stay outcomes and short-stay measures above the state’s averages. Hospitalizations and emergency department visits among long-stay residents are well below state norms. Nurse staffing averages 12% below the Iowa average at 3 hours and 52 minutes per resident each day.

The facility’s occupancy rate is 93%, well above Iowa’s average of 75.4%, a consistent signal of strong local demand. Amenities available on-site are a bistro, pub, courtyards, and common living areas. In 2026, the facility received the Locals Love Us award for Best Nursing Home in the Quad Cities for the 13th consecutive year.

Kahl Home for Aged & Infirm serves residents seeking long-term or post-acute care under mission-driven, nonprofit operations in Davenport, particularly those for whom strong quality-measure performance and high occupancy are meaningful indicators alongside an elevated inspection footprint.

Contact Kahl Home for Aged & Infirm

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.

Contact Community Memorial Health Center

Weighting overview

  • 35%
    Resident Experience
  • 25%
    Regulatory
  • 15%
    Visual Media
  • 10%
    Website
  • 10%
    Stability
  • 5%
    Environment
01

Resident & Family Experience 35%

The single largest share of every ranking. Aggregated review sentiment and volume from major platforms — the closest signal to real resident experience.

  • Includes
  • Review Sentiment
  • Review Volume
02

Regulatory & Safety Record 25%

State inspection records, citations, and complaint visits. We weight per-inspection rates more heavily than raw counts.

  • Includes
  • State Inspections
  • Citations/Inspection
  • % Inspections w/ Citations
  • Complaint Visits
  • Accreditations
  • BBB Rating
03

Visual Media & Transparency 15%

Communities that publish high-quality visuals give families a real preview. No photos or tours = a negative transparency signal.

  • Includes
  • Video Tours
  • Virtual Walkthroughs
  • Photo Quantity
  • Photo Quality
04

Website & Operator Transparency 10%

Site quality and whether the operator publishes basic accountability information — staff names, contact details, ownership.

  • Includes
  • Website Content
  • Mobile Usability
  • Staff Info Available
  • Owner Info Available
05

Community Stability 10%

Operational signals indicating whether a community is well-run and meeting demand.

  • Includes
  • Occupancy Rate
  • Bed Options
06

Environment & Pricing 5%

Walkability and pricing transparency. Walk Score is weighted higher for Independent Living than for Memory Care, where most residents do not leave unaccompanied.

  • Includes
  • Walk Score
  • Pricing Transparency
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Frequently Asked Questions about Memory Care in Iowa

What's the difference between assisted living and memory care in Iowa?

Assisted living in Iowa supports residents with daily activities (bathing, dressing, medication management) while preserving independence. Memory care is a specialized form of assisted living for residents living with Alzheimer's or dementia, and adds 24/7 secured environments, dementia-trained staff, and structured routines designed to reduce confusion and wandering.

Does Iowa Medicaid cover memory care?

Iowa Medicaid does not directly pay room-and-board for memory care, but most states (including Iowa) offer Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers that can offset the cost of care services delivered inside a licensed community. Eligibility, waitlists, and covered services vary — check directly with the state Medicaid agency.

What is memory care?

Memory care is a specialized form of assisted living for residents living with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia, with secured environments, dementia-trained staff, and routines built to reduce confusion and wandering.

How many memory care communities are listed on this page?

This page features 233 memory care communities in Iowa. Use the filters and comparison tools above to compare ratings, amenities, and pricing.

How do I choose the right memory care community in Iowa?

Start by matching the level of care offered to the resident's current and anticipated needs, then compare licensing status, staff-to-resident ratios, recent inspection results, and pricing. Tour at least two or three communities in Iowa, talk to current residents and families, and confirm what is included in the base rate versus billed as add-on services.

What should I look for when visiting memory care communities in Iowa?

Pay attention to staff interactions with residents, cleanliness and odor, food quality at meal times, the activity calendar, and how questions about pricing and care plans are answered. Ask to see the most recent state inspection report, the move-out / level-of-care-change policy, and a sample monthly bill that lists every fee.