Page 21 of Best Memory Care in Iowa

Why trust this guide? Our editorial team analyzed 230 memory care providers in IA using IA Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL) data, inspection records, complaints, amenities, and facility-level details. How we rank memory care in IA
Reviewed by
Last updated
We analyzed These are the providers in Iowa our team has analyzed — not a count of every memory care provider in Iowa. Home health and home care providers may be included if they specialize in memory care services.
230 providers
Other senior care options in Iowa:

Compare Memory Care around Iowa

Info below is compiled from the IA Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL), senior community websites & trusted data sources such as Walk Score & BBB.

Communities are listed from highest-ranked to lowest-ranked based on our methodology.

Care Types in This Table AL (Assisted Living): Housing with help for daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication, without 24-hour skilled nursing. NH (Nursing Home): 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility): Round-the-clock nursing care, often for recovery after surgery, injury, or illness. MC (Memory Care): Secured, specialized care for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia. RC (Respite Care): Short-term temporary care that gives family caregivers a break. IL (Independent Living): Community living with dining, activities, and transportation for active seniors who need little personal care. HOS (Hospice Care): Comfort-focused care for those with a terminal illness, prioritizing quality of life over treatment.
City and state of the facility. Used for mapping and state-average comparisons.
Licensed bed capacity (maximum allowed). Not the same as how many beds are currently filled.
Indicates whether residents are allowed to have pets in the facility.
Third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100). Convenience/context metric, not a healthcare quality measure.
Description of bed or unit types offered (e.g. assisted living, memory care), as reported in state or facility disclosures.
Number of years the company has been in operation.
Reported or derived occupancy for the facility—typically how fully licensed capacity is utilized. Compare across peers in the same market.
Better Business Bureau grade for the operating company. Reflects complaint handling and business practices, not clinical care quality.
A 0–100 score of a facility's regulatory inspection record, shown as a letter and compared with other facilities of the same kind in the same state. This is a proprietary Assisted Living Magazine grade. It is not a government rating. A dash means we have no inspection data for that facility.
Count of regulatory inspections in the reporting window. Higher volume can reflect more oversight visits, complaint-driven surveys, or routine licensure cycles.
Inspection events categorized as complaint-related by the state regulator.
Zearing Health Care, LLC
MC
HOS
NH
RC
SNF
Garfield Zearing
40
Facility 40
IA AVG 76
Rank #171 / 211
No
10
Facility 10
IA AVG 45
Rank #206 / 224
--
85.0%
Facility 85.0%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #68 / 193
-A-20
11
Facility 11
IA AVG 6
Rank #166 / 193
Westview Care Center
MC
HOS
NH
RC
SNF
Sw Britt
67
Facility 67
IA AVG 76
Rank #106 / 211
No
38
Facility 38
IA AVG 45
Rank #127 / 224
--
77.9%
Facility 77.9%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #67 / 193
-?--
Ossian Care Center
MC
AL
NH
SNF
Ossian
46
Facility 46
IA AVG 76
Rank #153 / 211
No
38
Facility 38
IA AVG 45
Rank #127 / 224
--
91.3%
Facility 91.3%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #60 / 193
-B-20
7
Facility 7
IA AVG 6
Rank #128 / 193
Hillcrest Health Care Center
MC
AL
NH
SNF
L Hawarden
64
Facility 64
IA AVG 76
Rank #112 / 211
No
49
Facility 49
IA AVG 45
Rank #95 / 224
--
83.8%
Facility 83.8%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #48 / 193
-C--
Harvest Acres Nursing & Rehab
MC
HOS
NH
RC
SNF
Keota
35
Facility 35
IA AVG 76
Rank #195 / 211
No
32
Facility 32
IA AVG 45
Rank #154 / 224
--
82.0%
Facility 82.0%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #54 / 193
-D--
Woodland Terrace
MC
AL
IL
Nw Waverly
100
Facility 100
IA AVG 76
Rank #46 / 211
No
24
Facility 24
IA AVG 45
Rank #172 / 224
--
81.0%
Facility 81.0%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #43 / 193
--28
8
Facility 8
IA AVG 6
Rank #152 / 193
Woodlands Creek Senior Living
MC
AL
IL
Clive
-Yes
19
Facility 19
IA AVG 45
Rank #183 / 224
Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed
23
Facility 23
IA AVG 16
Rank #49 / 171
-A+---
Woodlands Creek Senior Living
MC
AL
IL
Clive
-Yes
21
Facility 21
IA AVG 45
Rank #179 / 224
-
23
Facility 23
IA AVG 16
Rank #49 / 171
-A+---
Amera Senior Living
MC
AL
IL
RC
Sioux City
170
Facility 170
IA AVG 76
Rank #8 / 211
Yes
91
Facility 91
IA AVG 45
Rank #2 / 224
Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed------
River Valley Place of Fort Madison
MC
AL
RC
Fort Madison
70
Facility 70
IA AVG 76
Rank #92 / 211
Yes--
18
Facility 18
IA AVG 16
Rank #72 / 171
44.3%
Facility 44.3%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #168 / 193
--10
6
Facility 6
IA AVG 6
Rank #169 / 193

Rank badges are statewide and care-type specific: each memory care community is ranked against every other IA memory care community we track that reports that metric, not just the 230 on this page. See how we rank facilities

Rows per page:
View all Nearby Homes

Woodland Terrace

1922 Fifth Avenue Nw, Waverly, IA 50677-1903
Overview of Woodland Terrace

Woodland Terrace offers assisted living, independent living, and memory care in Waverly, IA. Assisted living helps with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and medication while the resident keeps a private apartment. Independent living provides private living with community services and no daily care, while memory care offers a secured setting with supervision for someone at risk of wandering.

All three care levels are on one campus. Woodland Terrace may be a good fit for a resident whose needs could grow over time without requiring a move to another community. The community opened in 1997 and has 100 beds, with Veronica Shea serving as administrator.

Contact Woodland Terrace

Overview of Westview Care Center

Sixty-seven beds make up Westview Care Center in Britt, Iowa. Four types of care are offered: skilled nursing, memory care, hospice care, and respite care.

Memory care starts to matter at the point when explaining stops working reliably. A person told again and again that the stove is off will keep asking, and supervision fills the gap their reasoning used to.

Licensed nursing covers every hour, which means no stretch of the day ends in someone being told to wait until morning for care. Hospice care is about comfort rather than cure. For a resident with a terminal illness, that shift decides how the day is spent.

Winter and distance make respite ordinary in a place like this. A daughter who normally checks in daily cannot get to Britt for two weeks, and the respite stay covers that gap.

Rehabilitation and short-term rehabilitation care carry the recovery work that a house, which would otherwise suit someone perfectly well, is unable to do sometimes.

Nursing time draws 3 hours and 52 minutes per resident per day. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay all are accepted here. A private family gathering room gives visiting family somewhere to be that isn’t the bedside, and the area scores a 38 for walking, so best to bring a car.

Contact Westview Care Center

Overview of Ossian Care Center

Ossian Care Center offers nursing home, skilled nursing, assisted living, and memory care in Ossian, Iowa. Skilled nursing provides licensed nursing care on site around the clock, while assisted living supports daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and medication management. Memory care provides a secured setting with supervision for someone at risk of wandering.

The combination may be a good fit for someone whose care needs may grow over time, since a resident may be able to move between care levels without leaving the community. The home has 46 beds, creating a smaller community where staff and residents get to know each other.

Total nurse staffing is 5 hours 24 minutes per resident per day, representing that amount of nursing time per resident across a day. Payment options include Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay. Medicare is used for short term skilled care after a hospital stay, while Medicaid can help when savings do not cover a long stay. Rachael Marshall serves as the administrator.

Rehabilitation services include short term rehab, giving a resident a time limited stay focused on rehabilitation rather than long term residence. The area has a Walk Score of 38 out of 100 and is car dependent, so a resident who no longer drives would need a car or a ride for most errands.

Contact Ossian Care Center

Overview of Hillcrest Health Care Center

Hillcrest Health Care Center in Hawarden, Iowa, provides long-term nursing home care, assisted living support, memory care, and skilled nursing services. Assistance with daily tasks helps residents maintain independence, while memory care programs utilize secured environments to safeguard individuals experiencing memory loss. In-house therapy gym services allow residents to complete physical rehabilitation programs on site.

The facility maintains 64 beds and logs an average of 3 hours and 47 minutes of daily nursing care per resident. Financial accommodations cover Medicare for short-term rehabilitation, Medicaid for extended stays, and direct private payment. Located in an area with a 49 walk score, the setting relies primarily on vehicular transport for off-site errands.

Prospective families evaluating local care environments can contact Hillcrest Health Care Center to inquire about room availability, review financial guidelines, or plan a tour of the community.

Contact Hillcrest Health Care Center

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 Amera Senior Living

Beautifully set in the thriving neighborhood of Sioux City, IA, Amera Senior Living is an exceptional community that offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care. The community has purposely built and spacious one- and two-bedroom floor plans, ensuring residents’ comfort and safety. Residents also enjoy a hassle-free lifestyle with maintenance services and plenty of convenient apartment features.

With a variety of exciting events and engaging programs, residents will not run out of things to do for leisure and wellness. Delightful and healthy meals are also available, striving to satisfy residents’ dietary needs and preferences. The community is ideal for those looking to downsize in retirement, especially with its warm and welcoming environment.

Contact Amera Senior Living

Overview of River Valley Place of Fort Madison

Lisa Elmore administers the daily operations at River Valley Place of Fort Madison, a 70-bed senior living community located at 5025 River Valley Road in Fort Madison, Iowa. Drawing on 17 years of service in Lee County, this facility operates at approximately 37 percent occupancy, housing 26 residents across a care spectrum that covers standard assisted living, short-term respite stays, and specialized dementia care.

The facility structures its long-term enrollment into separate service models, specifically anchoring its cognitive care around the specialized “Better Days” memory care program to manage progressive dementia. The surrounding physical environment is entirely car-dependent, carrying a walkability score of 0 out of 100, which requires staff and visiting relatives to use vehicles for all off-site travel.

Reports managed by Iowa’s Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing indicate an ongoing administrative focus on stabilizing staff levels, executing physician care plans, monitoring resident safety, and standardizing exit-door alarm protocols.

Interested individuals and family caregivers evaluating local senior housing can visit the campus during scheduled weekday touring hours from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Contact River Valley Place of Fort Madison

Overview of Harvest Acres Nursing & Rehab

Harvest Acres Nursing & Rehab is a 35-bed nursing home in Keota, Iowa, offering skilled nursing, memory care, hospice care, and respite care. The community can accommodate those living with memory-related conditions, as well as short-term stays, through hospice and respite care. Residents also have access to nursing services with licensed nurses on-site.

Additionally, short-term rehabilitation is available for residents who need temporary recovery support and therapy. Occupancy is at 82%, with an average length of stay of 442 days. Total nurse staffing is 3 hours and 41 minutes per resident each day, reflecting the daily nursing time assigned per resident.

Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are also accepted, giving families public program and self-pay payment routes. Meanwhile, a Walk Score of 32 out of 100 places the area in a car-dependent setting, so residents who do not drive will generally need a car or transportation services for most errands.

Contact Harvest Acres Nursing & Rehab

Overview of Woodlands Creek Senior Living

Considerably one of the trusted senior living communities in the city, Woodlands Creek offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care lifestyle in a warm and welcoming environment for the residents– making them feel right at home. The retirement home strives in promoting an engaging social life for the seniors to create endless possibilities for them as well as develop meaningful relationships that blossom into wonderful memories. Woodlands is the home where people and interests are mattered and cared for.

The resident lifestyle of independent living seniors is focused on maintaing an active lifestyle by offering them a range of scheduled activities. Assisted living levels of care offer a range of services focused on the individualized and personal care needs of its residents: transportation, a geriatric physician, and a 24/7 nursing staff– the same goes for the memory care unit.

Contact Woodlands Creek Senior Living

Overview of Zearing Health Care

Zearing Health Care provides nursing home, skilled nursing, hospice, memory care, and respite care in Zearing, Iowa. Skilled nursing includes licensed nursing care on site around the clock, while memory care provides a secured setting with supervision for a resident who may be at risk of wandering. Hospice supports residents with end of life needs, and respite care offers a short stay when a usual caregiver needs time away, travel, or recovery.

The community has 40 beds. Rehabilitation services and short term rehabilitation give residents access to recovery focused care without requiring a permanent move into long term care. Zearing Health Care also has a Huntington Disease program for residents whose care needs are related to that condition.

Total nurse staffing is 4 hours and 38 minutes per resident each day, representing the daily nursing time assigned across each resident’s care. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, giving families several listed ways to cover care. Brad Sammon serves as administrator, and Bambi Cerka is the director. Zearing Health Care may be a good fit for a resident whose care needs may change over time because several care types are available within the same community.

Contact Zearing Health Care, LLC

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
No paid rankings Communities cannot pay to influence placement.
How we're paid: If we help you find a community and you move in, that community may pay us a referral fee. This never affects where they rank or what you pay. Learn more
Submit a correction

Memory Care in Iowa at a glance

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: 76The average licensed bed capacity across facilities in Iowa. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 90
Who we are

Your Senior Care Partner, Every Step of the Way

We help families find affordable senior communities and unlock same day discounts, Medicaid, and Medicare options tailored to your needs.

Contact us Today

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 230 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.