Page 5 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
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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. HC (Home Care): Professional care delivered in the person's own home, from companionship to skilled nursing. ADC (Adult Day Care): Daytime supervision, health monitoring, and social activities for seniors who live at home.
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.
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.
Count of incident-based investigations (e.g. reported events) in the regulatory record for the reporting period.
Glen Haven Village
MC
ADC
AL
NH
RC
SNF
Glenwood
69
Facility 69
IA AVG 76
Rank #98 / 211
No
75
Facility 75
IA AVG 45
Rank #33 / 224
-
21
Facility 21
IA AVG 16
Rank #60 / 171
89.9%
Facility 89.9%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #27 / 193
C-28
15
Facility 15
IA AVG 6
Rank #186 / 193
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 1
Rank #1 / 193
Arbor Springs-West Des Moines
MC
NH
RC
SNF
West Des Moines
56
Facility 56
IA AVG 76
Rank #135 / 211
No
30
Facility 30
IA AVG 45
Rank #158 / 224
-
22
Facility 22
IA AVG 16
Rank #55 / 171
82.1%
Facility 82.1%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #10 / 193
B+25
6
Facility 6
IA AVG 6
Rank #108 / 193
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 1
Rank #161 / 193
The Vinton Lutheran Home
MC
AL
HC
NH
SNF
Vinton
61
Facility 61
IA AVG 76
Rank #124 / 211
No
53
Facility 53
IA AVG 45
Rank #77 / 224
-
49
Facility 49
IA AVG 16
Rank #7 / 171
77.0%
Facility 77.0%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #71 / 193
C-27
9
Facility 9
IA AVG 6
Rank #161 / 193
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 1
Rank #1 / 193
Perry Lutheran Home
MC
AL
IL
NH
RC
SNF
Perry
70
Facility 70
IA AVG 76
Rank #92 / 211
No
74
Facility 74
IA AVG 45
Rank #37 / 224
-
26
Facility 26
IA AVG 16
Rank #34 / 171
71.4%
Facility 71.4%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #62 / 193
?28
11
Facility 11
IA AVG 6
Rank #169 / 193
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 1
Rank #1 / 193
The Meadows
MC
AL
IL
Manchester
74
Facility 74
IA AVG 76
Rank #82 / 211
No
29
Facility 29
IA AVG 45
Rank #159 / 224
-
26
Facility 26
IA AVG 16
Rank #34 / 171
50.0%
Facility 50.0%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #117 / 193
A+3
4
Facility 4
IA AVG 6
Rank #79 / 193
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 1
Rank #1 / 193
Edencrest at The Legacy
MC
AL
IL
RC
Norwalk
80
Facility 80
IA AVG 76
Rank #64 / 211
Yes
29
Facility 29
IA AVG 45
Rank #159 / 224
Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed
8
Facility 8
IA AVG 16
Rank #102 / 171
33.8%
Facility 33.8%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #173 / 193
A+7
5
Facility 5
IA AVG 6
Rank #92 / 193
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 1
Rank #1 / 193
Grand Living At Tower Place
MC
AL
IL
West Des Moines
76
Facility 76
IA AVG 76
Rank #76 / 211
Yes
63
Facility 63
IA AVG 45
Rank #55 / 224
Studio / 1 bed / 2 bed
5
Facility 5
IA AVG 16
Rank #130 / 171
47.4%
Facility 47.4%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #131 / 193
A-7
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 6
Rank #58 / 193
1
Facility 1
IA AVG 1
Rank #129 / 193
FeatherStone at Hickory Hill
MC
AL
Iowa City (Hoover)
170
Facility 170
IA AVG 76
Rank #8 / 211
Yes
13
Facility 13
IA AVG 45
Rank #195 / 224
Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed
2
Facility 2
IA AVG 16
Rank #156 / 171
29.4%
Facility 29.4%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #183 / 193
D2
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 6
Rank #1 / 193
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 1
Rank #1 / 193
Grand Living at Indian Creek
MC
AL
IL
Cedar Rapids
264
Facility 264
IA AVG 76
Rank #1 / 211
Yes
8
Facility 8
IA AVG 45
Rank #207 / 224
-
7
Facility 7
IA AVG 16
Rank #111 / 171
51.1%
Facility 51.1%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #119 / 193
-5
1
Facility 1
IA AVG 6
Rank #21 / 193
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 1
Rank #1 / 193
3801 Grand
MC
AL
IL
Des Moines (East Village)
106
Facility 106
IA AVG 76
Rank #41 / 211
No
91
Facility 91
IA AVG 45
Rank #2 / 224
-
28
Facility 28
IA AVG 16
Rank #20 / 171
40.6%
Facility 40.6%
IA AVG 62.6%
Rank #153 / 193
-6
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 6
Rank #141 / 193
0
Facility 0
IA AVG 1
Rank #1 / 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

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Overview of Grand Living at Tower Place

Grand Living at Tower Place is an assisted living community in West Des Moines, Iowa, in an average walkable neighborhood where some daily errands can be finished on foot. Operating for five years, it’s housed in a mid-rise building. It offers an array of housing configurations: studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units to cater to different preferences and care needs. The 76-bed facility currently maintains a 47 percent occupancy rate, with 36 residents in place. This lower occupancy may give new families a chance to tour the home and experience the setting with more availability and attention to queries.

The Iowa authorities’ regulatory inspections have identified areas for improvement across policies and procedures, including medication management, emergency response protocols, background verification processes, and activity programming. These are operational areas that families must discuss directly with management during a tour to know how it’s addressing and fortifying such practices.

An in-person visit by prospective residents and their families would be valuable to learn about the specific services, care offerings, amenities, dining, and daily activities offered at Grand Living at Tower Place, plus to better understand its approach to resident support and engagement.

Contact Grand Living At Tower Place

Edencrest at The Legacy

2901 Cedar St, Norwalk, IA 50211
Overview of Edencrest at the Legacy

Edencrest at the Legacy sits in Norwalk, Iowa, offering a full care continuum under one roof. It provides assisted living, independent living, memory care, and respite care, giving families flexibility if a loved one’s needs shift over time. Administrator Anna Austin leads the operation, which opened in 2018. The two-story building holds 80 beds with housing in studio, one-, and two-bedroom layouts. With 28 beds occupied, current occupancy is at 35 percent.

While the neighborhood isn’t especially walkable, with a Walk Score of 29, the home operates an on-site transportation service so occupants don’t need to rely on family or personal vehicles for appointments and outings. Fitness and recreation are offered in-house, and the facility welcomes pets, so residents can bring along a beloved dog or cat. That matters more than it might seem if a pet is part of someone’s daily life and comfort. Built for continuity is Edencrest at the Legacy. An occupant can move in needing minimal support for daily activities and stay through a transition to memory care without changing addresses. Between on-site transportation and organized recreation, the community fills gaps that a car-dependent neighborhood would otherwise create.

The breadth of care levels in one location simplifies future planning, noteworthy for families exploring choices in central Iowa.

Contact Edencrest at The Legacy

Overview of The Heritage at Fox Run

Placing a premium on understanding the unique needs, personalities of each resident is a key aspect of The Heritage at Fox Run’s senior care community in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Elderly individuals looking to settle into their golden years without the hassle of daily chores, or those in need of a helping hand with everyday activities, tackling the challenges of memory care conditions, or looking for a serene environment to live out their lives, can find exactly what they want and more from the full spectrum of services available at The Heritage.

Independent living, assisted living, memory care, respite care, on care home health and hospice; The Heritage’s brand of exceptional senior living has got you or your loved one covered on all bases. Warm and welcoming staff are dedicated to supporting residents to lead the best lives possible, while enjoying comforts such as cozy living arrangements, high-class dining options, socialization opportunities, and events, amenities geared towards pursuing passions and stimulating engagement.

Contact The Heritage at Fox Run

Overview of Grand Living at Indian Creek

Grand Living at Indian Creek offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care in Cedar Rapids, IA. Independent living means private living with community services and no daily care, while assisted living includes help with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and medication management. Memory care provides a secured setting with supervision for someone at risk of wandering, so the range of care levels may suit a resident whose needs grow over time without leaving the community.

The community has 264 beds, bringing together more residents, staff, and usually more programming than a smaller community. Respite care offers a short stay when a resident’s usual caregiver needs to travel or recover. Pets are allowed, so a resident can bring a pet when moving in.

Multiple restaurant-style dining venues serve chef-prepared meals, giving residents more than one on-site setting for meals. A pool and wellness center provide places for exercise, while salon services support personal care and outdoor recreation areas offer space for outdoor activity. Chauffeured transportation is available for scheduled travel, and LUMINATIONS® memory care and FACETS® Events and Activities are among the community’s named programs.

Dara Fishnick serves as the administrator.

Contact Grand Living at Indian Creek

3801 Grand

3801 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312-2800
Overview of 3801 Grand

3801 Grand offers assisted living, independent living, and memory care in Des Moines, IA. Assisted living provides help with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and medication while a resident maintains their own apartment. Independent living provides private living with community services and no daily care, while memory care offers a secured setting with supervision for someone who may be at risk of wandering.

Having all three care types in one community may make 3801 Grand a good fit for a resident whose needs could grow over time, because a move to another care level may not require leaving the community. The community has 106 beds, and Angie Wadle serves as administrator.

A Walk Score of 91 out of 100 makes the area a walker’s paradise, meaning daily errands do not require a car and a resident who no longer drives can still get out independently. Social, dining, and wellness programming gives residents organized activities connected to those parts of daily life.

Contact 3801 Grand

Glen Haven Village

133 Indian Hills Drive, Glenwood, IA 51534-1129
Overview of Glen Haven Village

Glen Haven Village keeps its address in Glenwood, IA, and its license names adult day care, respite care, memory care, assisted living, nursing home care, and skilled nursing. Nursing runs through the night as well as the day, which is worth knowing in a place laid out as cottages, because a residential-looking building is still carrying clinical cover. Bathing, dressing and medication are what assisted living helps with.

Memory care is the level with a locked perimeter, supervised, for someone liable to wander. Respite and adult day care are two ways of using this place without moving into it. The first is a short stay covering a family caregiver’s trip or recovery.

Sixty-nine beds are licensed, and the named programs are Long Term Care Cottages and a Rehabilitation Cottage. Short-term rehab belongs to the rehabilitation services, which makes a temporary stay possible instead of a permanent one. Several kinds of care in one building suit needs that change.

Medicaid, Medicare, and private pay all go toward eligible care. Each resident gets 5 hours 55 minutes of nursing across a day. Julianne Marriott holds the administrator’s role.

A Walk Score of 75 makes the area very walkable. Most errands are on foot from here, so shops and services stay reachable after somebody stops driving.

Contact Glen Haven Village

Overview of Arbor Springs-West Des Moines

Arbor Springs in West Des Moines, Iowa, is a highly regarded facility known for its exceptional care, particularly for individuals with dementia. It prides itself on fostering a positive and supportive environment. Situated in a residential area, this facility employs a Montessori approach to care, which has received praise from reviews. Arbor Springs offers a range of amenities, including a community center, therapy room, and a beauty salon, ensuring that residents have access to essential services.
The facility boasts inviting features like a home-like dining room, cozy interior spaces, and intimate common areas. Additionally, Arbor Springs has implemented innovative touches such as memory boxes outside individual rooms, aiding in the identification of residents’ spaces. The dedication to providing fresh air and well-landscaped surroundings contributes to the overall well-being of the residents. Arbor Springs offers a spectrum of care, encompassing memory care options, including private homes, and also provides services like long-term care, short-term rehabilitation, and respite care, catering to the diverse needs of its residents.

Contact Arbor Springs-West Des Moines

Overview of The Vinton Lutheran Home

The Vinton Lutheran Home provides nursing home, assisted living, home care, memory care, and skilled nursing in Vinton, IA. Nursing home care provides residential support, while assisted living helps with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and medication while a resident maintains an apartment. Home care brings support to a person’s residence.

Memory care offers a secured setting with supervision for someone at risk of wandering. Skilled nursing provides licensed nursing care on site around the clock. This range of care may suit a household planning for changing needs, with options that include assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing.

Opened in 1952, the home has 61 beds, and Doug Wood serves as the administrator. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted. Medicaid can help cover care for an eligible resident whose savings may not cover a long stay, while Medicare applies to short term skilled care after a hospital stay rather than long term residence.

Total nurse staffing is 5 hours and 22 minutes per resident each day, representing the total daily nurse time allocated per resident. Rehabilitation services and short term rehabilitation support a temporary stay focused on recovery, while respite care suits a family caregiver who needs a short break or time to recover.

A beauty shop provides salon services within the community, and outdoor gardens give residents access to outdoor space. The area has a Walk Score of 53 out of 100 and is somewhat walkable, so some errands can be done on foot and a resident who no longer drives may be able to reach nearby destinations independently.

Contact The Vinton Lutheran Home

Overview of Perry Lutheran Home

Perry Lutheran Home provides nursing home, assisted living, independent living, memory care, respite care, and skilled nursing in Perry, IA. Independent living offers private living with community services and no daily care, while assisted living helps with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and medication. Memory care is a secured setting with supervision for someone at risk of wandering, and skilled nursing provides licensed nursing care on site around the clock.

Respite care offers a short stay when a family’s usual caregiver needs to travel or recover. As a continuing care retirement community, Perry Lutheran Home brings these care levels together, which may suit a resident whose needs grow over time because changing care can happen without leaving the community. The home has 70 beds.

Rehabilitative therapy can support a resident working to regain function. The Meals on Wheels program provides meal delivery through that service. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, giving families those payment routes for care costs.

Total nurse staffing is 4h 40m per resident/day, representing the daily hands-on nurse staffing time per resident. A Walk Score of 74 places the area in the very walkable band, so most errands can be done on foot and a resident who no longer drives can still get out independently. Melissa Gannon serves as the administrator.

Contact Perry Lutheran Home

Overview of The Meadows

Make the most of your best years at The Meadows, a welcoming retreat in Manchester, IA, offering assisted living. Featuring specially designed and secure accommodations, the community ensures residents are comfortable and safe. Residents can also keep their peace of mind with a compassionate and well-trained team helping with their daily living activities around the clock.

A thoughtfully planned calendar of engaging activities and fun recreational programs is conducted, encouraging residents to interact with their surroundings and live actively. Residents have a delightful dining experience with delicious and well-balanced dining options that cater to their dietary needs and preferences. The community is ideal for those needing assistance to live comfortably in retirement, especially with its exceptional care and well-maintained amenities.

Contact The Meadows

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
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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
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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 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.