Best Memory Care in Missouri

Overview of James River Nursing and Rehabilitation

James River Nursing and Rehabilitation is a 120-bed skilled nursing facility at 3550 East Battlefield, Springfield, Greene County, Missouri, operated by Jrnrc Ops Inc under the administration of Kelsey Long. The facility provides short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, and respite care for Medicare, Medicaid, and private-pay residents.

The most significant finding in the recent inspection record is a November 2025 complaint investigation that revealed systemic problems with basic hygiene and staff scheduling. Prior complaint investigation in July 2024 identified 18 deficiencies across multiple categories. A health inspection in July 2024 found 7 deficiencies. The September 2022 health inspection documented failures to post daily nurse staffing information prominently and deficiencies in food storage protocols.

The facility remains subject to ongoing compliance monitoring.

LPNs provide 48 minutes/resident/day, 17% above the average of 41 minutes. Registered Nurses provide only 21 minutes/resident/day, 25% below the average of 28 minutes. Certified Nursing Aides provide 2 hours 15 minutes/resident/day, 3% below average. Weekend nursing total drops to 2 hours 35 minutes/resident/day, 15% below the average of 3 hours 3 minutes.

Weekend RN coverage falls to 12 minutes/resident/day, 40% below the average of 20 minutes. Physical therapy is minimal at 1 minute/resident/day, 50% below the average of 2 minutes.

The payroll ratio of 43.9% to revenue falls well below the 60-71% range considered adequate for Missouri SNFs.

Long-stay hospitalization rates are concerning at 3.61/1,000 resident days, 74% worse than the average of 2.08/1,000 days. Pressure ulcer rates in high-risk long-stay residents stand at 7.8%, 56% worse than the average of 5.0%. Long-stay emergency department visits are 1.92/1,000 resident days, 18% better than average. Falls with major injury affect 3.3% of long-stay residents, 18% better than the average of 4.0%.

Pneumococcal and influenza vaccination rates for long-stay residents reach 99.7% and 100% respectively, both significantly above average. Short-stay residents show discharge functional ability in 60.8% of cases, 13% better than the average. Short-stay re-hospitalization is 27.2%, 8% worse than the average of 25.3%.

CMS rates the facility 3 stars overall, placing it 14.1% above the Missouri average. Health Inspection is rated 3/5, marginally above average. The standout strength is Staffing, rated 5/5 and 38.9% above average. Quality Measures are rated 5/5, 43.4% above state average.

The facility provides 24-hour staffing with licensed nurses and certified nursing assistants on site. Therapeutic services include rehabilitation services and physical therapy. Resident amenities include a communal dining space, activity area, outdoor courtyard with gazebo, therapy gym, and salon services.

James River Nursing and Rehabilitation holds a A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and occupies a highly walkable neighborhood with a walk score of 94.

Occupancy is strong at 83%, 25% above the Missouri average, with 64.4% of current residents on Medicaid.

The facility has been in operation for 26 years and maintains 120 licensed beds. No civil money penalties or payment denials were reported in the past three years.

Families evaluating James River should scrutinize the November 2025 complaint findings regarding shower frequency and staffing adequacy and assess weekend RN coverage.

Overview of Brookdale West County

Nestled in the serene neighborhood of Ballwin, Missouri, Brookdale West County offers a tranquil haven for seniors seeking assisted living and memory care services. The community provides personalized support with daily activities such as grooming, dressing, and medication management, ensuring peace of mind for residents and their families. Around-the-clock care team availability ensures prompt response to any emergency, while allowing residents the independence to engage in a vibrant lifestyle.

From engaging fitness classes to creative workshops and lively social gatherings, The community fosters an enriching environment where residents can thrive and build meaningful connections. Residents enjoy the convenience of restaurant-style dining and a full calendar of events designed to inspire and entertain, all within a warm and inviting setting at Brookdale West County.

Overview of The Manor at Elfindale

Experience exceptional care at The Manor at Elfindale, a dedicated community in Springfield, MO, offering memory care, rehabilitation, and skilled nursing. Those with cognitive conditions and complex healthcare needs are guaranteed the highest quality of care with a compassionate and highly trained team available around the clock. Specially designed and secured units are also provided in a nurturing and welcoming environment, so residents can feel at ease during their stay.

Stimulating activities and enriching programs are conducted to keep residents active and socially connected. Delicious and well-balanced meals are available, ensuring residents have the nutrients they need to remain healthy. The community has received several recognitions throughout the years, proving its top-notch quality.

Troy Manor is a 150-bed skilled nursing facility and assisted living community that has operated for 31 years under a mixed-care model. The property handles a blend of long-term care and short-term rehabilitation, resulting in an average resident stay of 188 days. Admissions lean heavily toward Medicaid-dependent individuals, who account for 82% of the total census. Business records indicate notable financial and operational strain, highlighted by a declining 65% occupancy rate and a net operating loss of $1.1 million.

Official health department and licensing databases show severe, long-standing compliance issues alongside substantial staffing shortages. Over the past seven years, regulators have documented 71 total deficiencies, creating an annual average of 10.1 citations that doubles the Missouri state baseline. The facility has compiled four critical and four serious citations since 2019, including a May 2025 substantiated complaint regarding the verbal abuse of a resident and a failure to notify state authorities.

Past inspection cycles also flagged a major 97-day medication mix-up in 2023 that resulted in a resident hospitalization, as well as recurring issues with infection control, pressure ulcer management, and elopement protocols. These challenges have led to $208,000 in total federal financial fines and two separate government payment blocks that temporarily suspended admissions. Daily staffing numbers track well below average, with registered nurse hours running 61% below the state norm and certified nursing aide hours trailing by 37%.

Older adults evaluating regional long-term skilled nursing or assisted living options can review these public tracking archives to analyze the provider’s operational history. Since the state documentation confirms significant historical financial penalties, multiple admission freezes, and thin front-line staffing volumes alongside persistent clinical care deficiencies, the files show a care environment facing heavy administrative and safety challenges.

Overview of The Manor

The Manor is a 90-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation center at 2071 Barron Rd in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, operated by Poplar Bluff No 1, Inc. in Butler County. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, serving a mix of short-term rehabilitation and long-term residents with an average stay of 121 days. A secure memory care unit, physical and occupational and speech therapy, IV therapy, and oxygen therapy are confirmed services.

The facility is graded 3 stars by CMS, 14.1 percent above Missouri’s average, with the health inspection sub-rating running 37.9 percent above state average. Across 3 inspections since 2022, the facility recorded 26 total citations all moderate in severity and from standard inspections, with no critical or serious findings, fines, and payment denials. Staffing and quality measures run below state average and are the primary drag on the overall rating. Nurse hours reach 3h 12m per resident daily, 16 percent below Missouri’s average. At 65 percent occupancy aligned with Missouri’s 66.6 percent average, the facility has some availability.

The Rehab to Home program is a named care track. An active resident council and on-site nurse aide training are present.

The Manor is best for residents needing skilled nursing, secure memory care, or short-term post-acute rehabilitation in Poplar Bluff.

Overview of Life Care Center of Waynesville

Life Care Center of Waynesville is a 120-bed skilled nursing facility at 700 Birch Lane in Waynesville, Missouri. It’s operated by Waynesville Medical Investors, LLC, in Pulaski County. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are welcome, with a mix of short-term rehabilitation and long-term care stays. A secured Alzheimer’s and dementia unit exists.

CMS scores the facility 1 star, 62 percent below Missouri average, driven by below-average health inspection and staffing sub-ratings. Quality measures run modestly above state average, the one positive in an otherwise poor sub-rating picture. Across 6 health inspections since 2022, the facility recorded 31 total citations, including 1 serious finding, with a $22,000 federal fine issued in March 2025. No immediate jeopardy findings or payment denials are on record. Nurse hours reach 3h 45m per resident per day, roughly aligned with Missouri average. At 64 percent occupancy near Missouri’s 66.6 percent average, the facility generally has availability.

Amenities include a community re-entry program, a certified dietitian, landscaped grounds and courtyards, and a fine dining program. In place are full-time certified activity director and active resident council.

The secured dementia unit and rehabilitation capacity makes the facility best for memory care residents and post-acute stays in Pulaski County.

Overview of Sunrise of Des Peres

Uplift your mood with the blissful senior living community of Sunrise of Des Peres situated on Manchester Road, Des Peres, MO, providing assisted living, memory care, short-term stay, and hospice coordination. With seniors’ well-being and safety in mind, the community features pleasant and spacious accommodations including studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom apartments, and companion suites. Live your life as you prefer with a caring and dedicated team handling the housekeeping and other mundane activities.

The community is committed to improving seniors’ quality of life, conducting a variety of interactive activities, and fulfilling learning programs. Join your friends and engage in inspiring conversations over meals catered to your dietary requirements and preferences. Sunrise of Des Peres is ideal to spend your golden years in comfort and luxury with its well-maintained campus filled with warmth and friendly community.

Nestled in the peaceful grounds of Plaza Court North, Saint Clair, MO, is the esteemed senior living community of St. Clair Nursing Center Skilled Nursing by Americare, which offers skilled nursing, hospice care, home health care, and rehabilitation. Featuring private and semi-private studio accommodations, the community ensures seniors have a peaceful and safe stay on its premises. Let go of your worries with a team of dedicated and well-trained professionals caring for your special needs and aspirations.

Live an active and connected life with enjoyable activities and exciting events. Moreover, the community utilizes a holistic approach to ensure residents are taken care of in every aspect of their well-being. St. Clair Nursing Center strives to provide a haven for seniors to make the most out of their best years without worries.

Overview of Alpine Breeze Health and Wellness

Alpine Breeze Health and Wellness is a 154-bed skilled nursing facility in Raytown, Jackson County, Missouri, operated by Raytown Road Healthcare LLC with Micah Davis as administrator. The facility specializes in memory care and provides rehabilitation services, accepting Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay residents.

Staffing presents critical deficiencies. Registered nurse coverage is 13 minutes/day, 54% below average. Licensed practical nurse hours are 25 minutes/day, 39% below average. Certified nurse aide staffing is 1 hour 51 minutes/day, 20% below average.

Total adjusted nursing care is 2 hours 9 minutes/day, 44% below average, ranking the facility 267th of 276 Missouri facilities. Weekend total nursing is 2 hours 4 minutes/day, 32% below average, with weekend RN coverage at 10 minutes/day, 50% below average. This staffing profile indicates substantially reduced clinical oversight, particularly on weekends.

Quality measures show contrasting patterns. Clinical outcome measures are strong: high-risk clinical events score is 2.9 (74% better than average), functional decline score is 8.1 (58% better), pressure ulcer rates are 2.1% (58% better), hospitalization rates are 1.55 per 1,000 days (25% better), and ED visits are 0.49 per 1,000 days (79% better). Vaccination rates exceed 99%. However, depressive symptoms affect 72.6% of long-stay residents, 465% worse than the average of 12.8%.

Occupancy is 90% (138 of 154 beds), above the Missouri average of 66.6%. Current resident payer mix is 12.1% Medicare, 85.7% Medicaid, and 2.2% private pay. Gross revenue is $4.9 million with an operating loss of $459.6 thousand; payroll represents 64.3% of revenue. Walk score is 73.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Division of Regulation and Licensure, conducts inspections for all long-term care providers. Alpine Breeze received 10 inspections since 2019, with 48 total deficiencies (37% above average). The facility received two critical citations and two serious citations, rates 186% and 100% worse than average, respectively.

Recent inspections identify serious patterns. April 2025: resident-to-resident physical injury resulting in hospitalization. January 2025: water service shutdown due to failure to pay vendors, constituting immediate jeopardy affecting 138 residents. January 2025: substantiated financial exploitation by CNA involving unauthorized Cash App withdrawals of $617.89 from a resident’s account.

October 2024: failure to provide proper discharge notice and refusal to readmit a resident after hospitalization; state appeals unit ordered readmission.

October 2023 routine inspection identified 18 deficiencies including failure to ensure resident privacy, widespread environmental cleanliness failures with mouse droppings, failure to follow wound care orders, unsafe resident transfers, inadequate infection control practices, improper food temperature maintenance, and delayed vendor payments. June 2023 complaint investigation identified three deficiencies: failure to provide behavioral monitoring for dementia residents resulting in resident-to-resident altercation, missing safety signage and handrails.

The inspection record demonstrates recurring deficiencies across six years in environmental maintenance, vendor payment administration, infection control, wound care, safe resident handling, behavioral monitoring for dementia residents, and food safety. The facility received $19,000 in civil money penalties in 2025.

Families considering Alpine Breeze should request corrective action plans addressing the January 2025 water shutdown, financial exploitation incident, and April 2025 resident injury.

Overview of Country Meadows

Country Meadows delivers an 87-bed skilled care layout on Gidley Avenue in Park Hills, Missouri, overseen by owner Kimberly Thomas and Country Meadows Nursing & Rehab, LLC. Resident billing accounts are routed through traditional avenues like Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay. If you want to check out the local surroundings, the neighborhood holds a walkability score of 50 out of 100, indicating a suburban grid where visiting family can manage occasional tasks on foot, though a car remains useful for most travel.

Data sheets highlight that the building operates at a 78 percent occupancy rate and has an average length of stay of 64 days, confirming a routine focused on short-term post-hospital therapy rather than permanent placements. Daily clinical needs and movement routines are monitored through a continuous 24-hour shift schedule that averages 3 hours and 50 minutes of total nursing care per resident each day. This shared workload is split among registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nurse aides who handle direct physical support and medication tracking.

Recent inspection surveys identified specific procedural corrections related to fire safety barrier maintenance, dietary storage conditions, and medication administration timing, indicating that the facility’s cumulative citations-per-inspection rate is not zero and that these parameters remain part of routine state reviews.

Individuals can participate in personalized physical recovery tracks, assisted living adjustments, and general personal care services. The campus features an on-site fitness room, grooming salon, open computer terminal with free Wi-Fi, and a calendar of organized social events. The kitchen staff coordinates these daily programs with chef-prepared dining options based on community feedback, alongside regular laundry care, housekeeping, and open family visiting hours.