Best Memory Care in Urbandale, IA

Overview of Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center

Dedicated to serving residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center is a one-story memory care community in Urbandale, Iowa. The home at 8525 Urbandale Avenue sits in an average walkable neighborhood, scoring 66 for walkability, making it accessible for visiting families who can run some errands on foot while having easy access to nearby services.

Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center offers flexibility in housing with private and shared suite options, letting families pick the living arrangement that best suits their loved one’s comfort level and care needs. Such memory care communities typically provide a structured, secure environment with specialized programming designed for occupants experiencing cognitive decline. The one-story layout bolsters safety and ease of movement for residents with memory impairment, eliminating the confusion that multiple floors or complex building layouts entail.

For families examining memory care options, Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center offers an opportunity to tour it and observe how the physical design, daily routines, and staff interactions support occupants with Alzheimer’s. An on-site visit lets you assess the security features, activity programming, and overall atmosphere to determine if the home’s approach matches your loved one’s needs and your family’s priorities for specialized memory care.

Overview of Bickford of Urbandale

Bickford of Urbandale is an assisted living with memory care community, located in Urbandale, IA. It can be found east of Brookview Park, and below Beaver Creek. This senior living community prides itself with their Higher Path approach to caring for their residents. This approach aims to help seniors live healthier, happier, and longer, and they do this by providing services such as; 24/7 access to primary care, daily activity assistance from certified caregivers, medication management, wander management, security, and intelligent fall detection among other things. The rooms, whether studio or one bedroom units, are also equipped with strategically located pull cords, for assistance requests any time it’s needed.

At Bickford of Urbandale, assisted living costs wouldn’t be something to worry abouts as they also offer assistance for choosing Medicare Health Plans for their residents. This helps ensure that residents receive the proper care they need, while living a high quality of life, without breaking their banks.

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.

Overview of Edencrest at Timberline

Step into a nurturing environment with Edencrest at Timberline, a blissful senior living community in Urbandale, IA, designed to help residents achieve their highest potential. Offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, and respite care, the community makes sure its residents successfully age in place. Residents thrive and feel secure in their well-designed accommodations with access to gorgeous outdoor spaces and indoor conveniences.

Dedicated to its residents’ holistic wellness, the community provides various wellness programs and fitness classes. Access to a range of therapy services is available through Fox Rehabilitation, helping residents maintain their overall functions. Fresh, healthy meals are served daily alongside housekeeping and laundry services for a chore-free retirement experience.

Overview of Edencrest at Timberline

Edencrest at Timberline is a 120-bed senior living community at 14001 Douglas Parkway in Urbandale, Iowa. Managed by Geoff Counasse and part of the Highmark Senior Living portfolio, the facility serves Polk County under license S0471, valid through May 2027. Current occupancy stands at approximately 54% with 65 residents, a figure that reflects its status as a recently established campus building its census. The location is categorized as car-dependent with a Walk Score of zero, though the facility provides scheduled transportation for residents.

Since its licensing in 2023, the facility has undergone one recertification inspection in October 2025, which identified only a single deficiency, a rate 96% lower than the state average. This isolated finding involved staff management of a resident’s monitoring device, but the facility achieved a citations-per-inspection rate of zero for all other evaluated categories. There are no documented fines or enforcement actions in the community’s history.

Clinical care is delivered by a 24/7 on-site team that includes a Director of Nursing and professional caregivers specialized in memory care. Services cover a full continuum, including independent living, assisted living, and high-acuity support for diabetes and incontinence. Memory care starts at approximately $5,600 monthly, while general assisted living begins at $4,400, covering personalized health plans and medication management.

The residential environment features modern apartments with move-in assistance and access to extensive shared amenities. Residents have access to a fitness center, walking trails, a library, and a full-service salon and spa. Social programming includes daily wellness classes, arts and crafts, and curated restaurant-style dining with specific dietary accommodations. The community is pet-friendly and provides private courtyards for outdoor recreation.

Families seeking a newer, high-amenity campus with a specialized memory care program may find this community appropriate. Families should ask directly about the current staff training protocols for resident monitoring and confirm the latest monthly rates for specific apartment floor plans before making a placement decision.