Page 6 of Best Nursing Homes in Iowa

Overview of Maple Crest Manor

Maple Crest Manor, located in scenic Fayette, IA, is a premier provider of skilled nursing, assisted living, and memory care services. At this community, a dedicated and skilled team offers a variety of services to meet the needs of their residents, acknowledging that each resident has their individual needs and unique care requirements. The goal at Maple Crest Manor is to provide quality care and an active lifestyle in a home-like environment. This community goes beyond just basic care. Residents can enjoy engaging in a variety of activities like pet therapy, beauty services, and transportation services to make sure residents can attend all needed appointments. This focus on well-being ensures a fulfilling experience for all. Their ultimate goal is to create a comfortable and enriching environment where residents can truly feel at home. At Maple Crest Manor, a true community is built between residents and the devoted staff.

Overview of NewAldaya Lifescapes

Located in the heart of Cedar Falls, IA, NewAldaya Lifescapes offers a vibrant and welcoming community for seniors. This community features a range of care options, including extended care, memory care, skilled nursing, and recreational therapy. Residents can choose from more than 15 unique floor plans in pet-friendly neighborhoods, designed for comfort and independence. The community’s prime location also provides easy access to Cedar Valley Bike Trails and Dry Run Creek, as well as local dining, shopping, and entertainment.

The community thrives with exceptional amenities such as the River Rock Café, New Day Salon and Spa, and a 24-hour wellness center. Residents can engage in various social and recreational activities to stay active and connected. NewAldaya Lifescapes is dedicated to enhancing lives through compassionate care, offering peace of mind in a lively, family-oriented environment.

Overview of Accura HealthCare of Ames

Offering skilled nursing services, Accura HealthCare of Ames is a nursing home in Ames, Iowa, that has been operating for 26 years. Administered by Eric Olson, the community also offers skilled nursing services as well as hospice, palliative, and respite care. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are also accepted.

With a 75-bed capacity, the community has an occupancy rate of 89% and an average stay of 131 days. It also supports both short-term and long-term residents, providing recovery-focused care as well as ongoing nursing needs. Rehabilitation services and respite care are also available.

Approximately 3 hours and 31 minutes of direct care is provided per resident each day. This total includes care provided by registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nurse aides. This also provides a useful measure of the hands-on assistance available throughout the community.

Areas of concern identified through state inspections include recordkeeping, medication administration, food storage, and sanitation practices. However, corrective measures have also been implemented to address these concerns.

Located in a moderately walkable neighborhood with a Walk Score of 59, the community requires transportation to access most local amenities, though some errands can be reached on foot. Combining a long-standing presence, a consistently occupied setting, and multiple payment options, Accura HealthCare of Ames can be a good consideration for families exploring care options.

Friendship Haven in Fort Dodge, IA, is a non-profit continuing care retirement community (CCRC) that offers independent living, assisted living, rehabilitation, and skilled nursing. With a nurturing, home-like environment, the community ensures older adults can live comfortably during their stay. Light housekeeping, nutritious meals, and medication management are among the excellent services provided to improve residents’ living experiences. Residents also receive the utmost attention and care to recover and return to their routines with ease through personalized care plans.

Strength exercises, social events, and various recreational activities ensure residents can make friends and have fun. Safe trails, accessible common areas, and a garden also provide residents with more opportunities for recreation and wellness. Located near the Fort Museum and Frontier Village and bus stops along Kenyon Road, the community guarantees accessibility and convenience. This CCRC has a wide range of care options and a clean setting, making it a great choice for senior living in Iowa.

Midlands Living Center is a 94-bed skilled nursing facility at 2452 North Broadway in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Locally owned and administered by Jordan Tjaden, the community provides short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, and hospice support for residents in Pottawattamie County. The campus is car-dependent with a Walk Score of 14, though it provides medical appointment transportation for its residents.

The facility is CMS-certified and carries an above average 4-star overall rating as of May 2026. Between 2021 and 2025, state inspections yielded an average of 4.3 deficiencies per year, which is 37% below the Iowa state average. While an April 2025 investigation identified a single deficiency related to infection control during catheter care, a September 2025 follow-up found the facility in substantial compliance with zero deficiencies. No federal fines or payment denials have been issued in the past three years.

Staffing levels exceed state averages in several key categories. Total adjusted nursing hours are 4 hours 31 minutes per resident day, with Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) hours at 48 minutes, 41% above the Iowa average. Weekend nursing coverage is also a strength, performing 5% above the state mean. Quality measures are rated at 4 stars, with long-stay hospitalizations 28% better than average and a 96.4% success rate in managing residents’ physical restraint needs.

The campus offers furnished rooms with in-house laundry and on-site beauty and barber services.Shared clinical amenities include:On-site optometry, podiatry, and dentistry alongside physical, occupational, and speech therapy. The social calendar features recreational and spiritual activities, and the facility maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, with a current occupancy rate of approximately 72%.

Families should evaluate the current bedside care standards during an on-site visit. It is advisable to ask the administrator for specific details on the corrective actions taken after the 2025 catheter care finding and to confirm that the infection prevention protocols remain in full compliance for 2026.

Akron Care Center is a 45-bed nursing facility operating at 991 Highway 3 in Akron, Iowa. Owned and run directly by the City of Akron, the home stands out as a municipally managed community, meaning local public boards oversee its operations. The business office works with traditional out-of-pocket payments, standard Medicare plans, and state Medicaid options. The facility maintains a consistent daily census near 96 percent occupancy, showing a steady local demand for its combination of long-term intermediate care and post-hospital nursing stays.

Daily clinical routines involve an average of 4 hours and 43 minutes of direct, hands-on nursing attention for each resident. Registered nurses dedicate 1 hour and 1 minute of this daily timeline to manage clinical needs, working alongside licensed practical nurses and nursing aides who deliver routine treatments and baseline care. To support underlying medical health, physicians prescribe customized therapeutic dining plans that kitchen staff tailor to meet individual nutritional and chronic condition demands.

Recent public inspection reports highlighted a few operational areas needing improvement, specifically concerning quality of care protocols, pharmacy services, and routine infection prevention practices. The municipal administration updated its internal guidelines to fix these issues, bringing the building back into substantial compliance with state health codes.

Prospective residents can get in touch with the main admissions desk to ask about current room availability, request details on the doctor-prescribed dietary programs, or plan a time to tour the building. Staff members are also ready to check active medical insurance plans to clarify how public assistance programs, personal assets, or standard healthcare benefits fit into monthly statement bills.

Overview of Scenic Manor

Owned by the Bearden Family Revocable Trust, Scenic Manor is a skilled nursing home that accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay. These payment options give families flexibility when arranging both rehabilitation services and ongoing nursing care. With 77 beds, the community has an occupancy rate of 84%, and residents stay an average of 251 days, including short-term rehabilitation patients and those receiving longer-term care.

Rehabilitation services and short-term rehab programs are central to the facility’s care model. Residents recovering from hospitalization, surgery, and other acute health events will find a place here. Daily nurse staffing averages 4 hours and 20 minutes per resident. Registered nurses, nurse aides, and licensed practical nurses provide care around the clock, especially for residents who need hands-on support at all times.

The facility is in a neighborhood with a Walk Score of 60. As a moderately walkable area, some errands can be completed on foot, but most trips require transportation. This setting may appeal to families looking for a quieter residential environment while still having access to nearby services.

Dining is important for residents, with attention given to the dining experience and atmosphere. The facility has inspection compliance within its regulatory framework, which particularly focuses on medication management and infection control protocols.

Families considering Scenic Manor should take a tour to see the care environment, meet staff members, and learn more about how the facility supports rehabilitation and recovery.

Overview of Stonehill Care Center

Stonehill Care Center, situated at 3485 Windsor Avenue, is a skilled nursing facility that provides long-term care and post-acute physical rehabilitation. Public monitoring logs from an August 2025 review recorded a resident census of 158 individuals, which translates to an 85% building occupancy rate. This current enrollment sits below the facility’s historical pre-pandemic high, which frequently exceeded 180 residents.

Records from state healthcare registries track a strong long-term regulatory background alongside minor, corrected technical citations. Over a six-year tracking window, the property has averaged 1.7 deficiencies per year, which tracks 61% better than the Iowa state average. A standard August 2025 health survey flagged two deficiencies regarding an 8% insulin pen priming medication error and basic cleaning protocols for blood sugar meters. The administration quickly implemented a plan of correction, and a subsequent October 2025 complaint check verified that the property had returned to full compliance.

Looking further back, both the 2022 and 2024 annual surveys closed with zero deficiencies on record, though a mid-2023 review turned up two citations after a staff member failed to follow a fall-prevention care plan, resulting in minor resident injuries. The broader complaint record is largely favorable, with the majority of filed grievances returning unsubstantiated by state investigators.

Prospective residents checking into regional nursing care or post-acute recovery services can utilize these public health profiles to gauge the building’s operating history. The state documentation outlines a highly occupied environment with a low historical deficiency rate and a quick response to corrective actions, balanced against recent minor kitchen and medication administration citations.

Heritage House provides assisted living and memory care from its 68-room, two-story building at 5200 Hollister Avenue in the Goleta area of Santa Barbara, California. Run by administrator Alejandra Nunez under the Heritage House Group, this home has been open for 23 years and usually runs at about 85 percent occupancy. Families cover the costs here through private, out-of-pocket payments. The building blends standard assisted living with specialized support for people navigating Alzheimer’s and dementia.

An in-house kitchen team makes home-style meals served across an on-site pub, café, and main dining room. On the floor, the care team provides a weekend average of 3 hours and 41 minutes of nursing attention per resident, with nurse aides covering 2 hours and 48 minutes of daily hands-on help alongside scheduled registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. The private rooms are set up with kitchenettes and wheelchair-accessible showers. Outside, the neighborhood scores a 67 out of 100 for walkability, so visiting family can easily handle a few quick errands on foot.

State inspectors haven’t found a single problem here lately, locking in a track record of zero deficiencies over recent evaluation cycles. The management team uses these clean reports to back up their current safety routines, local transportation services, and daily social programs. Residents also have access to open shared spaces around the property, including a fitness center, billiards lounge, media room, and ballroom.

Families checking out local care options can call the front desk to check on current room openings, ask how the memory care program is set up, or book a time to walk through the building.

Grandview Healthcare Center is a 72-bed skilled nursing facility at 800 Fifth Street SE in Oelwein, Iowa. Managed by ABCM Corporation and administered by Shelia Lawson, the community provides 24-hour nursing, rehabilitation, and memory care for residents in Fayette County. The campus maintains a tranquil residential setting and accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance.

State and federal regulators currently assign the facility a 4-star overall rating, reflecting performance categorized as “Above Average”. Regulatory inspections show a citations-per-inspection rate of 2.0, which is significantly lower than the Iowa state average of 6.1. While an April 2025 standard survey identified four deficiencies related to infection control and pharmacy practices, a subsequent December 2025 follow-up confirmed the facility returned to substantial compliance with zero new citations. No critical or high-harm violations have been issued during the current review cycle.

Professional support is guided by a staffing model that delivers 4 hours 3 minutes of daily nursing time per resident—higher than the Iowa average of 3 hours 48 minutes. Registered Nurse (RN) presence is a notable metric, as the 35 minutes of daily RN time exceeds the state mean. Clinical programs coordinate physical, occupational, and speech therapy alongside specialized ventilator and respiratory care. The facility reports a 31.9% nursing staff turnover rate, which is considerably lower than the Iowa average of 44.4%.

The campus environment features varied room layouts, including private suites and semi-private companion rooms. Residents have access to unique amenities such as raised garden beds, an outdoor walking trail, and a beauty and barber salon. Dining options include restaurant-style service and 24-hour snack availability, while social programs provide spiritual services and community outings. For medical appointments, the facility provides dedicated transportation to nearby MercyOne Oelwein Medical Center.

Interested individuals should evaluate the current bedside care standards and clinical coverage during a facility tour. It is advisable to ask the administrator for specific details on the corrective actions regarding the 2025 infection control findings and to confirm that current staffing levels meet the resident’s individual recovery or long-term care goals.