Page 9 of Best Nursing Homes in Iowa

Overview of Wheatland Manor

Owned by Janyce Buchannan, Wheatland Manor is a nursing home in Iowa that has served residents for 42 years. With 44 beds, the facility operates at full occupancy. Residents stay an average of 241 days, including short-term rehabilitation patients and those receiving longer-term nursing care. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, giving families several options for covering care expenses.

The facility’s nursing support is substantial. Daily nurse staffing averages nearly 4 hours per resident. The care team is composed of registered nurses, nurse aides, and licensed vocational nurses. Rehabilitation services are a central part of the community’s care model.

Residents can also participate in structured daily activities such as exercise classes, gardening programs, and book clubs for physical activity and social engagement. Dining is offered in a restaurant-style setting with wholesome ingredients and shared mealtime experiences.

The facility’s location has a Walk Score of 28. A few nearby destinations may be accessible on foot, but most trips require transportation. On-site amenities include a salon and barbershop, fitness equipment, housekeeping services, and flexible all-day dining options that support day-to-day comfort and convenience.

State inspections in recent years highlighted the importance of resident transfer procedures and ongoing supervision practices. Families considering the facility should take a tour and ask how staff work on these areas.

Overview of Elkader Care Center

Serving the community for many years, Elkader Care Center is a 40-bed nursing home in Iowa owned by Kristin Dunlap. Residents stay an average of 429 days, including those admitted for post-acute rehabilitation and receiving longer-term care.

The home has 70% occupancy and provides rehabilitation services alongside skilled nursing care. Daily nursing support averages 3 hours and 20 minutes per resident. Registered nurses and nurse aides are part of that. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are all accepted, so families have different options when arranging coverage.

Elkader Care Center is in a moderately walkable area with a Walk Score of 59. Some errands and nearby services are within walking distance, but most trips require driving. It’s a quieter small-town setting.

Inspection records from the past six years show periods of compliance challenges and at the same time, improvement. Training protocols and timely care delivery have been recurring areas noted during inspections, but the facility has worked to address those findings. Recent inspection data shows movement toward substantial compliance with all surveyed regulatory standards. That’s part of the facility’s ongoing effort to strengthen operations.

Families considering Elkader Care Center should keep that history in mind when evaluating the home. Taking a tour can provide a better understanding of current operations and the facility’s approach to care.

Overview of Colonial Manor of Amana

Colonial Manor of Amana provides skilled convalescent services within a 50-bed campus located at 3207 220th Trail in Amana, Iowa. This nursing community functions as a segment of the wider Amana Retirement Community network, offering integrated placement transitions between Lakeview Village Assisted Living, personal independent townhouses, and an adjacent wellness center. Billing operations absorb conventional out-of-pocket transactions alongside the public federal Medicare network and state Medicaid health coverages. The campus maintains a steady operational utilization level near 84 percent, supporting an average length of stay around 96 days for its blended population.

Certified nurse aides cover the highest allocation of this direct care timeline at 2 hours and 31 minutes, working in tandem with registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who provide 39 minutes of treatment support. This medical staff coordinates specialized rehabilitation programs and ongoing clinical care tracks, while the local neighborhood displays a walkability score of 39 out of 100, which requires visitors to plan on using personal vehicles for surrounding regional travel.

Recent oversight audits handled by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing certified that the building maintains substantial compliance with public health rules, with a historically low volume of overall deficiencies. Administrative leaders monitor these past compliance documents to refine historical care documentation gaps and update resident safety systems across daily clinical shifts.

Prospective residents can get in touch with the administrator, Tanya Powell, to review immediate room openings, ask about the independent campus levels, or schedule a day to look around the facility. The main office staff can also assist with medical intake documentation to explain how active insurance networks, state assistance, or personal funds apply to regular monthly bills.

Financing for the 58-bed nursing home at 100 Sixth Street in Nevada, Iowa, is coordinated through private pay, Medicare, and Medicaid. Residents generally stay for about three months on average, balancing temporary rehabilitation patients with traditional long-term residents. The building currently runs at a lower occupancy rate, allowing the administration to offer immediate room availability and flexible placement options for incoming individuals.

Hands-on care is provided by a floor staff that delivers an average of 4 hours and 14 minutes of direct attention to each resident daily. A strong presence of nurse aides anchors this round-the-clock clinical schedule, with the team focusing on orthopedic recovery, physical rehabilitation, and daily personal care to help people regain their independence. For visitors traveling to the property, the surrounding neighborhood scores a 71 out of 100 for walkability, which means basic day-to-day errands can easily be managed on foot.

Interested individuals can get in touch with the main office to find out about current room availability, ask about the orthopedic therapy schedules, or set up a time to visit the building. The administration can also help review your insurance benefits and explain how Medicare or Medicaid applies to short-term recovery stays.

Overview of Montezuma Specialty Care

Montezuma Specialty Care operates as a 41-bed governmental skilled nursing facility under the direction of administrator Mitchell Huff in Montezuma, Iowa. The property houses roughly 28 residents and manages billing through private pay, Medicare, and Medicaid. Resident stays average about eight months, though individual intervals vary by funding type, as Medicare recovery stays typically run one to two months, private-pay situations average six to seven months, and Medicaid placements last around two years.

The floor staff delivers an average of 3 hours and 47 minutes of direct care to each resident daily. Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nurse aides balance this 24-hour clinical schedule to coordinate routine medical monitoring and physical therapy sessions. For out-of-town visitors, the local neighborhood scores a 49 out of 100 for walkability, indicating that a personal vehicle is useful for the majority of local trips and errands.

State safety records confirm regular monitoring of the building’s operational standards. The most recent health and safety survey conducted by state inspectors in April 2025 showed full compliance with regulatory care requirements and quality assurance practices.

Older adults can get in touch with the main office to check on current room openings, ask about the tailored rehabilitation schedules, or arrange a time to look around the facility.

Overview of Rose Haven Nursing Home

Rose Haven Nursing Home is a 58-bed facility in Marengo, Iowa, run by administrator Tereni Kepler. The building operates at roughly 78 percent occupancy and handles billing through private pay alongside Medicare and Medicaid. Lengths of stay average around 93 days, which means the daily routine balances short-term, post-hospital recovery therapies with traditional extended nursing placements.

The on-floor nursing team provides an average of 3 hours and 34 minutes of direct daily care to each resident. Registered nurses account for 32 minutes of this daily care, working alongside nurse aides to manage physical, occupational, and speech therapy routines. The facility coordinates music sessions, group games, and dietary consultations for tailored meals to support daily life. The town setting has a walkability score of 47 out of 100, indicating that while you can handle a few minor errands on foot, a short drive is required for most trips.

Families can reach out to the admissions office to check on current room openings, look over the seasonal events calendar, or plan a walkthrough of the therapy rooms. The business desk can also help verify your financial eligibility and clarify how Medicare or state aid programs handle short-term recovery costs.

West Point Care Center is a 46-bed skilled nursing facility in West Point, Iowa, offering skilled nursing, short-term rehabilitation, respite care, and Alzheimer’s and dementia care to residents in Lee County. The facility is owned privately by Miriam Johnson and administered by Hattie Boyer.

CMS rates the facility 4 stars overall, driven by a Health Inspection rating 35.6% above the Iowa average. Across 17 inspections since 2020, the facility recorded 25 total deficiencies — roughly 7% below the Iowa average of 27, at 1.5 citations per inspection against a state norm of 1.8. However, the record is mixed: a January 2024 survey substantiated verbal abuse and neglect by a staff member, failure to protect residents from abuse, and delayed reporting of allegations, resulting in a $14,000 federal fine and a 26-day payment denial — the only enforcement actions in the six-year window, and both well below the Iowa fine average of $48,000. The two most recent annual inspections, in August 2024 and June 2025, found no deficiencies.

Nurse staffing averages 4 hours and 31 minutes per resident per day, in line with Iowa averages, with weekend RN staffing 60% above the state norm — a meaningful figure for residents who need consistent clinical oversight through the week. The facility provides 24-hour staffing, wound care, respiratory care, and palliative and hospice services on site.

The facility’s occupancy rate is 59%, below the Iowa average of 75.4%, indicating current availability. The payer mix includes 42% private-pay admissions, 35% Medicare, and 23% Medicaid; the average length of stay is 125 days, reflecting a mix of post-acute rehabilitation and longer-term residents.

West Point Care Center fits residents seeking skilled nursing or post-acute rehabilitation in a small, rural Iowa setting — including those with dementia-related care needs — where current bed availability and on-site clinical services align with both short- and longer-term placements. However, families should review the facility’s prior abuse-related findings and inspection performance before making a placement decision.

Overview of Centerville Specialty Care

Centerville Specialty Care operates a 46-bed skilled nursing property at 1208 East Cross Street in Centerville, Iowa. Part of the regional nonprofit Care Initiatives network, the building retains a stable occupancy level around 83 percent. Account managers process residential balances through individual out-of-pocket payment pathways, federal Medicare allocations, or traditional state Medicaid options. Individual stays average roughly 184 days, creating a daily campus mix that accommodates short-term post-hospital therapy alongside conventional long-term skilled nursing oversight.

For everyday support, the facility provides an average of 3 hours and 57 minutes of direct, hands-on nursing attention per resident each day. This round-the-clock shift schedule splits time among certified nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, and registered nurses who manage medication logs, wound care, and physical therapy recovery lines. Outside the property walls, the surrounding Centerville neighborhood holds a walkability score of 66 out of 100, which means visiting family members can easily step out and complete several basic errands on foot.

Recent evaluation surveys confirmed that the building operates in substantial compliance with public health rules, logging minimal procedural deficiencies. The building’s administrative staff analyzes these regular health reports to guide internal policy updates, refine safety practices, and direct continuous skill training for the clinical shifts.

Prospective residents can call the admissions department to ask about immediate room layouts, look over available physical therapy options, or schedule a day to see the property. The business desk can also cross-reference active health insurance plans to show how private assets, state programs, or federal benefits apply to standard monthly statements.

Overview of Monticello Nursing & Rehab Center

Located in Monticello, Iowa, Monticello Nursing & Rehab Center is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility. The 75-bed community is in a highly walkable area, so many local services and amenities are within walking distance. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, giving families different options for covering both rehabilitation and long-term care.

The facility has an occupancy rate of 64%, and residents stay an average of 214 days, including those recovering from surgery, illness, and injury, and receiving longer-term care. Rehabilitation services are a major part of daily operations. Skilled nursing care is available alongside structured rehabilitation programs. Daily nurse staffing averages 4 hours and 11 minutes per resident. Nurse aides provide about 2 hours and 31 minutes of care each day.

Pennington Square Assisted Living is affiliated with the facility, so families have another option when care needs change over time. Respite care is also available for those who need to stay temporarily. These services are best during care transitions or when a caregiver needs time away from daily responsibilities.

State inspections have documented findings related to resident supervision and care protocols. The facility was able to address these concerns through follow-up corrections. It also has ongoing improvements to safety and care coordination procedures.