Best Nursing Homes in South Dakota

Overview of Avantara Pierre

Avantara Pierre, located at 950 East Park Street in Pierre, is a 65-bed nursing home in Hughes County that opened in 2025 under the administration of Chase Watson. Operating primarily as a short-term rehabilitation facility, it admits residents across a Medicare-majority population (53 percent), supplemented by private-pay and Medicaid placements, with a typical stay of 212 days. The facility lies close to Avera St. Mary’s Hospital, 0.13 miles away, providing ready access to acute care. It accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay.

Staffing presents a significant challenge. The facility delivers 2 hours 36 minutes of total nursing care per resident daily, which is well below South Dakota’s 3-hour-46-minute benchmark and among the lowest in the state (ranked 56th of 57 facilities). Weekend coverage narrows further to 2 hours 27 minutes per day. This staffing constraint aligns with broader performance gaps: health inspection ratings run 21.6 percent below state norms, and overall CMS ratings trail benchmarks by 20.3 percent.

One bright spot: quality measures like hospital readmissions, falls, mobility gains outperform state averages by 9.9 percent, suggesting clinical management compensates despite lean staffing. No federal penalties or payment denials have been issued over the past three years.

The facility’s clinical footprint spans seven specialized programs: post-surgical and short-term rehabilitation, stroke and neurological recovery, cardiac care, oncology support, pulmonary services, and orthopedic rehabilitation, alongside a memory care unit.

Room options include private and semi-private suites; community spaces, high-speed Wi-Fi, and on-site salon services support daily living.

Avantara Pierre orients toward post-acute rehabilitation in a newer operational environment where short-stay clinical recovery is prioritized and specialized programming is available.

Overview of Avantara Clark City

Clark, South Dakota, is rural by most measures; it has a small population, limited nearby services, and the nearest hospital is more than 30 miles out. Avantara Clark City sits half a mile from Clark’s city center at 201 8th Ave NW, a 35-bed nursing home in the Avantara network, administered by Rachel Morehouse. Walk Score 31 means most errands need a car.

The average length of stay is 115 days. Short for a long-term care setting; long for a pure rehab turnaround. The facility’s clinical programs align with that middle range: orthopedic care, cardiac care, stroke and neurological recovery, and oncology recovery are the confirmed offerings, alongside rehabilitation services broadly. Twenty-eight of 35 beds are occupied, a 79% rate that is modest but not unusual for a small rural facility.

Registered nurses log 43 minutes per resident per day. Total nursing care comes to 3 hours and 9 minutes, with nurse aides accounting for 2 hours and 31 minutes of that figure. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are all accepted. Private and semi-private suites are available, along with community spaces, an on-site salon, and WiFi. Meals are prepared fresh daily.

Avantara Clark City is a compact rural nursing home built around post-acute recovery, serving residents from Clark County and the surrounding area who need structured rehabilitation following cardiac events, orthopedic procedures, neurological incidents, or oncology treatment, at a location where access to hospital infrastructure requires planning.

Overview of Avantara Redfield

The average length of stay at Avantara Redfield is 229 days. That number separates this facility from a straightforward short-term rehab model and points to something closer to a mixed population: people working through post-acute recovery alongside others with longer-term care needs. The 58-bed nursing home sits on E 3rd St in Redfield, South Dakota, under the administration of Diane Forgey. It opened about a year ago and currently has 38 of its 58 beds filled.

The clinical program list is broad for a facility this size. Residents recovering from cardiac events, orthopedic procedures, pulmonary conditions, oncology treatment, surgery, and stroke or other neurological conditions each have a dedicated recovery track. Full-time therapists are on-site, and a home assessment is completed before discharge. Total nursing coverage is 2 hours and 54 minutes per resident per day; registered nurses account for 38 minutes of that.

Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are all accepted, which matters given that stay length: a resident arriving on Medicare short-term benefits may eventually transition to Medicaid, and the facility’s payment structure accommodates that arc. The neighborhood requires a car for most errands (Walk Score 34).

Avantara Redfield serves people who need structured, supervised recovery after a hospital discharge, and its longer-than-average stay data suggests it also holds residents whose care needs extend well past the typical rehab window.

Overview of Rolling Hills Healthcare

Situated in the gorgeous town of Belle Fourche, South Dakota, Rolling Hills Healthcare offers a wide range of care options for seniors, including long term & short term care and rehab therapies. Whether you need physical, occupational, or speech therapy, their dedicated team is there to help. Seniors can enjoy the peaceful surroundings and friendly atmosphere of the community, making it a great place to relax and focus on wellness.

Rolling Hills Healthcare goes above and beyond in providing high-quality care with a personal touch. They aim to make every resident feel respected and well-cared-for by offering tailored care plans. The community features a variety of programs and amenities, including advanced therapies, pain management, dental care, dialysis, hospice services, and more. With a focus on individual wellness and rehabilitation, Rolling Hills Healthcare ensures that each resident receives the best possible care in a supportive and compassionate environment.

Golden Living Center Groton is an exceptional senior living community offering a diverse range of options including specialized memory care and skilled nursing services. For those seeking memory care, this center stands as a beacon of understanding and support. Every corner of the facility has been purposefully crafted to provide a secure and nurturing haven for individuals with memory loss.
Accessibility is a cornerstone at Golden Living Center Groton. With thoughtfully designed spaces that cater to wheelchair users and inviting indoor and outdoor common areas, residents are treated to an environment that seamlessly blends comfort with the beauty of nature. It’s a place where cherished memories are made, laughter echoes through the halls, and meaningful connections are formed.

Overview of Avantara Watertown

Forty-six beds are filled out of 51. Avantara Watertown runs at 90% occupancy, a solid number for a facility that only recently opened, sitting less than a mile from Prairie Lakes Hospital in Watertown’s 4th Avenue Northeast neighborhood. The address at 415 4th Ave. NE puts it in a moderately walkable part of the city (Walk Score 69), which matters for families who visit regularly.

At 168 days, the average length of stay sits in the middle range. This is not purely a 30-day Medicare rehab operation, but it’s also not a long-term custodial care setting by the numbers. The clinical menu reflects that positioning: stroke and neurological recovery, cardiac care, pulmonary care, oncology recovery, and orthopedic rehabilitation are the confirmed programs, all squarely in the post-acute specialty space. Administrator Lynna Speier leads a 51-bed facility in the Avantara network that is clearly built around structured medical recovery rather than extended residential care.

Registered nurses log 1 hour and 9 minutes per resident per day, with total nursing care at 3 hours and 35 minutes. Nurse aides account for 1 hour and 58 minutes of that total. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are all accepted.

Avantara Watertown is a compact, recently opened nursing home with a clinical program built for residents recovering from cardiac events, neurological incidents, cancer treatment, and orthopedic procedures, operating near hospital infrastructure that supports that care model.

Overview of Avantara Arrowhead

Seventy-five percent occupancy, or 51 of 68 beds, at a nursing home positioned in Rapid City’s Broadmoor Subdivision, about 2.3 miles from the city center and less than a mile from the nearest hospital. The address is 2500 Arrowhead Dr, and the surrounding area is car-dependent (Walk Score 12). Sharon Martin administers the facility, which operates within the Avantara network.

The average length of stay is 174 days. That number places Avantara Arrowhead in a middle zone: not a pure short-stay rehab operation, but not configured primarily around indefinite long-term residence either. Rehabilitation services and short-term rehab are the confirmed service lines, with orthopedic care listed as a clinical program.

Staffing reported to CMS totals 2 hours and 48 minutes of nursing care per resident per day. Registered nurses account for 47 minutes; nurse aides account for 2 hours and 2 minutes. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are all accepted.

Avantara Arrowhead is a mid-sized nursing home serving residents in post-acute and transitional care, with orthopedic rehabilitation among its confirmed clinical offerings and full coverage across Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay.

Overview of Avantara Milbank

Avantara Milbank sits on South 2nd Street in Milbank, South Dakota, a small city where most errands mean getting in a car (Walk Score 27). Keisha Dorscher administers the 45-bed nursing home, which opened about a year ago and currently has 30 of its beds occupied.

The clinical range here is notable for a facility this size. Residents recovering from cardiac events, orthopedic procedures, pulmonary conditions, oncology treatment, post-surgical care, and stroke or other neurological conditions all have dedicated recovery tracks. Total nursing coverage is 3 hours and 23 minutes per resident per day; registered nurses account for 59 minutes of that. Suites are available in private and semi-private configurations.

Meals are prepared from fresh ingredients with nutritional balance as the stated standard. Family and community amenities include gathering spaces for events, an on-site salon, and Wi-Fi throughout the building. The facility accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay, which means it can accommodate both the short-term rehab resident arriving on Medicare benefits and the longer-stay resident whose coverage eventually transitions to Medicaid.

At 127 days average length of stay and a program roster built around post-acute recovery, Avantara Milbank is oriented toward people who need a structured clinical bridge between a hospital discharge and a return home, not toward those seeking a long-term residential placement.

Overview of Palisade Healthcare Center

Palisade Healthcare Center provides comprehensive care in a peaceful setting, offering short-term rehabilitation and long-term care to help residents recover and regain their quality of life. The facility offers skilled nursing care, rehabilitation therapy, memory support, and respite stays. It is dedicated to providing high-quality, patient-centered care in a compassionate environment.

Overview of Good Samaritan Society Sioux Falls Village

Good Samaritan Society Sioux Falls Village is a nonprofit nursing home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, offering assisted living, independent living, memory care, rehabilitation therapy, and long-term nursing support. With 177 licensed beds, this church-operated community is one of the largest senior care campuses in South Dakota and operates under the Good Samaritan Society’s faith-based nonprofit mission. Medicare, Medicaid, and private-pay are also accepted.

The community currently holds a 1-star overall CMS rating, with health inspection and quality measure scores falling below South Dakota averages. On the other hand, staffing levels compare more favorably and are among the community’s stronger operational areas. Nursing care per day is recorded at over four hours on average, placing the community above statewide benchmarks. Licensed practical nurse coverage and weekend nursing hours also exceed state averages, while registered nurse and nurse aide staffing remain modestly below benchmark levels.

Occupancy remains high at nearly 90%, reflecting stable demand and an established reputation within the region. Additionally, the resident population includes a mix of short-term rehabilitation patients, private-pay residents, and Medicaid-supported long-term care residents. Medicare residents typically stay for shorter rehabilitation-focused periods, while private-pay and Medicaid residents often remain for several months. The broad continuum of care available, ranging from independent living to memory care, allows residents to transition between care levels as needs evolve.

Good Samaritan Society Sioux Falls Village is ideal for older adults and families seeking a large nonprofit community with multiple living and care options, strong overall staffing investment, and the ability to support both short-term rehabilitation and long-term residential care under one roof.