Page 5 of Best Nursing Homes in South Dakota

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.

Overview of Palisade Healthcare Center

Located on 4th Street in Garretson, South Dakota, Palisade Healthcare Center is a skilled nursing facility with 55 beds. Most daily errands within this small community require transportation beyond walking distance. The center has an occupancy rate of 84%, and residents stay an average of 96 days. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, providing access routes for rehabilitation stays and longer-term care.

The community’s clinical focus is reflected in its staffing model. Nurse staffing averages 4 hours and 2 minutes per resident each day. Residents are supported by registered nurses, nurse aides, and licensed practical nurses. This hands-on support makes it an ideal setting for patients recovering from an illness or injury, or for those needing ongoing skilled nursing care.

Clinically, Palisade offers rehabilitation services and respite care options, so families can choose if they need short-term support for a recovering relative. There’s 24-hour staffing and memory support services to ensure the safety and specialized care for residents with cognitive needs. Residents’ meals are prepared on-site with attention to nutrition.

The straightforward, no-frills facility is best-suited for families focused on skilled care and clinical support rather than extensive amenities or activities programming.

Overview of Prairie Heights Healthcare

Prairie Heights Healthcare in Aberdeen, South Dakota, offers top-notch senior living with a focus on individual wellness and recovery. Seniors can enjoy a variety of personalized care services to make their stay as comfortable as possible. Whether it’s skilled nursing, long-term care, short-term stays, or physical therapy, there’s something for everyone to feel at ease and well-cared for in this vibrant community.

Dedicated to providing a nurturing environment where residents can thrive, Prairie Heights Healthcare in Aberdeen offers a range of amenities and programs, including physical, occupational, and speech therapies tailored to each individual. With both long and short-term care options, residents can find support, learn new strategies, and connect with others in similar situations. Prairie Heights Healthcare is dedicated to helping residents achieve their personal health goals and maintain their independence.

Overview of Dow Rummel Village

Dow Rummel Village is an extraordinary nonprofit organization in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, dedicated to providing a premier life plan retirement community that encompasses assisted living levels of care. With a remarkable 60-year history of service, they offer a comprehensive range of services under one roof, including independent living, memory care, assisted living, skilled nursing, respite care, and more.
Residents in this assisted living home have the opportunity to choose different levels of care that best suit their needs. Whether they opt for independent living, where they can enjoy the freedom and autonomy of a vibrant community, or require the specialized support and assistance provided in memory care or assisted living, every aspect is thoughtfully tailored to enhance their well-being. Discover a variety of floor plans, including spacious studios, comfortable one-bedroom suites, and inviting two-bedroom options. From personal assistance with daily living to weekly housekeeping and convenient transportation services, residents can truly embrace a worry-free lifestyle.

Overview of Avantara Lake Norden

Avantara Lake Norden opened in early 2025 on Park St in Lake Norden, South Dakota, a small Hamlin County town where the nearest hospital sits about 22 miles out. That distance is worth naming plainly: the 50-bed community serves nursing home, memory care, and hospice populations, and families choosing a facility with that clinical range need a clear picture of the geography. The neighborhood scores a 6 on walkability, which in a rural South Dakota town is less a flaw than a given.

Occupancy is 92%, with 46 of the 50 beds currently filled. An average stay of 175 days puts it somewhere between a short-term rehab stop and a longer-term care home, and the program mix backs that up. The specialty tracks are clinically specific: a Secured Memory Care Unit, Cardiac Care, Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Pulmonary Care, Oncology Recovery Care, and Stroke and Other Neurological Conditions. Combined with general rehabilitation and short-term rehab services, they point to a facility built for medically complex residents rather than routine post-acute cases.

Nursing coverage totals 3 hours and 20 minutes per resident per day, with registered nurses providing 47 minutes of direct care within that. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are all accepted. Margaret Grimm is the administrator.

For families in rural South Dakota navigating the intersection of nursing care, memory care, and hospice needs, Avantara Lake Norden represents a newly built facility with a genuinely broad clinical program and high occupancy for its size and market.

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 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 Good Samaritan Society – St Martin Village

Good Samaritan Society – St. Martin Village is a nursing home in Rapid City, South Dakota, offering independent living, assisted living, long-term care, rehabilitation, and respite care. This 60-bed community is operating as part of the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit senior care organizations. This reflects a mission-centered approach focused on compassionate care and supportive living.

The community received the Bronze National Quality Award from the American Health Care Association in both 2023 and 2024, recognizing ongoing efforts toward performance improvement and quality care standards. On the other hand, registered nurse staffing significantly exceeds South Dakota averages, with both weekday and weekend RN coverage standing well above statewide benchmarks. Physical therapy staffing is also notably strong, offering therapy hours substantially higher than average and supporting residents recovering from illness, surgery, or hospitalization. Nursing and nurse aide overall hours also remain below state averages.

For a community of its size, the community’s amenities are notably extensive, which include walking trails, a wellness center, guest housing, and private dining spaces. Three daily meals are included, while volunteer opportunities and religious services are aligned with its faith-based mission. Studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom options are available, with monthly pricing varying based on apartment style and level of care. Rehabilitation therapy and respite care are also offered.

Located in a highly walkable area of Rapid City with a Walk Score of 83, the community has convenient access to nearby services, amenities, and neighborhood destinations, making it one of the more accessible senior living campuses in western South Dakota.

Good Samaritan Society – St. Martin Village is well-suited for older adults seeking a faith-oriented community that combines multiple levels of care, strong RN oversight, rehabilitation support, and a broad range of lifestyle amenities under one roof.

Overview of Bethany Home Sioux Falls

Bethany Home Sioux Falls stands out as a beacon of exceptional care, firmly rooted in Christian values and boundless love. With a rich heritage of providing outstanding services, this home offers an array of amenities that elevate the senior living experience. Here, residents savor the delights of chef-prepared meals, tantalizing their taste buds and nourishing their bodies. The carefully curated social and recreational programs provide ample opportunities for residents to engage in meaningful interactions, fostering a vibrant community spirit. Safety is paramount, as evidenced by the round-the-clock emergency response system and meticulous medication administration, giving residents and their families peace of mind.

The home proudly extends its heartfelt commitment to serving seniors through their exceptional assisted living services. They diligently uphold all nursing home rules and regulations. They adhere to the highest standards of care and operate with strict compliance to ensure the safety, well-being, and comfort of every resident. By following these comprehensive guidelines, they create an environment where residents can thrive, families can trust, and quality of care remains paramount. Bethany Home Sioux Falls stands as a shining example of a compassionate and well-regulated senior living community. With also a focus on assisted living for veterans and an unwavering commitment to upholding nursing home standards, they ensure that residents receive the utmost care and support they deserve.