Best Nursing Homes in Wisconsin

Badger Prairie Health Care Center is a nursing home in Verona, WI, offering long-term care, memory care, rehabilitation, and skilled nursing. With a nurturing and welcoming environment, the community ensures older adults are well-cared for. Excellent services, including 24-hour care, nutritious meals, and comprehensive therapies, are also provided to meet residents’ needs and preferences. Dedicated to residents’ holistic wellness, personalized care plans are also provided.

Light exercises, fun events, and a variety of activities help enhance residents’ cognition and encourage them to live actively. Residents can also relax and focus on their recovery with spacious rooms and cozy communal spaces. Located near Badger Prairie County Park, restaurants, and public transportation in Verona, the community guarantees a convenient lifestyle. This nursing home has exceptional standards of care that aim to help older adults thrive, making it one of the best options for senior living in Wisconsin.

Overview of Milwaukee Catholic Home

Milwaukee Catholic Home has been on N Prospect Ave in Milwaukee’s Northpoint neighborhood since 1913. Run by a church and administered by Kate Gerou, it’s part of a Continuing Care Retirement Community, which means residents can move between levels of care, nursing home, independent living, assisted living, and memory care, without switching organizations entirely.

The building itself is a two-story, 107-bed facility with one and two-bedroom layouts running 569 to 1,174 square feet. It’s nearly full: 96 of those 107 beds are occupied, putting occupancy at 89 percent. Monthly rates span $1,140 to $5,570 depending on the level of care, and the neighborhood earns a Walk Score of 83, solidly walkable by most standards.

Total nursing care averages 6 hours and 28 minutes per resident, per day, a substantial number in this field. Most residents here are on short-term rehab stays, and Medicare covers the majority of new admissions, though Medicaid and private pay are accepted too. The facility also runs a state-approved Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program on-site, plus transportation services and fitness and recreation programming.

More than a century of continuous operation, a heavy staffing ratio, and a short-stay rehab focus: that combination points to a facility built less around long-term custodial care and more around getting people through recovery and back home, with real clinical muscle behind it while they’re there.

Parkview Health Center operates 168 beds at 725 Butler Avenue in Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, under county governance and the administration of Linzi Gazga Parish. A long-stay facility with an average resident tenure of 382 days, Parkview currently houses 56 residents across a 56% occupancy rate; notably lower than Wisconsin’s 70% baseline. The community accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private-pay admissions.

A 5-star health inspection rating places Parkview 80.5% above Wisconsin averages, yet the past three years revealed eight deficiencies, including three documented in an April 2025 complaint investigation. That investigation substantiated failures in resident supervision when a patient wandered into others’ rooms uninvited and in infection control practices during a gastrointestinal outbreak, with documented gaps in staff illness tracking and improper protective equipment use.

Earlier inspections uncovered hand hygiene breaches during patient care, incomplete dishwasher temperature monitoring across five facility neighborhoods, and inadequate behavioral health follow-up after a resident disclosed suicidal thoughts.

The facility reported zero critical or serious citations, no fines, and no Medicare payment denials since 2022.

Nursing support runs above state norms. The facility provides 4 hours 25 minutes of daily nursing care per resident, modestly exceeding Wisconsin’s 4-hour 14-minute average. Registered nurses deliver 1 hour 8 minutes daily per resident, at 17% above state norm; with weekend RN presence at 49 minutes daily per resident, meaningfully stronger than the 39-minute state average. Certified nursing assistants contribute 3 hours 1 minute daily per resident.

Long-stay residents experience low rates of depression (0.3%) and antipsychotic use (9.7%), both significantly better than state baselines. Falls with serious injury, however, affect 4.2% of long-stay residents, running 30% higher than state averages.

Short-stay residents successfully return to home or community at 64.7%, substantially exceeding the state rate of 50.6%.

Parkview Health Center is oriented toward long-term care residents, backed by above-average RN staffing but constrained by recurring infection control and supervision deficiencies.

Overview of Harbor Haven Health & Rehabilitation

Harbor Heaven Health & Rehabilitation is a renowned nursing home in Fond du Lac, WI, that offers dementia care, long-term care, and short-term rehabilitation. With its dedication to residents’ well-being, the community provides high-quality care for their unique needs around the clock. Private and semi-private rooms are also offered for residents’ comfort and safety.

Promoting an active lifestyle and social engagement, a variety of activities and cozy communal spaces are conducted. Nutritious meals are also prepared to meet residents’ dietary needs and preferences. Amenities include a spa room with whirlpool tub, a gift shop, outdoor spaces for family gatherings, and courtyard. This nursing home has five purposely designed households in Fond du Lac, ensuring residents can find the right place to spend their golden years.

Lasata Care Center is a 106-bed skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and memory care facility at W76 N677 Wauwatosa Road in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, in Ozaukee County. Owned by the Ozaukee County Board as a governmental entity and administered by Barton Smith, the facility is part of a Continuing Care Retirement Community campus. It accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay. Minimum age 62 required.

CMS grades Lasata Care Center 5 stars, with all four rating dimensions above Wisconsin’s average: health inspection by 80.5 percent, staffing by 38.1 percent, quality measures by 52.0 percent, and overall by 66.1 percent. The facility carries an A+ BBB rating and holds one of the highest walk scores in this review at 84, ranked 31st of 581 Wisconsin SNFs. Staffing ranks 30th of 172 Wisconsin SNFs at 5 hours 7 minutes per resident per day, 21 percent above Wisconsin’s average. LPN hours at 1 hour 6 minutes are 74 percent above the state average, CNA hours at 3 hours 30 minutes are 35 percent above average, and weekend total nursing at 4 hours 55 minutes is 32 percent above average. One vital staffing context: Q4 2025 data shows 205 of 332 total staff are contractors (15.3 percent of hours), with 141 of 217 CNAs and 27 of 36 RNs supplied by agency, a mix that’s common in county-governed facilities but worth raising in a family conversation about workforce continuity. Quality measures are outstanding for long-stay residents. ED visits at 0.68 per 1,000 resident days are 69 percent below the Wisconsin average, hospitalizations 43 percent below average, falls with major injury 60 percent better, and depressive symptoms 72 percent better. The UTI rate at 7.7 percent is 141 percent above the Wisconsin average of 3.2 percent, the most significant long-stay concern. For short-stay residents, return to home or community at 70.7 percent is 40 percent better than Wisconsin’s average, the standout metric. Short-stay falls with major injury at 1.7 percent run above the state benchmark. The inspection record shows just 11 total citations across 4 surveys since 2022, ranked 38th of 174 Wisconsin SNFs, with zero critical or serious citations and penalties. All citations corrected.

Programs feature Short-Term Rehab, Long-Term Skilled Nursing, and Therapy Services. Amenities include private rehabilitation suites, cable TV and Wi-Fi, private and public lounges, walking trails, a fitness center, salon services, a library and media room, religious services, and diverse social, recreational, educational, and spiritual programming. Three meals per day, housekeeping, linen service, and utilities are included.

Situated in a highly walkable Cedarburg area, Lasata Care Center suits Ozaukee County and greater Milwaukee-area families seeking a 5-star county-governed CCRC-affiliated SNF with exceptional long-stay clinical outcomes, above-average staffing, and robust amenities.

Overview of Shady Lane Nursing Care Center

Owned by Shady Lane Inc, Shady Lane Nursing Care Center is a nursing home in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Rehabilitation and short-term recovery are major areas of focus. For people recovering from surgery or a hospital stay and needing skilled nursing care, the 50-bed facility may be a great option. Residents stay an average of about 65 days, which includes post-acute rehabilitation patients and residents who continue to need nursing support beyond the recovery period.

The community has 78% occupancy, with 39 of its 50 beds filled. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, giving families several ways to arrange coverage for either short-term rehabilitation or longer-term care. The facility is led by Shady Lane Inc. Staffing is maintained around the clock to support resident care across all shifts.

A key part of the facility is its nursing support. Residents receive an average of 5 hours and 1 minute of nursing care each day. Registered nurses provide 1 hour and 15 minutes of care. Nurse aides contribute 3 hours and 5 minutes. LPN/LVN staff provide another 50 minutes daily. Together, those staffing levels support personal care, medication assistance, medical oversight, and everyday needs.

Inspection findings over recent years have varied. Some survey cycles had no deficiencies. Others identified concerns involving fall prevention, medication monitoring, infection control practices, and staff communication procedures. A complaint investigation found that a resident’s family member was not notified promptly about worsening health concerns. Families touring the facility may want to ask how these areas are handled in their operations.

Manitowoc has a Walk Score of 75, so the surrounding area is quite walkable for most errands. Visiting family members may find the neighborhood easy to navigate. The facility’s location near downtown and other local services is accessible for residents and visitors.

Overview of Maplewood of Sauk Prairie

Maplewood of Sauk Prairie is a 120-bed nursing home in Sauk City, Wisconsin, providing rehabilitation, memory care, long-term care, and respite services to residents in Sauk County. The facility is privately owned and operated by Ron Benish. The facility holds a 5-star CMS overall rating, with scores across all four sub-categories above Wisconsin averages — Health Inspection running 44% above the state benchmark and staffing 38% above the state benchmark. Total adjusted nurse staffing averages 4 hours and 32 minutes per resident per day, roughly 7% above the Wisconsin average of 4 hours and 14 minutes, reflecting consistent daily care capacity across staff types. The facility’s occupancy rate is 61%, below the Wisconsin average of 70%, which suggests current availability. Maplewood has been operating for 11 years. Specific programs include Hospice, Palliative Care, Alzheimer’s Care, and Memory-Focused Activities. Maplewood of Sauk Prairie fits residents seeking memory care or long-term skilled nursing in a mid-sized facility with demonstrated staffing depth and a documented Alzheimer’s and palliative care program.

Overview of Woodside Lutheran Home

Woodside Lutheran Home is a 118-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation community in Green Bay, Wisconsin, providing skilled nursing, memory care, rehabilitation services, and respite care. The facility is operated by Bay Area Lutheran Homes Inc., a nonprofit organization, and serves adults aged 55 and older. CMS rates the facility 5 stars overall, driven by a Health Inspection score 80.5% above the Wisconsin average. Across three inspections in the available reporting window, Woodside averaged roughly 2 deficiencies per year — 57% below the Wisconsin average of 4.6 — with no fines, Immediate Jeopardy findings, or enforcement actions. The September 2025 inspection cited one low-severity deficiency related to barrier precautions during catheter care; the July 2024 routine survey cited five deficiencies related to medication storage and labeling. Staffing is a measurable strength: nurse staffing averages 5 hours and 48 minutes per resident per day, ranking Woodside 8th among 172 skilled nursing facilities in Wisconsin and 38% above the state average. The facility’s occupancy rate is 82%, compared to a statewide average of 70%, suggesting consistent demand. Weekend nurse staffing (4 hours and 29 minutes/day) also exceeds state and national benchmarks. On-site services include rehabilitation, outpatient therapy, an Alzheimer’s Support Group, and religious programming. Dietitian-planned meals, including therapeutic and specialty diets, are prepared in-house. Woodside Lutheran Home suits adults seeking post-acute rehabilitation or longer-term skilled nursing care in Green Bay. It is structured to support residents in memory care through dedicated programming and high staffing levels.

Overview of Morrow Memorial Home

Owned by Nikki Sund, Morrow Memorial Home is a skilled nursing facility in Sparta, Wisconsin. The facility’s location on South Water Street is in a moderately walkable area with a Walk Score of 68. It has been operating for 27 years and has served residents needing short-term rehabilitation and longer-term nursing care. Families can pay through Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay to arrange coverage for post-acute recovery and ongoing care needs.

The 80-bed home currently serves 63 residents, resulting in 79% occupancy. Most take an average of 134 days. Some are recovering after surgery or hospitalization, while others stay longer because of ongoing care needs. Daily nurse staffing averages 4 hours and 36 minutes per resident. Registered nurses, nurse aides, and licensed practical nurses make up the staffing team that provides this care.

Rehabilitation services are available as part of the facility’s care approach. Transitional care programs also support residents with recovery goals. Structured transportation services are offered, and volunteer opportunities help residents remain involved and connected to the community.

Amenities on-site include a beauty shop, a library, and a spa. Nearby walking and biking trails provide additional outdoor options. Families can also spend time together in the quieter outdoor spaces around the property.

Owned and operated by the County of Columbia, Columbia Health Care Center is a skilled nursing home at 323 West Monroe Street in Wyocena, Wisconsin. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, providing options for both short-term rehabilitation and longer-term care. The 85-bed home has a current occupancy rate of 66%. Residents stay an average of 217 days, which includes a mixed population of post-acute residents and those with more extended nursing needs.

Besides the core nursing program, the facility offers rehabilitation services and respite care. Total nurse staffing averages 4 hours and 47 minutes per resident each day. Nurse aides provide 3 hours and 6 minutes of direct hands-on support, and registered nurses spend 1 hour and 16 minutes per resident daily.

The facility’s specialized programs include a Memory Care Neighborhood and a Comfort Care Room. There’s also person-directed care and volunteer-led activities to shape each resident’s daily routine.

The community is located in a rural setting, with a Walk Score of 9. Most errands and visits will require a car. The location is best suited for families who value a quiet, smaller-town environment, with less traffic and noise compared with a busier area. The facility’s county ownership and established nursing program provide a stable foundation for care for potential residents and their families.