Worst Nursing Homes in Iowa
Iowa generally has plenty of nursing homes that provide quality services to elderly residents, but it is also home to some of the nation’s worst care facilities. When considering a nursing home for yourself or a loved one, it is essential to evaluate overall quality. After all, the staff at this institution will be responsible for keeping you or your family members safe.
In this article, we will examine common issues in nursing homes and list some of the worst facilities in the state.
Our Methodology for Identifying the Worst Iowa Care Facilities
Some Iowa facilities have a history of serious quality issues, and researching a facility’s background is relatively simple. Let’s look at the methods used in this article to compile the list of worst nursing homes.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Star Rating System
The primary metric for a nursing home’s inclusion on this list is its rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a federal government entity.
CMS created a five-star rating system to evaluate all nursing homes in the United States. Each facility receives an overall score, a health inspections score, a staffing score, and a quality measures score. Every health care center in our list has a one-star rating, which means “much below average,” and many of them are special focus facilities.
You can compare Iowa facilities on the CMS website, which includes information about inspections and deficiencies.
Analyzing Inspection Reports from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals
The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals also provides information about eligible facilities in the state. You can visit this website and look for reports from state inspectors to see what violations certain institutions have committed in recent years.
Iowa’s “Special Focus Facilities” and “Candidates”
CMS will designate some nursing homes under the Special Focus Facilities or Candidates programs. If a nursing home has a Special Focus Facility program designation, it has a long history of federal violations and is being regularly inspected by the federal government.
The Candidate list is a special program intended for nursing homes that may soon be eligible for special focus status.
Iowa’s Lowest-Rated Nursing Homes
- Garden View Care Center – A complaint report from September 2024 uncovered ten deficiencies at this health care center. The primary complaints were allegations of physical, sexual, and mental abuse, physical punishment, and exploitation. The facility also failed to respond to accusations and report them to relevant authorities [1].
- Bethany Life – Multiple complaint reports were filed against Bethany Life in 2024. The most severe deficiencies were related to removing accident hazards from the premises to protect residents. However, there were also multiple complaints about residents suffering from abuse or neglect, placing them in harm’s way [2].
- Aspire of Lake Park – In the last few years, quality of care issues have been cited over and over again at this nursing home. There were 91 total deficiencies during that period, with many of them relating to abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The staff has also failed to provide a high quality of care with violations surrounding poor dietary support, improper care plans, and unsafe premises [3].
- Correctionville Specialty Care – Residents in this institution have not always been protected from various types of abuse. Many have suffered from physical, mental, and sexual abuse in recent years. The facility failed to report these incidents, respond to resident allegations, and implement procedures to prevent future abuse and neglect [4].
- Good Samaritan Society – Holstein – Although the number of deficiencies at this facility in the last five years is not overwhelming, the quality of care issues often include insufficient staff, a failure to prevent abuse, and a failure to uphold resident rights. Resident assessment and care planning deficiencies have been cited multiple times in reports on Good Samaritan Society [5].
- Griswold Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center – In 2022, a standard inspection revealed rampant issues of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Many residents faced immediate harm because the staff did not protect them from these concerns. Many resident rights were also violated in the last few years, especially regarding the right to determine their care [6].
- Parkview Manor – Residents of Parkview Manor were subjected to numerous violations in the last three years. Poor quality care initiatives, abuse, neglect, exploitation, infections, and a lack of care planning all made this facility dangerous for multiple residents. One complaint report in 2024 had fifteen deficiencies listed [7].
- Perry Lutheran Home – Twelve deficiencies may not seem like a large number over three years, but the nature of these violations is concerning. The most severe issues found were residents experiencing physical, sexual, and mental abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Additionally, the staff failed to report and respond when some of these complaints occurred [8].
- Grundy Care Center – More than one resident at Grundy Care Center experienced abuse, neglect, or exploitation. This indicates the staff’s failure to care for all residents. Other violations included poor infection control practices, insufficient staffing, pharmacy care failures, and poor quality of life standards [9].
- Accura Healthcare of Shenandoah – In 2023, Accura Healthcare was fined $8,415 after a complaint report revealed that residents were not protected from physical abuse and neglect. The abuse was also not reported in a timely manner to the appropriate authorities. Other issues include insufficient nursing staff oversight, poor nutrition services, and unclean premises [10].
- Via of Des Moines – Via of Des Moines is one of the most troublesome Iowa care facilities, with 99 deficiencies and four fines in the last three years. Several people have been affected by abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Staff shortages were common in multiple reports. Services at the facility often failed to meet professional standards [11].
- Lutheran Living Senior Campus – Quality of care is a major problem at this facility. Accident hazards have been found on the premises, residents do not always receive basic living assistance, and several have not been protected from abuse or neglect. Multiple administrative deficiencies have also exacerbated many of these other concerns [12].
- Caring Acres Nursing and Rehab Center – Residents have the right to be free from mental, sexual, and physical abuse, neglect, and exploitation, but the staff at Caring Acres have failed to protect that right. Multiple complaints about abuse have led to inspection reports. The facility staff has also failed to prevent accidents caused by unclean premises [13].
Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect in Iowa
You should become familiar with the warning signs of abuse and neglect if you or a loved one are moving into a facility.
Some of the most common warning signs include physical indicators like bruises and broken bones, behavioral changes, unclean rooms, unexplained injuries, poor hygiene, irritation, and fearfulness.
Steps to Take if You Suspect Abuse or Neglect in an Iowa Nursing Home
If you believe the quality of care in a nursing facility is questionable, you have several options to rectify the situation. First, document your observations with notes, photos, and videos. Report these concerns to the nursing home’s administrator. If this does not resolve the issue, contact the long-term care ombudsman program in Iowa.
You can also file a complaint with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. Finally, seek legal counsel from an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer if you are considering a lawsuit to understand the claims process.
How Our Firm Advocates for Victims of Nursing Home Neglect in Iowa
The Nursing Home Law Center supports victims of abuse and neglect as they pursue justice against long-term care facilities. We have a proven track record in nursing home abuse and neglect cases. Many of our cases have resulted in successful settlements and increased regulatory oversight.
Our team will investigate your claim, assess damages, pursue fair compensation, and negotiate on your behalf. We work on a contingency fee basis, so there are no upfront costs, and we only get paid if we win your case.
What Are the Most Common Forms of Nursing Home Neglect in Iowa?
Neglect and abuse often manifest in similar ways. Some of the most common forms of abuse and neglect include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, improper monitoring, neglect, unclean rooms, poor hygiene, medication errors, insufficient staffing levels, and administrative failures.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Filing a Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit in Iowa?
In Iowa, there is a statute of limitations governing how long you have to file a claim for abuse or neglect. Typically, you have two years to file your claim from the date of discovering the abuse.
What Damages Can Be Recovered in a Nursing Home Neglect Case?
The purpose of a lawsuit is to recover compensation for legal damages. Damages in these types of cases may include lost income, medical expenses, future medical costs, emotional distress, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life.
Contact an Iowa Nursing Home Attorney Now!
The Nursing Home Law Center can help you build a strong case against the at-fault nursing home. Call our Iowa nursing home abuse attorneys today at 800-926-7565 or complete the contact form to request a free consultation.
Resources: [1] ProPublica – Garden View, [2] ProPublica – Bethan Life, [3] ProPublica – Aspire of Lake Park, [4] ProPublica – Correctionville, [5] Pro Publica – Good Samaritan Society, [6] ProPublica – Griswold Rehabilitation, [7] ProPublica – Parkview Manor, [8] ProPublica – Perry Lutheran, [9] ProPublica – Grundy Care, [10] ProPublica – Accura Healthcare, [11] ProPublica – Via of Des Moines, [12] ProPublica – Lutheran Living, [13] ProPublica – Caring Acres