18 of the 30 Medicare-certified nursing homes in Polk County, Iowa (60%) are chain-owned, and all are listed below. Nurse staff turnover runs 56.1%, 6 points higher than the 50.1% across all homes there. They average 3.99 nursing hours per resident per day, 0.23 hours below the 4.22 for every home in Polk County, Iowa. Deerfield Health Care Center in Urbandale grades highest at A (100 out of 100).
How chain-owned homes in Polk County, Iowa compare
This group set against every nursing home in Polk County, Iowa, from the current CMS release.
Nursing hours per resident per day
3.99
All homes in Polk County, Iowa: 4.22
Worse than the local average
Nurse staff turnover
56.1%
All homes in Polk County, Iowa: 50.1%
Worse than the local average
Average ElderGrade score
73.9/100
All homes in Polk County, Iowa: 75.8/100
Worse than the local average
Grade spread
A
B
C
D
4 grade A, 7 grade B, 3 grade C, 4 grade D,
The best-graded chain-owned home in Polk County, Iowa is
Deerfield Health Care Center
in Urbandale, IA, grade A, 100/100.
Every chain-owned nursing home in Polk County, Iowa
Deerfield Health Care Center is a 30-bed nonprofit home in Urbandale, church-affiliated, and the numbers behind it are unusually steady. Nurse staffing runs 5.31 hours per resident day, roughly 38% above the national average, and weekends hold within about 2% of weekday coverage, a gap that sinks plenty of homes. Staff turnover sits at 25.8% against a national average of 45.8%, which matters because aides who stay know the residents. The inspection record shows three deficiencies, none at harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, with the most recent survey completed March 27, 2025. At 30 beds, this is a small enough building that consistent staffing and low turnover show up directly in daily care.
Edgewater runs on a nonprofit model with 40 certified beds in West Des Moines, and the staffing numbers are the story here: 4.70 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 22% above the national average. Weekend coverage dips about 15% below its own weekday level, so care thins out on Saturdays and Sundays even though the overall floor is high. Annual turnover sits at 44%, essentially matching the national rate. The current record shows 10 deficiencies, none at the harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, with the most recent inspection completed June 19, 2025. Quality measures score strongly; health inspections are the softer spot.
Prairie Vista Village runs on 4.47 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 16% above the national average, and its weekend staffing holds about 16% below its own weekday level, a dip worth asking about if your family visits mainly on Saturdays and Sundays. Staff turnover sits at 37.3%, better than the 45.8% national figure, which matters for whether your parent sees the same faces month to month. Five deficiencies on the current record, none at harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, with the last inspection in May 2025. It's a for-profit LLC with 46 beds, small enough that you can reasonably expect the administrator to know your mother's name.
Mill-Pond runs on 4.58 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 19% above the national average, and that staffing shows up in the five-star rating CMS gives it for workforce. Weekend coverage dips about 9% below its own weekday level, so ask how that plays out on a Sunday. Staff turnover sits at 37.1%, better than the 45.8% national figure. The current record lists 10 deficiencies, none at the harm or jeopardy level, though 3 are abuse-related, worth asking about directly. The last inspection was March 2026, and the health inspection and quality measure ratings both came in at 4 out of 5.
Brio Of Johnston runs a for-profit limited liability operation with 36 certified beds in Polk County, and its nurse staffing sits at 4.57 hours per resident day, roughly 18% above the national average. That margin narrows on weekends, when coverage drops about 10% below the home's own weekday pace. Staff turnover lands at 55.1%, nearly ten points above the national figure, which means the people delivering that care are cycling through faster than average. Twelve deficiencies sit on the current record, one serious enough to involve harm or jeopardy, with a single fine of $6,923 and an inspection dated April 2026. The staffing and quality measure ratings hold at 4 stars each; inspection results sit lower at 3.
Wesley On Grand runs on a solid staffing base: 3.94 nurse hours per resident day, a bit above the national average of 3.86. Weekend coverage dips about 5% from weekday levels, and turnover sits at 44.7%, marginally better than the 45.8% national figure. The inspection record is clean where it matters, four deficiencies total, none causing harm or jeopardy, none abuse-related, with the most recent survey in June 2025. Quality measures land mid-range. It's a nonprofit home with 80 beds whose strongest asset is a spotless harm-level record and dependable weekday staffing; the trade-offs are thinner weekend coverage and a quality-measure score that won't impress anyone.
Kennybrook Village sits in Grimes with 40 certified beds and an individual for-profit owner. The nurse staffing number is the standout: 4.54 hours per resident day, roughly 18% above the national average, which is why CMS gives it 4 stars on staffing. Weekend coverage drops about 12% from weekday levels, so ask how that plays out on Saturdays. Turnover runs 49.1%, a bit above the national 45.8%, not alarming, but worth knowing. Twelve deficiencies are on record, none at harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, and the last inspection was January 2026. Inspection and quality measures both sit at 3 stars.
The Rehabilitation Center of Des Moines runs 74 certified beds under for-profit LLC ownership, and its nurse staffing sits at 3.91 hours per resident day, barely a nose above the national average of 3.86. Weekends thin out about 13% from weekday coverage, so the care you'd see on a Saturday looks lighter than midweek. Turnover is 35.9%, better than the 45.8% national figure, which matters for continuity. What pulls the record down is inspection history: 34 deficiencies on file, including one at harm or jeopardy level and three tied to abuse, with the last survey dated September 2025. The quality measure score of 5 out of 5 contrasts sharply with a 2 out of 5 on both staffing and health inspections, worth asking about directly before deciding.
Valley View Village is a nonprofit home in Des Moines with 79 beds, and its staffing is genuinely its strong point, 4.46 nurse hours per resident day, about 16% above the national average. Weekend coverage dips roughly 9% below weekday levels, which is common but worth knowing if you're visiting on a Saturday. The harder numbers sit elsewhere: staff turnover of 50% runs above the 45.8% national average, and the current record carries 23 deficiencies, including two at the harm or jeopardy level. The last inspection was in May 2025, and one fine totaling $9,110 has been levied. Consistent nursing hours are a real plus, but the inspection history and turnover suggest asking pointed questions about consistency of care.
University Park runs on thinner nurse staffing than most homes, 3.41 hours per resident day against a national average of 3.86, and weekends dip about 10% below what it manages during the week. The bigger number is turnover: 97.5% of nursing staff leaving annually, roughly double the national rate, which means the people caring for residents are constantly new. Inspections in March 2026 turned up 22 deficiencies, one tied to abuse, though none rose to the level of actual harm. Its quality measure scores look strong on paper, but those rest on data the staff has to collect and report accurately, and a workforce that turns over almost completely every year makes consistency hard. For-profit corporate ownership, 108 beds.
Parkridge Specialty Care runs 90 certified beds in Pleasant Hill under nonprofit corporate ownership, and its staffing sits at 3.27 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 15% under the national average of 3.86, with weekends dropping about 10% below its own weekday levels. Turnover is 44.9%, essentially in line with the national 45.8%. The inspection record is the harder part: 49 deficiencies, including three at harm or jeopardy level and two tied to abuse, plus one fine of $34,450, and the most recent inspection was October 2025. A 1-star health inspection rating against a 3-star staffing rating tells you where the problems cluster, not necessarily in raw hours, but in how care is delivered and documented when regulators look closely.
The Bridges at Ankeny runs on thinner nurse coverage than most Iowa homes, 3.55 hours per resident day against a national average of 3.86, and weekends drop about 12% below its own weekday level, exactly when families tend to visit. Staff turnover is the harder number to get past: 99.1% a year means roughly the entire nursing staff turns over annually, against a national rate near 46%. Its current inspection record carries 39 deficiencies, two of them serious enough to reach harm or jeopardy level, plus a $14,015 fine. The five-star quality measure score reflects how residents are doing clinically; the two-star inspection and staffing ratings reflect what's happening around them.
Harmony West Des Moines runs 113 beds under corporate ownership, and the numbers explain the record. Nurse staffing sits at 3.59 hours per resident day against a national average of 3.86, and weekends dip roughly 10% below its own weekday level, so coverage is thinnest exactly when families tend to visit. Staff turnover is 58.9%, well above the 45.8% national figure, which makes consistent care hard to sustain.
The inspection history is the heavier problem: 46 deficiencies on the current record, including one at the harm level and five tied to abuse. The health inspection rating is 1 out of 5, with the most recent inspection dated March 5, 2026. Quality measures score better at 3 out of 5, but that sits alongside a 2 out of 5 for staffing.
Altoona Nursing and Rehabilitation Center carries 48 deficiencies on its current record, including one tied to abuse, though none reached the harm or jeopardy level. The 106-bed for-profit home in Polk County was inspected most recently on March 19, 2026. Where the numbers get harder to explain away is staffing: CMS gives it 1 out of 5 stars there, and its annual turnover sits at 97.8 percent against a national average of 45.8 percent. That means the aides and nurses caring for residents are, almost without exception, new to the building each year. Inspection and quality measures each land at 2 stars. Families weighing this home against others nearby should ask directly how they hold onto caregivers.
Greater Southside runs on 3.44 nurse hours per resident per day, about 11% under the national average, and weekends drop roughly 22% below its own weekday staffing. That thinner coverage adds up over time: 62.3% of staff left last year against a 45.8% national rate, and CMS flags the home as a Special Focus Facility. The inspection record backs that up, 66 deficiencies, including 8 at harm or jeopardy level and 8 tied to abuse, with four fines totaling $166,443. The most recent inspection was June 2025. For a family weighing this one, the staffing and inspection numbers are the ones that matter most.
Azria Health Park Place carries 70 certified beds under for-profit LLC ownership, and the numbers tell a hard story. Three-and-a-half nurse staffing hours per resident day sits about 9% under the national average, and weekends dip roughly 12% below the home's own weekday levels, so the thinnest coverage lands when families are most likely to visit. Staff turnover near 70% runs well above the national 46%, which means the people providing care keep changing. On inspections, the record shows 70 deficiencies, including three at harm or jeopardy level and five tied to abuse, plus $36,875 in fines. CMS has placed this home in its Special Focus Facility program, a designation reserved for the most persistently troubled nursing homes.
Bishop Drumm is run by a church-affiliated nonprofit, and its staffing numbers tell two stories. Nurse hours sit at 3.64 per resident day, about 6% under the national average, and weekends drop roughly 13% below its own weekday coverage. Turnover is the bright spot: 34.9% against a national 45.8%, which suggests people stay. But the inspection record is where this home falls apart, 77 deficiencies, 9 of them at harm or jeopardy level, four fines totaling $258,177, and a place in CMS's Special Focus Facility program, reserved for the country's most troubled homes. A July 2025 inspection is recent, so the picture isn't stale.
Royal Oaks is a 115-bed for-profit home in Urbandale that CMS has placed in its Special Focus Facility program, a designation reserved for the homes with the most persistent problems. The inspection record backs that up: 71 deficiencies, seven serious enough to put residents in harm's way, two tied to abuse, and three fines totaling $122,945. Staffing runs about 6% under the national average, and the gap widens on weekends, when coverage drops roughly 9% below its own weekday level. Turnover sits at 66.7%, well above the 45.8% national figure, so the people caring for residents are constantly changing. If you're considering this one, ask hard questions about what's changed since the May 2025 inspection.
Frequently asked questions
How many chain-owned nursing homes are there in Polk County, Iowa?
There are 18 chain-owned Medicare-certified nursing homes in Polk County, Iowa, 60% of the 30 nursing homes there.
Are chain-owned nursing homes better staffed?
In Polk County, Iowa they average 3.99 total nursing hours per resident per day, against 4.22 for all nursing homes in Polk County, Iowa, a difference of -0.23 hours. Staff turnover averages 56.1% against 50.1%.
Which chain-owned nursing home grades best in Polk County, Iowa?