Not rated by CMS — ratings are suppressed for new or low-volume facilities.
Past the typical resurvey interval — a standard survey could occur at any time
Estimate from public CMS data, current as of June 2026. Survey timing is at the state agency's discretion.
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Iowa Jewish Senior Life Center during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
A facility failed to ensure proper infection control during meal service, as a cook used gloved hands to serve meals without changing gloves or performing hand hygiene consistently. The cook touched various surfaces and food items, including seasoned peas, parsley, spaghetti, sandwiches, and more, with the same gloves, contrary to the facility's policy requiring glove changes between tasks to prevent foodborne illness.
The facility failed to update care plans for two residents diagnosed with RSV, lacking directives for droplet precautions. Despite signs and protective equipment being present, interviews confirmed care plans were not updated to reflect current needs, contrary to facility policy.
A resident with Alzheimer's and dementia was found with a bruise on her left forearm, which was not documented or assessed by the facility staff. The bruise was discovered by a CNA and reported to an RN, but no follow-up was conducted. The resident's family raised concerns about protective sleeves covering the bruise, leading to an investigation that revealed a lack of communication and documentation among staff.
The facility failed to follow infection control practices for residents on droplet precautions, specifically for three residents diagnosed with RSV. Staff were observed feeding residents without wearing required PPE such as gowns and gloves, despite the presence of droplet precautions signs and available PPE. Additionally, a housekeeper improperly handled soiled linens by carrying them against her uniform instead of using a bag, contrary to the facility's linens policy.
A facility failed to notify the State LTC Ombudsman of a resident's transfer to the hospital. The transfer was not documented on the Notice of Transfer Form due to a reporting issue in the electronic health records system. The facility lacked a policy for notifying the LTC Ombudsman about transfers, although it was expected that all transfers be reported.
The facility failed to meet professional standards by not observing a resident take their medications. The resident, with diagnoses of heart failure, anxiety, and depression, was found holding a medication cup with several pills. Interviews with LPNs and the Director of Nursing confirmed that staff are expected to stay with residents until the medication is swallowed, as per facility policy.
A significant medication error occurred when a Certified Medication Aide, unfamiliar with a resident, mistakenly administered medication intended for another resident. The error was discovered when the aide realized the mistake during the medication pass. The resident was sent to the emergency room for evaluation, and hospital records indicated that the mental status change was likely related to pre-existing high potassium levels.
The facility failed to maintain infection control standards during meal assistance and catheter care for two residents. A CMA was observed using the same gloves while assisting two residents with their meals, and a CNA did not change gloves or perform hand hygiene after touching contaminated objects before performing catheter care. The DON confirmed that these actions violated the facility's infection control policies.
Inadequate Infection Control Practices During Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper infection control practices during meal service, as observed on March 11, 2025. Staff J, a cook, used gloved hands to serve meals but did not change gloves or perform hand hygiene consistently throughout the meal service. Staff J touched various surfaces and food items with the same pair of gloves, including plates, utensils, refrigerators, lids, and transportation carts. He also directly handled food items such as seasoned peas, parsley, spaghetti, sandwiches, toaster waffles, lettuce, grilled cheese sandwiches, and breadsticks with his gloved hands, which could lead to contamination. The facility's policy on food preparation and service, which lacked a date, stated that food preparation staff should adhere to proper hygiene and sanitary practices to prevent the spread of foodborne illness. The policy also indicated that gloves could become contaminated and should be changed between tasks, as they are single-use items. However, the actions of Staff J during the meal service did not align with these guidelines, as he failed to change gloves between tasks, potentially increasing the risk of foodborne illness among the 40 residents in the facility.
Failure to Update Care Plans for Residents with RSV
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to develop and implement a comprehensive person-centered care plan for two residents diagnosed with RSV, a respiratory infection. Resident #3, who had Alzheimer's Disease and diabetes, tested positive for RSV and was placed on droplet precautions. However, the care plan for this resident lacked specific information or directives for staff to follow the current policy and protocol guidelines related to RSV and droplet precautions. Similarly, Resident #32, who had dementia and diabetes, was diagnosed with RSV and placed on droplet precautions, but their care plan did not include information about the RSV infection or necessary interventions such as droplet precautions. Observations revealed that droplet precaution signs were posted, and protective equipment was available outside the residents' rooms. Interviews with the Director of Nursing, a Licensed Practical Nurse, and the MDS Coordinator confirmed that the care plans were not updated to reflect the residents' current needs and precautions. The facility's policies required that care plans be updated to include any medical and nursing needs, including isolation precautions for transmittable diseases, but this was not done for the two residents in question.
Failure to Document and Assess Resident's Injury
Penalty
Summary
The facility staff failed to assess and document an injury of unknown origin for a resident with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and muscle weakness. The resident, who had severely impaired cognition and required substantial assistance for daily activities, was found to have a bruise on her left forearm. Despite the resident's dependence on staff for care, the bruise was not documented in the clinical records, and there was no initial skin assessment or incident report completed by the staff. The bruise was first noticed by a CNA during rounds, who reported it to an RN. However, the RN did not follow up on the report, and the bruise was not documented until the resident's family raised concerns. The family discovered the bruise when they noticed protective sleeves on the resident's arms, which were not ordered or documented. The facility's investigation revealed that the bruise was not reported or assessed in a timely manner, and there was confusion among staff about the resident's condition and the use of protective sleeves. Interviews with staff indicated a lack of communication and documentation regarding the resident's bruise. The MDS Coordinator and ADON were informed of the bruise by the resident's family, prompting an investigation. Despite the facility's efforts to determine the cause of the bruise, the investigation was inconclusive, and the facility recognized the need for improvement in reporting and assessing injuries of unknown origin.
Infection Control Deficiencies in Droplet Precautions and Linen Handling
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to adhere to infection control practices for residents on droplet precautions, specifically for three residents diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Resident #3, diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease and diabetes, was on droplet precautions due to RSV but lacked a care plan with directives for staff to follow. Despite being on droplet precautions, staff were observed feeding the resident without wearing the required personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gowns and gloves. Similarly, Resident #30, with Alzheimer's Disease and dementia, was placed on droplet precautions without a corresponding care plan or order summary detailing the necessary interventions. Staff were observed feeding this resident without wearing gowns, contrary to the facility's infection control policy. Resident #32, diagnosed with dementia and diabetes, was also on droplet precautions for RSV. The care plan for this resident did not include information about the RSV infection or necessary interventions like droplet precautions. Observations showed that staff did not consistently wear gowns or gloves when interacting with the resident, despite the presence of a droplet precautions sign and available PPE. The facility's infection control policy, based on CDC guidelines, requires staff to wear masks, gowns, and gloves when entering the room of a resident on droplet precautions to prevent the spread of infection. Additionally, the facility failed to handle soiled linens properly, as observed with Staff B, a housekeeper, who carried soiled linens against her uniform instead of placing them in a bag before transporting them to the soiled linen cart. This practice contradicts the facility's linens policy, which emphasizes minimizing direct contact with contaminated linens to prevent pathogen transmission. The Infection Preventionist confirmed that soiled linens should be placed in a bag at the point of use to ensure infection prevention and control.
Failure to Notify LTC Ombudsman of Resident Transfer
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to notify the State Long Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman regarding the transfer of a resident to the hospital. Specifically, the facility did not document the transfer of a resident, who was on hospital leave, on the Notice of Transfer Form to the LTC Ombudsman for November 2024. The resident was readmitted to the facility from the hospital, but the transfer was not captured in the report generated from the facility's electronic health records system. Interviews with the Accounting Manager and Admission Coordinator revealed that the report used to notify the LTC Ombudsman did not include hospitalizations. Additionally, the Administrator confirmed that the facility lacked a policy for notifying the LTC Ombudsman about transfers or hospitalizations, although it was expected that any resident being sent out of the facility should be included on the Notice of Transfer Form.
Failure to Observe Medication Administration
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to meet professional standards by not observing a resident take their medications. This was identified for one of eight residents reviewed. The resident, who had diagnoses of heart failure, anxiety, and depression, was observed holding a medication cup with several pills and stated that the staff always leave the medications for them to take later. The resident's Medication Administration Record documented multiple medications ordered and administered at noon, including ascorbic acid, aspirin, buspirone, cholecalciferol, diltiazem, duloxetine, ferrous gluconate, furosemide, L-Lysine, metoprolol, Tylenol, and Zyrtec. Interviews with two Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) revealed that they claimed to always stay with residents until they take and swallow their medications, following the facility's protocol. However, the observation contradicted these statements. The facility's policy on medication administration directed staff to remain with the resident to ensure that the medication is swallowed. The Director of Nursing also confirmed that staff are expected to stay with residents until the medication is swallowed and mentioned that recent education had been provided to the staff regarding this protocol.
Significant Medication Error Due to Incorrect Resident Identification
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to prevent a significant medication error for a resident who was unable to easily communicate with staff and had vision and hearing impairments. The error occurred when a Certified Medication Aide, unfamiliar with the resident, mistakenly administered 650 mg of Tylenol and 0.25 milliliters of morphine intended for another resident. The aide did not correctly identify the resident, who responded to the wrong name, and the medication was given without verifying the resident's identity. The error was discovered when the aide went to the resident's room for the medication pass and realized the mistake, subsequently notifying the nurse on duty. The resident's family chose to send her to the emergency room for evaluation following the error. Hospital records indicated that the resident had high potassium and creatinine levels prior to the medication error, and the mental status change was likely related to hyperkalemia rather than the morphine administration. The facility's Medication Error/Omission Report indicated that the error could have been prevented by having identification on wheelchairs and asking residents for their name and date of birth before administering medication. The facility's policy on medication administration emphasized the importance of administering medications safely and appropriately.
Infection Control Deficiencies During Meal Assistance and Catheter Care
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain infection control standards during meal assistance and catheter care for two residents. During a dining room observation, a Certified Medication Aide (CMA) was seen wearing the same pair of gloves while assisting two residents with their meals. The CMA alternated between feeding the residents, touching various surfaces, and handling food without changing gloves or performing hand hygiene. This included touching the residents' silverware, cups, and food, as well as other surfaces like the table and chair, which led to cross-contamination risks. The Director of Nursing (DON) confirmed that the staff should have performed hand hygiene and changed gloves to avoid cross-contamination. In another instance, a Certified Nursing Aide (CNA) was observed performing catheter care for a resident with severe cognitive impairment and an indwelling catheter. The CNA washed her hands and donned gloves and a gown but then touched a floor mat, cabinet door, and dirty garbage bag with the same gloves before proceeding with catheter care. The CNA did not change gloves or perform hand hygiene after touching these contaminated objects, which violated the facility's policy on catheter care. The DON confirmed that the CNA should have changed gloves and performed hand hygiene before continuing with the catheter care. The facility's policies on feeding residents and emptying catheter drainage bags were not followed, leading to these deficiencies. The policies clearly state that gloves should be changed, and hand hygiene should be performed when there is a risk of contamination. The observations and interviews with the DON confirmed that the staff did not adhere to these infection control standards, resulting in potential cross-contamination and increased risk of infection for the residents involved.
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Resident with a documented fall history left unattended on the patio; found on the ground with a hip fracture.
Walk-in cooler logs missing for 12 days; expired supplements in the medication room fridge.
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Nursing homes near Des Moines
How nearby facilities compare on the same public inspection record.
| Facility | Distance | Overall rating | Citations, 12 mo | Serious (J–L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wesley On Grand | 1.1 mi | — | 0 | 0 |
| Scottish Rite Park Inc | 1.3 mi | — | 0 | 0 |
| Calvin Community | 1.5 mi | — | 12 | 0 |
| Ramsey Village | 1.8 mi | — | 4 | 0 |
| Pine Acres Rehabilitation And Care Center | 2.1 mi | — | 19 | 0 |
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Trusted data, never guesswork. Every citation, penalty, rating and Plan of Correction on this page is sourced from public CMS records (latest release August 2026) and official state health department websites.