10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Des Moines, IA

Seniors who move into assisted living communities, whether or not those communities are attached to independent living facilities, senior apartments, or memory care wings, typically use a combination of methods to pay for their monthly fees. The most common payment methods are with personal funds, through insurance vehicles like Medicaid or Medicare, or with help from VA benefits. Please note that Medicaid, Medicare, and VA assistance cannot be used for monthly rent costs but can be used to help pay for other fees, such as medical care or emergency services.

In Iowa, all assisted living facilities are licensed as Assisted Living Programs (ALPs) and regulated by the Health Facilities Division of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA). The process of receiving and keeping licensure involves meeting strict compliance requirements regarding staff, residential care, and other standards for ALPs.

Standards that apply to assisted living facilities

Iowa law defines ALPs — or assisted living facilities — home-like spaces that provide personal care to three or more people. The regulations put a major emphasis on preserving the dignity and privacy of residents, as well as encouraging their participation (and their loved ones) in decision making.

An assisted living stay in Iowa must begin with an agreement that outlines everything from cost to emergency procedures to staffing policies. Personal care, health-related care, and medication oversight must be provided. The facility must provide at least one hot meal per day.

A sufficient number of staff members must be on hand 24-hours a day to cover all the residents’ needs, and all staff must be trained on emergency procedures. Staff members must also pass criminal background checks.

Regular inspections at assisted living facilities

It is the role of the Iowa DIA to conduct regular inspections of each assisted living facility. Typically, inspections happen at least once every 24 months, although they may be performed more frequently. Inspections ensure that every facility maintains the highest quality of care and puts residents’ safety, comfort, and dignity first.

Check the Health Facilities Division online database for inspection reports. You can search by facility name or type or search by location.

Iowa Department of Health contact information

Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
321 E. 12th St.
Des Moines, IA 50319
Phone: 515-281-7689
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

COVID-19 regulations for Des Moines assisted living facilities

Iowa officially lifted all masking and social distancing mandates, but Des Moines shares these best practices. However, many assisted living communities follow their own best practices and may ask workers to wear masks when coming in close contact with residents.

To reduce your risk of contracting or sharing Covid or a comparable illness like the seasonal flu, follow some basic hygiene rules.

According to U.S. News and World Reports, Des Moines is more than just a cost-effective place to live with lots of natural parks, plenty of restaurants and shopping, and some walkable areas. It’s also named one of the top 100 places to retire in the country. This makes it a welcoming, affordable option for seniors who want to make the move to an assisted living facility.

Progressive combination living for seamless aging in place

In terms of the facilities themselves, each of the 18 assisted living communities associated with A Place for Mom has its own atmosphere and layout. Seniors will find that most of these communities aren’t standalone facilities, either. They’re more modern and meant for an aging-in-place lifestyle. To allow seniors the most independence and freedom while being able to access care, seven of our partners are assisted living, independent living, and memory care facilities combined. Another eight are assisted living and memory care. While there is one each of senior apartments/assisted living, senior apartments/assisted living/independent living/memory care, and a standalone assisted living facility.

Basic to luxury and everything in-between

Some seniors hope to live in accommodations that skew toward the luxurious and high-end. Others are more interested in making a more quaint assisted living facility home. No matter the requirements, seniors can find suitable options across the board in Des Moines, making it easier to pinpoint exactly where to call home.

Amenities to suit your lifestyle

Seniors moving to an assisted living community can still uphold an independent lifestyle. Especially since assisted living facilities are laid out to serve personal care needs and help with activities of daily living without limiting seniors from the safe activities and opportunities they enjoy. Many of our partner communities offer at-cost and complimentary transportation, for instance. This gives seniors the opportunity to explore the Des Moines area with friends and family, and three-quarters of our partners take residents on outings. Some even set up activities for both residents and their family members, making it simpler and more convenient to make memories with both new friends and loved ones. Onsite, seniors can enjoy art classes, bingo, yoga, movies in the theater room, or a game of cards with friends.

Care has you covered

On the health care side, seniors may want to evaluate assisted living options based on whether they offer full medication management, onsite memory care, onsite hospice, or visiting providers. At our partner facilities, nearly all of them offer visiting physical and occupational therapists, podiatrists, and nurses. Full medication management is available at 82% of our partner assisted living facilities.

Health care for seniors in Des Moines

Transportation for seniors in Des Moines

At our partner assisted living facilities, transportation for seniors is made easy with 82% offering it at-cost and 77% providing it free of charge.

Seniors living at an assisted living community that offers transportation may still want to get around Des Moines in other ways with a care team or with visiting family members. Fortunately, like many large cities, Des Moines has its walkable areas. However, the city’s walk score sits at 45 out of 100, meaning that not every neighborhood has well-maintained paths, trails, or sidewalks. With this in mind, seniors may want to take public or private transportation to get to parks, museums, shopping centers, events, and restaurants.

The main public transportation is a bus line run by the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority. The bus line offers discounts for seniors and even has a special door-to-door Paratransit Bus Plus service that may be free for those considered low-income or disabled. To learn more about discounts and related options as a senior living in Des Moines, contact the Transit Authority at (515) 286-3484.

Most people don’t keep a car if they’re relocating to associated living communities in Des Moines. Still, seniors can always take rideshare services like Uber or Lyft to get where they want to go. If you’d rather use a private transportation method that’s specifically made with seniors in mind, get in touch with Compassionate Care Transportation. This organization sets up affordable, non-medical transport for senior individuals and larger groups.

Senior activities in Des Moines

One of the most enjoyable parts of moving to any new city is being able to fully explore its amenities and unique aspects. In Des Moines, seniors can find lots of ways to spend their free time. From shopping at boutiques and stores and trying different types of cuisine to attending live events or enjoying nature settings, they can fill your calendar month after month.

Below are just some of the initial places to explore and things to do after once the assisted living move-in day is complete.

Getting outside for fresh air

Being able to indulge in outdoor recreation and relaxation is something residents of Des Moines prize. The city has more than 76 small and large parks. Seniors can find out about specific activities in these parks by checking the Des Moines Parks and Recreation site regularly.

One of the most notable parks in the region is Gray’s Lake Park. It’s quite spacious and attracts hikers, picnickers, and watersports enthusiasts. Even for those that use a wheelchair or require an assisted device,  navigation is easy on many of its more well-maintained paths. TrailLink also offers a map of wheelchair-accessible places to go at Gray’s Lake Park.

Gray’s Lake Park isn’t far from another popular outdoor hotspot in Des Moines: The expansive Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. This Botanical Garden is filled with native and exotic plants. It’s known for its pristine landscaping and won a 2022 “Best Attraction” award. Seniors can even expect to get a discounted ticket price to roam around the Garden grounds. From the Garden, consider taking a 15-20 minute bus ride to the Pappajohn Sculpture Park with its massive outdoor art installations.

Museums and educational experiences

Being able to learn something new is one of the benefits of going to museums and other educational institutions. To find out about the first settlers — and their generations since — check out the State Historical Museum. This museum is built for accessibility with all displays being wheelchair accessible and some wheelchairs available for visitors’ use.

Want to go a little “wild” with self-paced learning? A trip to the Blank Park Zoo is in order. The Blank Park Zoo won the 2022 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, a true feather in this facility’s cap. It’s not hard to be amazed by the wonders of the animal, avian, aquatic, and reptile kingdoms here.

Art lovers will appreciate the Des Moines Arts Center, which is both free and packed with works from well-recognized artists like Georgia O’Keefe and Henri Matisse. For those who would like to see art pieces from emerging artists, including those local to the Des Moines region, consider going to the Polk County Heritage Gallery.

Cheering for athletes and performers

Although many assisted living communities may offer onsite entertainment like traveling singers, bingo games, and movie get-togethers, seniors may want to go to an event outside of the complex. At Principal Park, seniors can indulge their love for baseball by watching games played by the minor league Iowa Cubs. Another rewarding location to try for those into music is the Des Moines Symphony, which focuses on bringing live performing arts concerts and more to audiences. Additionally, the Des Moines Civic Center presents year-round opportunities to sit back and be entertained by Broadway-style entertainment, comedians, singers, and other performers.