DES MOINES, IOWA - Twenty Iowa nursing homes, assisted living
programs, adult day services, residential care facilities, and intermediate
care facilities for the mentally retarded received a letter of recognition
from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA) for
deficiency-free/regulatory insufficiency-free inspections conducted in July
and August. "These facilities and programs should be recognized for the
care and service they provide to their residents, tenants, and clients," DIA
Director Dean Lerner said.

Six long-term care facilities, five assisted living programs, five
residential care facilities, three intermediate care facilities for the
mental retarded, and one adult day service center passed their inspection
without any identified health care or service issues, Director Lerner
explained, adding: "We congratulate these providers who serve as a model for
others."

The facilities and programs that received a deficiency-free or
regulatory insufficiency-free letter from the Department were:

* Senior Circle, Muscatine
* Cornerstone, Mason City
* Danbury Circle, Waterloo
* Hillside Terrace, Spencer
* Prairie Hills, Ottumwa
* Apple Valley, Osage
* Bluegrass View, Corning
* Iowa Masonic Health Facilities, Bettendorf
* Brooklyn Community Estates, Brooklyn
* Mosaic-Prospect, West Des Moines
* Westview Care Center, Britt
* Heritage Residence, New Hampton
* Park Place, Atlantic
* Vera French Pine Knoll, Davenport
* Iowa Lutheran Hospital Skilled Nursing Unit, Des Moines
* Evergreen Estates I, Cedar Rapids
* Rehabilitation Center of Allison, Allison
* Vizaleea House, Dubuque
* Sigourney Care Center, Sigourney
* G &G Living-Jackson, Garnavillo

"Iowans are fortunate in that our state has many wonderful
health care providers, including long-term care facilities, residential care
facilities, intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded, adult
day services, and assisted living programs," the Director continued.
"Historically, approximately 12 percent of Iowa's long-term care facilities
and 20 percent of our assisted living programs pass their health services
inspections with flying colors," Lerner added.

DIA's Health Facilities Division is responsible for licensing or
certifying more than 1,000 nursing facilities, residential care facilities,
intermediate care facilities, assisted living programs, elder group homes,
and adult day service centers. Long-term care facilities are routinely
surveyed on an annual basis, while assisted living programs are inspected
once every two years under Iowa law.

During their inspections, surveyors and monitors from the Health
Facilities Division review the quality of care and services provided to the
residents, tenants, and clients. Inspectors also review the policies and
procedures used by the facilities and programs in their day-to-day
operations. Identified problems (called deficiencies in nursing homes and
regulatory insufficiencies in assisted living programs) are expected to be
remedied and plans of correction developed to prevent further issues.

The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals posts reports
from all inspections and complaint investigations conducted at nursing homes
and assisted living programs on its Nursing Home Report Card web site at
 https://dia-hfd.iowa.gov/DIA_HFD/Home.do.