All states › Iowa › Harlan › Elm Crest Retirement Community
2104 12th Street Harlan, IA 51537 · Shelby County
CMS certification number 165372 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Elm Crest Retirement Community a good nursing home? Reviews, ratings and inspection record
There are no official resident reviews of nursing homes: Medicare's Care Compare publishes inspections, staffing and quality data instead. Here is what that record shows for Elm Crest Retirement Community as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 2 out of 5 stars overall, below the Iowa average of 3.1.
Online reviews from families and residents are on Google Maps and other sites; they reflect individual experiences and aren't checked by CMS. The full inspection reports, including what inspectors observed, are on Medicare Care Compare.
Staffing
Nursing staff spend about 4.02 hours per resident per day at Elm Crest Retirement Community, above the Iowa median of 3.76 (US median: 3.72). About 0.98 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.41 hours, 15% below its all-week average. Ask how weekends are staffed. 75.4% of nursing staff left within a year (Iowa median 41.7%). High turnover can mean residents see unfamiliar caregivers; ask how long the nurses on the unit have worked there. 2 administrators left in the past year.
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Elm Crest Retirement Community: Medicare and Medicaid
Elm Crest Retirement Community is certified for both Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare Part A can cover a short skilled-nursing or rehab stay here after a qualifying hospital stay of at least three inpatient days (observation days don't count), for up to 100 days per benefit period. Medicaid can pay for long-term care for residents who meet Iowa's income and asset rules. Being certified doesn't guarantee a Medicaid bed is open, so ask whether the home accepts residents whose Medicaid application is still pending.
In 2026 Medicare covers days 1–20 in full after the Part A deductible ($1,736 per benefit period); for days 21–100 you pay $217 a day; after day 100 you pay all costs. Medicare doesn't pay for long-term custodial care. Medicare's coverage rules.
Health inspections
The most recent standard inspection was on January 14, 2026 and found 3 deficiencies, plus 4 from complaint inspections in the same period. In total, inspectors issued 21 citations in the last three years.
Each citation has a scope and severity letter from A to L. A–C: potential for minimal harm. D–F: potential for more than minimal harm. G–I: actual harm. J–L: immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.
What the inspections found
Over the last three years, inspectors issued 21 citations at Elm Crest Retirement Community across 7 inspection dates, 8 of them from complaint investigations. 2 were at the actual-harm level (G–I), most recently on June 10, 2026. The most common areas cited were quality of life and care (8) and nutrition and dietary (5). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents" (tag F0689, level G, June 10, 2026).
August 10, 2026 · 2 citations · includes complaint inspection
DProvide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
June 10, 2026 · 1 citation, includes actual harm · includes complaint inspection
GEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
January 14, 2026 · 3 citations
EEnsure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
EEnsure each resident receives and the facility provides food prepared in a form designed to meet individual needs.
EProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
November 13, 2025 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
November 14, 2024 · 8 citations, includes actual harm · includes complaint inspection
GEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
EProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
EProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
DHonor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
DAssess the resident completely in a timely manner when first admitted, and then periodically, at least every 12 months.
DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
DProvide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
DProvide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
July 21, 2024 · 2 citations · includes complaint inspection
EDevelop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
DProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
October 5, 2023 · 4 citations
EProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
EProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
DProvide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
Questions to ask on a tour of Elm Crest Retirement Community
- Inspectors cited the home at the actual-harm level on June 10, 2026 under the rule on quality of life and care. What changed afterwards, and can I see the plan of correction?
- Weekend staffing is 15% below the all-week average. Who is on duty on Saturday nights?
- Nursing staff turnover was 75.4% a year. How many of the staff come from agencies?
- Several administrators left in the past year. What has changed for residents since then?
- Do you have a Medicaid bed open now, and will you admit someone whose Medicaid application is still pending?
- When is the first care-plan meeting, and can family attend?
Questions come from this home's CMS data: its inspections, staffing and ownership record.
Fines and payment denials
2 penalties in the last three years, including $14,380 in fines.
| Date | Type | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 10, 2026 | Fine | $14,380 |
| Nov 14, 2024 | Payment Denial | 8 days of payments denied |
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| August 2026 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Elm Crest Retirement Community
The Medicare-certified hospitals closest to this nursing home, with their CMS data. Ask the home which hospital it usually sends residents to.
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0.1 mi
Myrtue Medical Center HarlanEmergency room ★★★☆☆ Medicare overall 3 of 5Median ER visit 1h 1m for patients treated and sent home
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20.6 mi
Audubon County Memorial Hospital AudubonEmergency roomMedian ER visit 1h 24m for patients treated and sent home
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21.9 mi
Manning Regional Healthcare Center ManningEmergency roomMedian ER visit 1h 41m for patients treated and sent home
Hospital ratings, ER visit times and more at Hospitals In Each State
Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.
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Source: CMS Provider Data Catalog (provider information, health deficiencies, penalties), October 2026. Inspection citations and penalties cover the last three years. Nursing Homes In Each State is independent and not affiliated with CMS or Medicare. About the data · Report a problem with this listing. Is this your nursing home? Feature it here.