facebook tracking Lyon Specialty Care, Rock Rapids IA: CMS Ratings
Skip to content
Nursing homes near meNear me

Lyon Specialty Care

All states › Iowa › Rock Rapids › Lyon Specialty Care

1010 South Union Rock Rapids, IA 51246 · Lyon County

(712) 472-3748

Accepts Medicare Accepts Medicaid 45 certified beds Non profit

CMS certification number 165215 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare

Ratings come from CMS and are updated monthly; these are from October 2026. Check the latest inspection report and visit in person before you decide.

Is Lyon Specialty Care 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 Lyon Specialty Care as of October 2026.

CMS rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall, above the Iowa average of 3.1. Inspectors issued 9 citations in the last three years. CMS reports no fines or payment denials in that time. For short-term rehab patients CMS rates quality 2 out of 5; for long-term residents, 5 out of 5. Those results differ a lot, so ask about the unit your family member would be on.

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.

Next steps

Compare with the 3 closest homes

Staffing

Nursing staff spend about 3.23 hours per resident per day at Lyon Specialty Care, below the Iowa median of 3.76 (US median: 3.72). About 0.74 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 2.61 hours, 19% below its all-week average. Ask how weekends are staffed. 54.1% 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.

Nursing care per resident per day 3.23 hours
Below the Iowa median of 3.76 Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and aides combined, from payroll records.
Registered nurse hours 0.74 per resident a day RNs handle assessments, medications and changes in condition.
Weekend nursing care 2.61 hours Per resident a day. A big drop from weekdays can mean thin weekend staffing.
Nursing staff turnover 54.1% a year Share of nursing staff who left over a year. Lower usually means steadier care.
Registered nurse turnover 40% a year Share of registered nurses who left over a year.
Administrators who left 1 in the past year Frequent leadership changes are worth asking about on a visit.

About this nursing home

Certified beds45
Residents per day 35 About 78% of beds filled, on average
OwnershipNon profit - Corporation
Payment acceptedMedicare and Medicaid
Certified sinceApril 1994
Part of a chainCare Initiatives
Legal business nameCARE INITIATIVES

Paying for care at Lyon Specialty Care: Medicare and Medicaid

Lyon Specialty Care 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 July 30, 2026 and found 0 deficiencies, plus 4 from complaint inspections in the same period. In total, inspectors issued 9 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 9 citations at Lyon Specialty Care across 4 inspection dates, 5 of them from complaint investigations. None were at the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy levels; 9 were "potential for more than minimal harm" (D–F) and 0 were minimal (A–C). The most common areas cited were freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation (2) and quality of life and care (2). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities" (tag F0609, level E, February 2, 2026). 2 citations were under CMS's abuse, neglect and exploitation rules.

August 19, 2026 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection

DImmediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Resident Rights Deficiencies · Tag F0580 · Complaint inspection · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Sep 11, 2026)

February 2, 2026 · 3 citations · includes complaint inspection

ETimely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · Tag F0609 · Complaint inspection · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Feb 27, 2026)

ERespond appropriately to all alleged violations.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · Tag F0610 · Complaint inspection · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Feb 27, 2026)

DSafeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies · Tag F0842 · Complaint inspection · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Feb 27, 2026)

July 25, 2024 · 4 citations

EEnsure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies · Tag F0803 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Aug 8, 2024)

DNotify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Resident Rights Deficiencies · Tag F0625 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Aug 8, 2024)

DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Tag F0689 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Aug 8, 2024)

DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Infection Control Deficiencies · Tag F0880 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Aug 8, 2024)

March 5, 2024 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection

DProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Tag F0684 · Complaint inspection · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Mar 22, 2024)

Questions to ask on a tour of Lyon Specialty Care

  1. CMS cited the home under its abuse and neglect rules on February 2, 2026. How are staff trained, and how are concerns reported?
  2. Weekend staffing is 19% below the all-week average. Who is on duty on Saturday nights?
  3. Nursing staff turnover was 54.1% a year. How many of the staff come from agencies?
  4. CMS rates short-stay quality 2 out of 5. How often do rehab patients go back to the hospital, and how many therapy sessions a week are typical?
  5. Do you have a Medicaid bed open now, and will you admit someone whose Medicaid application is still pending?
  6. 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

CMS reports no fines or payment denials for this home in the last three years.

Rating history

CMS monthOverallInspectionStaffingQuality
October 2026 4/5 4/5 4/5 4/5
August 2026 4/5 4/5 3/5 4/5
Add this rating badge to your websiteFree. Shows Lyon Specialty Care's Medicare star rating and updates itself.

Size and colour

Preview

Lyon Specialty Care Medicare star rating badge

Paste it where the badge should appear: in WordPress, a Custom HTML block or a footer widget; on other sites, any spot that accepts HTML. The badge updates itself when CMS publishes new ratings.

Examples, sizes and help on the badge page ›

Location

Hospitals near Lyon Specialty Care

The Medicare-certified hospitals closest to this nursing home, with their CMS data. Ask the home which hospital it usually sends residents to.

Hospital ratings, ER visit times and more at Hospitals In Each State
Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.

Nearby nursing homes

Good Samaritan - George George · 10.3 mi away ★★★☆☆ Inspection 3/5 · Staffing 4/5 36 beds · Medicaid
Fellowship Village Inwood · 15.0 mi away ★★★★☆ Inspection 4/5 · Staffing 4/5 40 beds · Medicaid
Hegg Memorial Health Center Rock Valley · 16.0 mi away ★★★★★ Inspection 4/5 · Staffing 5/5 60 beds · Medicaid
Pleasant Acres Care Center Hull · 16.3 mi away ★★★☆☆ Inspection 3/5 · Staffing 4/5 46 beds · Medicaid
Sibley Specialty Care Sibley · 20.8 mi away ★★★★★ Inspection 4/5 · Staffing 5/5 46 beds · Medicaid

More nursing homes near Lyon Specialty Care ›   All nursing homes in Rock Rapids ›

Compare Lyon Specialty Care with the 3 closest homes side by side ›

Other Care Initiatives nursing homes in Iowa

Affiliation comes from CMS's affiliated-entity data, October 2026. All 43 Care Initiatives nursing homes ›

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.

Compare

https://www.nursinghomesineachstate.com/iowa/rock-rapids/lyon-specialty-care/ · Data: CMS, October 2026 · Nursing Homes In Each State, not affiliated with CMS or Medicare.