All states › South Dakota › Estelline › Estelline Nursing and Care Center
205 Fjerestad Avenue East Estelline, SD 57234 · Hamlin County
CMS certification number 435099 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Estelline Nursing and Care Center 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 Estelline Nursing and Care Center as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall, above the South Dakota average of 3.0.
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 3.24 hours per resident per day at Estelline Nursing and Care Center, below the South Dakota median of 3.69 (US median: 3.72). About 0.71 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. 25.5% of nursing staff left within a year (South Dakota median 46.5%). That is lower than most homes in South Dakota, a sign of a steadier team.
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Estelline Nursing and Care Center: Medicare and Medicaid
Estelline Nursing and Care Center 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 South Dakota'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 June 25, 2026 and found 1 deficiency. In total, inspectors issued 2 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 2 citations at Estelline Nursing and Care Center across 2 inspection dates. 1 was at the immediate-jeopardy level (J–L), CMS's most serious category, most recently on December 14, 2023. Most citations were in nutrition and dietary (2). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards" (tag F0812, level L, December 14, 2023).
June 25, 2026 · 1 citation
DProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
December 14, 2023 · 1 citation, includes immediate jeopardy
LProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Questions to ask on a tour of Estelline Nursing and Care Center
- Inspectors cited the home at the immediate-jeopardy level on December 14, 2023 under the rule on nutrition and dietary. What changed afterwards, and can I see the plan of correction?
- Weekend staffing is 19% below the all-week average. Who is on duty on Saturday nights?
- 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
1 penalty in the last three years, including $16,826 in fines.
| Date | Type | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 14, 2023 | Fine | $16,826 |
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| August 2026 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 1/5 | 4/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Estelline Nursing and Care Center
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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16.3 mi
Sanford Clear Lake Medical Center Clear LakeEmergency roomMedian ER visit 1h 33m for patients treated and sent home
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21.5 mi
Prairie Lakes Hosp & Care Ctr WatertownEmergency room ★★★☆☆ Medicare overall 3 of 5Median ER visit 1h 57m for patients treated and sent home
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23.7 mi
Brookings Hospital BrookingsEmergency room ★★★★☆ Medicare overall 4 of 5Median ER visit 1h 37m 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.
Nearby nursing homes
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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.