Ames Today

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Eastern Star Masonic Home stood out as the third largest nursing home in Boone County, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Data shows that the nursing center had a total of 76 beds available, two less than the average in Boone County as of the fourth quarter of 2023. They aided an average of 72.3 residents during that period.

Eastern Star Masonic Home had an overall rating of 3 from the CMS, which is higher than the average of 2.9 recorded for nursing homes in Iowa.

During the quarter, Westhaven Community stood out as the largest nursing home in Boone County, with 100 beds available. Madrid Home for the Aged came in second place, with 88 beds available.

As of the fourth quarter of 2023, Eastern Star Masonic Home has spent a total of $18,423 in one fine and suffered two penalties.

In total, there were three non-profit nursing homes in Boone County, Iowa.

According to US Census data, in 2020, nearly 1 in 6 Americans were aged 65 years or older. Since 1920, the older population skyrocketed from 4.9 million to 55.8 million, reflecting a growth rate of roughly 1,000%, five times higher than the average growth for the overall U.S. population.

A 2021 study suggests that nearly half of this age group, roughly 28 million individuals, may require long-term services and support. Additionally, the study projects that over a third of them may eventually need nursing home care.

“Living a long life is something that many of us want and could get,” said Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, an insurance education group. “But when we live a long life, the chances of us needing long-term care increase exponentially. But when you need that type of care, there are limited options.”

Rank	Nursing Home	Overall Rating
1	Westhaven Community	2
2	Madrid Home for the Aged	3
3	Eastern Star Masonic Home	3
4	Accura Healthcare of Ogden, LLC	3