Altoona Nursing and Rehab in Altoona, IA

Pros

• The leadership, clinical, and admissions teams here are top notch.
• They always lead with care and compassion for their residents.
• Their skilled care, along with short-term and long-term care, makes Altoona Nursing and Rehab a great place.
• This facility is working hard to regain trust and is doing an excellent job.
• The director of nursing, Lynne, has been awesome.
• The staff were respectful and kind.
• The admin, nurses, and physical therapy staff were very helpful.

Cons

• The administration is inept and unable to communicate basic information.
• The facility failed to contact any of the three on-file numbers when the resident was hospitalized.
• A resident's room was given away to another patient without any family notification.
• Two named employees are accused of praising themselves and the facility, raising concerns about integrity.
• The care is inconsistent and the facility lacks basic accountability.
• Families are urged to look elsewhere and warned not to place loved ones there.
• The staff is described as unprofessional and unresponsive, with management failing to return calls.
• The place is described as the worst, with an overwhelming smell and poor conditions.

Review

This community is best suited for families that can be relentlessly involved in oversight and aggressively pursue clear, timely communication about every change in a loved one's status. It can work for residents requiring short-term rehab or long-term care when a budget constraint makes Medicare/Medicaid coverage a practical necessity, but only if there is a strong, vigilant family presence driving accountability. Candidly, those with Alzheimer's or other memory-care needs should scrutinize options more closely, as several reviews flag the facility as a poor fit for memory care and emphasize the importance of specialized, attentive supervision.

The most consistent and serious red flags run through the operating core: persistent gaps in communication, ineffective handling of medical updates, and a troubling pattern of administrative unresponsiveness. Families report missed hospital alerts, incomplete contact attempts, and bed holds that vanish without notice. The feedback also highlights staffing fragility and care coordination gaps, with allegations of understated accountability from top leaders and instances where basic responsibilities - like returning calls or signing critical paperwork - were neglected. In several accounts, families endured long holds on the line, unanswered questions, or disjointed updates that left loved ones without essential information during crises.

Those who still see value here point to a core, legitimate upside: when skilled therapists and attentive nurses are present, tangible rehab progress and compassionate day-to-day care do occur. A handful of reviews praise the rehabilitation staff for helping residents hit goals, and some patients or families recount moments of genuine care from nursing and therapy teams. The facility's age is acknowledged, but reviewers note that the staff work within funding constraints to deliver practical, result-focused care. For residents who can tolerate fluctuation and who benefit from a budget-friendly option that accepts Medicare/Medicaid, there are nonetheless pockets of reliable, professional care that emerge in the right moments.

Yet those potential pros are not sufficient to offset the principal concerns for most decision-makers. The inconsistency in leadership responsiveness undercuts any gains from competent clinical teams. When communication breaks down, even otherwise capable staff cannot reliably coordinate care or ensure a smooth transfer back home. Add in distressing reports of care lapses - sores, missed call lights, patients left without adequate supervision, and even incidents that have drawn state scrutiny - and the balance tilts toward caution. For families prioritizing predictable oversight, transparent decision-making, and a consistently safe environment, the risks here outweigh the potential benefits.

Alternatives deserve serious consideration for anyone evaluating Altoona Nursing and Rehab. Prospective residents should compare facilities with demonstrably reliable leadership engagement, predictable communication protocols, and strong memory-care capabilities if memory issues are part of the plan. Look for places where family feedback is addressed promptly, where incident logs and care plans are readily accessible, and where there is a clear, posted process for bed holds, discharge planning, and the notification of medical events. In short, seek environments where measures of safety, dignity, and continuity are baked into daily routines rather than left to ad hoc fixes.

To make a well-informed decision, conduct a thorough, objective site visit with concrete questions in hand. Request to speak with the administrator and director of nursing, and insist on meeting current residents and families to gauge day-to-day realities beyond marketing language. Ask for recent survey or state inspection findings, the facility's policy on bed holds and family notification, the average call-light response times, and the plan for managing complex medical events. If expectations for proactive communication and steady, accountable leadership cannot be met during the tour and in the initial weeks of engagement, alternatives should be pursued decisively. In the end, Altoona Nursing and Rehab can serve as a viable option for some budget-conscious families who are prepared to police care closely; for many others, the safer choice is to look elsewhere where consistency and demonstrated accountability define daily operation.

This section of Altoona, Iowa offers a variety of amenities and services that cater to the needs of seniors looking to reside in a vibrant community. With several restaurants nearby such as Brightside Aleworks, Spectators Sports Bar & Grill, and Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, residents can enjoy a variety of dining options close to home. Additionally, there are pharmacies like Walgreens and Lutz Pharmacy within a short distance for convenient access to medications and healthcare supplies. For medical care, there are reputable physicians' offices like Whylie Eye Care Centers and Radiant Complexions Altoona nearby. In terms of entertainment, Cinemark Altoona And XD theater provides an opportunity for seniors to catch a movie or enjoy a night out. Lastly, places of worship like Saylorville Baptist Church offer spiritual support for those seeking a sense of community and belonging in this area. Overall, this part of Altoona offers a mix of conveniences and recreational opportunities that can enhance the quality of life for seniors looking to settle down in this neighborhood.

Restaurants

• Brightside Aleworks (0.6 miles)
• Taco John's (1.2 miles)
• Spectators Sports Bar & Grill (1.3 miles)
• Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers (1.4 miles)
• Guadalajara Mexican Re (1.4 miles)
• Wendy's (1.7 miles)
• Founders Irish Pub (3.6 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.6 miles)
• Lutz Pharmacy (0.7 miles)
• Target Pharmacy (1.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.7 miles)
• Walgreens (5.2 miles)
• Kayser Hearing Aid & Audiology (5.3 miles)
• Walgreens (6.7 miles)

Physicians

• Whylie Eye Care Centers (0.8 miles)
• Radiant Complexions Altoona (1.4 miles)
• Miracle-Ear Hearing Aid Center (1.5 miles)
• Doctors Now (1.8 miles)
• Wolfe Eye Clinic (3.6 miles)
• Iowa Ortho (3.6 miles)
• MercyOne Pleasant Hill ENT Care (3.6 miles)

Theaters

• Cinemark Altoona And Xd (1.1 miles)
• B&B Theatres Ankeny 12 & B-Roll Bowling (7.3 miles)
• B&B Theater And B-Roll (8.8 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (6.9 miles)
• Starbucks (7 miles)
• Starbucks (8.7 miles)
• Main Street Cafe & Bakery (8.8 miles)

Hospitals

• Unity Point Health (7.8 miles)
• Mercy Medical Center 7 South (8.5 miles)
• Mercy Hospital Pediatric Unit (8.5 miles)
• Select Specialty Hospital-Des Moines (8.5 miles)
• Mercy River Hills Surgery Center (8.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Saylorville Baptist Church (8.2 miles)