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Nursing Home

Ravenwood Specialty Care in Waterloo, IA

Ravenwood Specialty Care is a nursing home community in Waterloo, IA.

Information last verified: June 7, 2026

2651 Street Francis Drive, Waterloo, IA 50702

For more information about senior living options: (866) 208-4318

2.5 from 51 reviews

5 stars

17

4 stars

1

3 stars

3

2 stars

0

1 stars

30

Overall Review of Ravenwood Specialty Care

caveat 5 reviews mention this

Staff responsiveness is inconsistent

Residents and families describe slow or missed responses to urgent needs.

Several reviews describe delayed help when residents call for assistance, with call lights going unanswered for long stretches. Some reviewers also mention staffing gaps that made phones or the front desk difficult to reach, or left help unavailable when they needed it most. A few accounts describe long waits for aides to respond to lights, while others characterize the response as rough or unhelpful.

caveat 9 reviews mention this

Cleanliness and odors are a recurring issue

Multiple residents and visitors report serious cleanliness and odor problems.

Across reviews, residents and families mention unsanitary conditions, including lingering smells and unclean bathrooms or rooms. Some accounts point to mold or cleanliness concerns tied to water damage, and others describe linens not being changed as expected. A rehabilitation unit is described as cleaner in one review, but other areas are described as smelling strongly of urine.

common 12 reviews mention this

Care communication can feel strong

Many reviewers say staff keep families informed and involved in care.

A number of positive reviews highlight communication, including medicine updates and timely health information. Some families describe nurses and aides as attentive and treating the resident with dignity, while others say they were included in care decisions and day-to-day updates. Even where experiences were mixed, several reviewers still emphasize that specific staff members communicated regularly and helped them feel more confident about care monitoring.

caveat 3 reviews mention this

Dementia care has mixed signals

Reviews describe both strong dementia care and serious safety concerns.

Some reviewers praise the Dementia Unit for providing amazing care and clear communication during a loved one’s stay. Others raise alarms about safety related to door alarms, describing a resident who roamed outdoors without clear awareness of where he was. Taken together, the dementia-related feedback includes both supportive experiences and troubling lapses.

caveat 3 reviews mention this

Dining quality divides reviewers

Dining reviews range from poor to good.

Dining is mentioned both positively and negatively in the reviews. One account describes terrible food, and another describes unappealing food in the context of a loved one’s stay. In contrast, at least one reviewer says the food was good during their time there.

common 2 reviews mention this

Therapy and activities vary by stay

Rehab-focused residents describe therapy and activities differently.

Some reviewers say physical therapy and daily activities helped keep residents engaged during rehab. Others describe activities as limited for the size of the facility, including not having certain options they expected. Overall, activity and rehab experiences appear to depend on the specific stay and unit.

common 2 reviews mention this

Nearby medical options are close

The area around Ravenwood includes many nearby healthcare offices.

Nearby healthcare options include physician offices and major medical centers within a short drive, which can make it easier to arrange appointments. Reviews themselves focus more on day-to-day care, but the location is surrounded by multiple categories of medical services nearby.

How we summarize

Counts show how many written reviews mention each theme; a review can touch several themes, and only frequently mentioned themes become a section.

Features

Housing

196 resident community capacity

Types of Care

Skilled Nursing Facility

Amenities

Air-conditioning
Beauty salon
Cable or satellite TV
Computer center
Dining room
Fitness room
Fully furnished
Gaming room
Garden
Housekeeping services
Kitchenette
Move-in coordination
Outdoor space
Private bathrooms
Restaurant-style dining
Small library
Telephone
Wellness center
Wi-Fi/high-speed internet available

Transportation

Waterloo Municipal (7 miles away)
Community operated transportation
Transportation arrangement
Transportation arrangement (non-medical)
Transportation to doctors appointments

Care Services

12-16 hour nursing
24-hour call system
24-hour supervision
Activities of daily living assistance
Assistance with bathing
Assistance with dressing
Assistance with transfers
Diabetes diet
Meal preparation and service
Medication management
Mental wellness program
Special dietary restrictions

Dining

Diabetes diet
Special dietary restrictions

Activities

Community-sponsored activities
Concierge services
Fitness programs
Planned day trips
Resident-run activities
Scheduled daily activities

Videos

Nearby Places of Interest

Physicians

Avalon Plastic Surgery Center (0.1 miles)
Linda D Hodge, DO (0.1 miles)
Iowa Spine & Brain Institute (0.1 miles)
Woodbury David R MD Covenant Clinic Family Practce (0.1 miles)
MercyOne Waterloo Endocrinology Care (0.2 miles)
Tabetha Gehrke, ARNP (0.2 miles)
Sick Bay (0.2 miles)

Hospitals

Covenant Pharmacy (0.1 miles)
Marek Rozek, PA-C (0.2 miles)
MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center (0.2 miles)
Covenant Health System (0.2 miles)
Cedar Valley Medical Clinic (4.4 miles)

Pharmacies

MercyOne Waterloo Pharmacy (0.2 miles)
Walmart Pharmacy (0.7 miles)
CVS Pharmacy (0.8 miles)
Target Pharmacy (0.8 miles)
Walgreens (0.9 miles)
Greenwood Compounding Pharmacy (1 miles)
CVS Pharmacy (1.1 miles)

Parks

Bontrager Park (0.3 miles)
Cedar Valley Soccer Complex (4 miles)
Kids City (4.1 miles)
Hoing-Rice Softball Center (4.2 miles)
Tibbitts Park (4.7 miles)

Restaurants

Red Lobster (0.4 miles)
Chilito's (0.5 miles)
Culver's (0.6 miles)
Olive Garden (0.6 miles)
Chick-Fil-A (0.6 miles)
Subway (0.8 miles)
McDonald's (0.8 miles)

Cafes

Cabin Coffee Co. (1 miles)
Panera Bread (1.1 miles)

Places of Worship

Saint Marks United Methodist Church (2.8 miles)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (4.9 miles)
Calvary Bible Church (5 miles)

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Ravenwood Specialty Care?

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