Nursing home
The Highlands
607 Highland Drive, Decorah, IA 52101 · Map
Non profit - Corporation · 86 certified beds
The Highlands is a Medicare-certified nursing home in Decorah, Iowa. CMS rates it 1 out of 5 stars overall (3/5 for staffing, 1/5 for health inspections). Nurse staffing is 3.31 hours per resident per day, below the Iowa average of 3.83. Its most recent inspection on Jun 12, 2025 cited 5 deficiencies.
- 3 fines totaling $153,679In CMS records: 4 total penalties, 1 Medicare payment denial.
CMS quality ratings
Ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), updated monthly. 5 stars is the highest quality.
How The Highlands compares
This facility vs. the Iowa and national averages, from CMS data. For staffing, higher is generally better; for turnover and deficiencies, lower is better.
| Metric | This facility | Iowa avg | National avg | Compared with the state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total nurse staffing (hrs/resident/day) | 3.31 | 3.83 | 3.89 | below avg |
| RN staffing (hrs/resident/day) | 0.53 | 0.73 | 0.68 | below avg |
| Aide staffing (hrs/resident/day) | 2.19 | 2.53 | 2.34 | below avg |
| Nursing staff turnover | 58.9% | 43.9% | 46.4% | above avg |
| Deficiencies cited, last inspection | 5.0 | 6.2 | 9.5 | below avg |
Staffing
Hours per resident per day as reported to CMS. Higher numbers indicate more direct care time.
Staff turnover
Lower turnover typically indicates better working conditions and continuity of care. National average for nursing staff is 46.4%.
Recent health inspection
CMS inspects nursing facilities regularly. Deficiencies are categorized by severity.
Penalties in CMS records: 3 fines totaling $153,679, 4 total penalties, 1 Medicare payment denial.
What inspectors found at The Highlands
Specific deficiencies cited in recent CMS health inspections, most recent first. Severity follows the CMS scope/severity scale. Source: CMS Care Compare.
- Potential for harm
Have enough outside ventilation via a window or mechanical ventilation, or both.
Environmental Deficiencies · Sep 23, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Resident Rights Deficiencies · Sep 23, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Give their staff education on dementia care, and what abuse, neglect, and exploitation are; and how to report abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · Jun 12, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered.
Resident Rights Deficiencies · Jun 12, 2025 · Full report (PDF) - Minimal
Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies · Jun 12, 2025 · Full report (PDF)
Show all 12 deficiencies
- Immediate jeopardy
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Dec 9, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Sep 25, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
Resident Rights Deficiencies · Sep 25, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Actual harm
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Jul 25, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies · Jul 25, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Provide sufficient support personnel to safely and effectively carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service.
Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies · Jul 25, 2024 · Full report (PDF) - Potential for harm
Provide each resident with a nourishing, palatable, well-balanced diet that meets his or her daily nutritional and special dietary needs.
Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies · Jul 25, 2024 · Full report (PDF)
Read the full inspection reports on Medicare.gov Each inspection there has a “Read the full report” link with the inspectors’ written findings.
About this facility
- Address
- 607 Highland Drive
Decorah, IA 52101 - CMS certification #
- 165178
- Ownership
- Non profit - Corporation
- Certified beds
- 86
- Avg residents/day
- 67.4
- Provider type
- Medicare and Medicaid
- First certified
- 1993-01-01
- Setting
- Rural
Not SLA enrolled. This facility hasn’t enrolled in resident survey verification. Learn about enrollment →
Location and nearby
Explore the area around The Highlands using Google Maps.
Other public records
- Website says A memory care unit
Full public records, with dates and sources
Care and services
From the community’s website
What The Highlands says about itself, quoted from its own site. We have not checked these claims against licensing records. Ask about each one on a tour.
- Has a separate memory care unit, wing or neighborhood.
Within our dedicated CCDI Memory Care neighborhood, we focus on what matters most – meaningful connection, comfort, and peace of mind.
(page, checked Oct 15, 2026)
Location and nearby care
- Nearest hospital with an emergency room
- Winnmed, Decorah. 2.2 miles away, straight line. CMS overall hospital rating: 4 of 5 stars.
- Nearest Medicare nursing home
- Wellington Place, Decorah. 2.9 miles away, straight line.
- Nearest home health agency office
- Winnmed Home Health, Decorah. 2.2 miles away, straight line. Agencies travel to clients, so ask which ones serve this address.
- Nearest pharmacy
- Towncrest Pharmacy New Hampton. 32.2 miles away, straight line. From OpenStreetMap, which does not list every pharmacy, so one may be closer.
- Area
- USDA classes ZIP code 52101 as small town (small town core).
- Dialysis within 15 miles
- Mayo Clinic Hosp-Dyls, Decorah, 2.2 miles away, straight line (CMS rating 3 of 5 stars)
- Hospice
- 5 Medicare hospices tell CMS they serve ZIP code 52101.
Winnmed Hospice, office in Decorah, 2.2 miles away, straight line (CMS family survey rating 5 of 5 stars)
Howard County Community Hospice, office in Cresco, 16.5 miles away, straight line
Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hosp And Clinics-Hospice, office in West Union, 22.9 miles away, straight line - Nearest geriatric medicine practice
- Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center Inc, La Crosse. 42.4 miles away, straight line. 1 geriatric medicine doctor listed there.
Distances are straight lines from the community, not driving distance. Hospitals, home health, dialysis, hospice and doctors come from CMS provider data (CMS, hospital list updated Jul 22, 2026). Star ratings are CMS’s own.
Emergency and natural hazard risk
Public hazard maps for this location. Ask the community about its emergency plan, its generator and where residents would go in an evacuation.
- Flood zone
- Outside the high and moderate risk flood areas on FEMA's flood map (Zone X, minimal flood hazard, or not studied). (FEMA flood map)
- FEMA National Risk Index
- Overall: relatively high. By hazard: hurricane very low, inland flooding relatively high, wildfire relatively low, tornado very high, heat wave relatively moderate, earthquake very low. These are FEMA’s ratings for the census tract, compared with tracts nationwide. (FEMA, December 2025)
A flood zone describes the map at this point, not the building's elevation. In an emergency, follow the local emergency management agency.
What we checked
Every public source we searched for this community. “Nothing on record” means we found no record that matched it. A record can be missed when a name or address differs.
| Source | Data as of | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Department of Labor wage and hour cases | Oct 15, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| OSHA workplace safety inspections since 2016 | Oct 15, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| FEMA flood map | See above | |
| USDA wildfire risk | Apr 15, 2026 | Not shown: FEMA rates wildfire risk here relatively low |
| FEMA National Risk Index | See above | |
| CMS hospitals, home health, dialysis, hospice and doctors; OpenStreetMap pharmacies | See above | |
| HUD Multifamily Properties - Assisted | Jul 6, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| State Veterans Homes (NASVH directory) | Sep 20, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| CMS Hospice - General Information | Aug 19, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| CMS Home Health Care Agencies | May 27, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| The community’s own website | See above |
Looking for assisted living or memory care instead?
Frequently asked questions
Is The Highlands a good nursing home?
CMS gives The Highlands an overall rating of 1 out of 5 stars, including 3/5 for staffing and 1/5 for health inspections. These ratings come from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and are updated monthly.
How is The Highlands staffed?
The Highlands reports 3.31 total nurse hours per resident per day, compared with the Iowa average of 3.83.
Has The Highlands had inspection problems?
Its most recent CMS inspection cited 5 deficiencies.
How many beds does The Highlands have?
The Highlands is certified for 86 beds.