NE Iowa News

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Guttenberg Care Center stood out as the largest nursing home in Clayton County, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Data shows that the nursing center had a total of 93 beds available, 43 more than the average in Clayton County as of the fourth quarter of 2023. They aided an average of 36.7 residents during that period.

Guttenberg Care Center boasted an overall rating of 5 from the CMS, which is higher than the average of 2.9 recorded for nursing homes in Iowa.

During the quarter, Edgewood Convalescent Home stood out as the second largest nursing home in Clayton County, with 58 beds available. Elkader Care Center came in third place, with 44 beds available.

As of the fourth quarter of 2023, Guttenberg Care Center achieved a zero-incident record for fines and penalties.

In total, there were four for-profit nursing homes in Clayton 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	Guttenberg Care Center	5
2	Edgewood Convalescent Home	5
3	Elkader Care Center	4
4	Great River Care Center	5
5	Strawberry Point Lutheran Home	5