Cherokee Specialty Care
1011 North Roosevelt, Cherokee, IA 51012 · Cherokee County · 62 certified beds · avg 38 residents/day · certified since Jun 23, 1997
Part of chain: CARE INITIATIVES (43 facilities, chain avg rating 2.9★)
3/5
Health inspection rating (on-site)
1
Serious findings on record
$0
Fines, last 3 years
4.05
Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)
What health inspectors found (on-site government inspections — the most independent evidence available)
Health inspection rating: ★★★☆☆3/5 · CMS overall rating: 3/5
The health inspection star above is graded on a curve within each state — a set share of each state's facilities gets each star level — so a facility can have few citations and still rate 2–3 stars if others in its state did even better. The overall rating combines that inspection score with staffing and self-reported quality measures.
Most serious findings (actual harm or immediate jeopardy)
▲ Actual harm, one-off · Jan 30, 2025 · F-0689 · triggered by a complaint
The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.
Why it matters: This is one of the most common citations and directly relates to falls and injuries, which can be devastating for older adults.
Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.
Corrected: Feb 11, 2025 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)
All citations in the current public record (33)
CMS publishes roughly the last three inspection cycles plus recent complaint investigations. Older surveys drop out of the record as new ones are completed.
| Date | Severity | What the facility was cited for |
|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2025 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not serve food and drinks that were appetizing, attractive, and at a safe and pleasant temperature. |
| May 22, 2025 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not coordinate resident assessments with the state's pre-admission screening program for mental illness and intellectual disabilities, or failed to refer residents for the special services they need. |
| May 22, 2025 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not develop or follow a complete care plan for each resident — the written roadmap covering all of a resident's needs, with measurable goals and timelines. |
| Jan 30, 2025 | ▲ G · Actual harm, one-off | The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls. · from a complaint |
| Jan 30, 2025 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not give residents the required written notice of their rights, the facility's rules, the services offered, and what those services cost. · from a complaint |
| Jan 30, 2025 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not protect residents from abuse or neglect. This covers physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect, by anyone — staff, other residents, or visitors. · from a complaint |
| Jan 30, 2025 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft to the proper authorities quickly enough, or did not report the results of its investigation. · from a complaint |
| Jan 30, 2025 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not respond appropriately to alleged violations, such as reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment. Facilities must investigate every allegation and protect residents while they do. · from a complaint |
| Jan 30, 2025 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide proper care for residents with a colostomy, urostomy, or ileostomy — surgical openings in the abdomen that let waste leave the body into a pouch. These require regular, skilled attention to stay clean and healthy. · from a complaint |
| Jan 30, 2025 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not have enough nursing staff each day to meet every resident's needs, or did not have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift. Adequate staffing is one of the strongest predictors of good care. · from a complaint |
| Jul 18, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not serve food and drinks that were appetizing, attractive, and at a safe and pleasant temperature. |
| Jul 18, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility's quality committee — the internal group responsible for finding and fixing care problems — did not have the required members or did not meet at least every three months. |
| Jul 18, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not immediately notify the resident, their doctor, and a family member when something significant happened — such as an injury, a decline in health, or a room change. Families and doctors are entitled to know right away. · from a complaint |
| Jul 18, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not develop a resident's complete plan of care within 7 days of the full assessment, or the plan wasn't prepared, reviewed, and updated by a team of health professionals as required. |
| Jul 18, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals. · from a complaint |
| Jul 18, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide appropriate care related to bladder and bowel needs — including care for residents who use catheters and steps to prevent urinary tract infections. |
| Jul 18, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards. |
| Jul 18, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide. |
| May 16, 2024 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards. · from a complaint |
| Mar 20, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide. · from a complaint |
| Jan 4, 2024 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not protect residents from misuse of their belongings or money — this is called misappropriation, and it includes theft or improper use of a resident's property or funds. · from a complaint |
| Nov 9, 2023 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. These written safeguards are the foundation of resident protection. · from a complaint |
| Nov 9, 2023 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not give the resident or their representative written notice of how long it would hold the resident's bed during a hospital stay or approved leave. |
| Nov 9, 2023 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards. |
| Nov 9, 2023 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide. |
| Nov 9, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not treat residents with dignity and respect, or did not honor their rights to make their own decisions and communicate freely. This is one of the most fundamental resident rights. · from a complaint |
| Nov 9, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not give residents (and their representatives and the ombudsman, a state advocate for residents) proper advance notice before a transfer or discharge, including information about their right to appeal. |
| Nov 9, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not accurately assess a resident's health and needs. Assessments are the foundation for all the care a resident receives. |
| Nov 9, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not coordinate resident assessments with the state's pre-admission screening program for mental illness and intellectual disabilities, or failed to refer residents for the special services they need. |
| Nov 9, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not develop a resident's complete plan of care within 7 days of the full assessment, or the plan wasn't prepared, reviewed, and updated by a team of health professionals as required. |
| Nov 9, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility provided care that did not meet professional standards of quality — the accepted standards that nurses and other clinicians are expected to follow. |
| Nov 9, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls. |
| Nov 9, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not protect residents' personal information or did not keep complete, accurate medical records that meet professional standards. |
Inspection trend by year
Citations from standard inspections decreased between the last two inspection cycles (8 → 3).
| Year | Citations | Serious (G–L) | Worst severity that year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 12 | 0 | E |
| 2024 | 11 | 0 | E |
| 2025 | 10 | 1 | G ▲ |
Counts reflect the current CMS public record (~3 inspection cycles plus complaint investigations); years with no surveys show no row. Inspection frequency varies, so compare severity as well as counts.
Fines and enforcement (last 3 years)
No fines or payment denials in the published 3-year window.
Nurse staffing (from payroll records, adjusted for how much care residents need)
| Measure | This facility | Iowa avg | U.S. avg | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day) | 4.05 | 4.37 | 3.95 | bottom 41% in Iowa; top 37% in the U.S. |
| Registered Nurse hours | 0.38 | 0.85 | 0.69 | bottom 4% in Iowa; bottom 20% in the U.S. |
| Weekend total nurse staffing | 3.81 | 3.86 | 3.50 | top 48% in Iowa; top 29% in the U.S. |
| Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted) | 0.26 | 0.51 | 0.48 | bottom 7% in Iowa; bottom 23% in the U.S. |
| Total nursing staff turnover (%) | 41.3 | 44.0 | 45.8 | top 49% in Iowa; top 40% in the U.S. |
| RN turnover (%) | 0.0 | 42.1 | 42.9 | — |
Hours are per resident per day, case-mix adjusted by CMS so facilities caring for sicker residents can be compared fairly (same basis as the CMS staffing star). "Top X%" means better than most facilities: more staffing hours, or lower turnover. Raw (unadjusted) reported hours: total 3.67, RN 0.35, weekend 3.45. Staffing rating: 3/5.
Self-reported quality measures
Note: these ratings are based on data the facility reports about itself to CMS. They are not independently verified by inspectors, and can look better than inspection findings. Give more weight to the inspection results above.
Quality measures rating: 3/5 · long-stay residents: 3/5 · short-stay residents: —/5
Who owns this facility
Non profit - Corporation
| Owner / manager | Type | Role | Stake | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Care Initiatives | Organization | 5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest | 100% | 11/12/2010 |
| Beal, Michael | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 06/01/2020 |
| Beal, Michael | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 06/01/2020 |
| Boeve, Destiny | Individual | Operational/Managerial Control | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2025 |
| Bowen, Lane | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2021 |
| Carothers, Mary Jane | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2023 |
| Childs, Kevin | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2023 |
| Computershare Corporate Trust Company, Na | Organization | 5% or Greater Mortgage Interest | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2025 |
| Computershare Corporate Trust Company, Na | Organization | ADP of the SNF | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/07/2025 |
| Corless, Peter | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2025 |
| Corless, Peter | Individual | ADP of the SNF | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2025 |
| Dixon, David | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 06/01/2016 |
| Drake, Emily | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/04/2023 |
| Gilyard, Tanya | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 05/23/2025 |
| Jurgens, Michael | Individual | Operational/Managerial Control | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2024 |
| Jurgens, Michael | Individual | ADP of the SNF | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/15/2025 |
| Krein, Keith | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 06/29/2022 |
| Kuhn, Jeramy | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 06/25/2008 |
| McDyer, Jessica | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 02/22/2023 |
| Rust, Elizabeth | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2023 |
Questions to ask on your visit
Generated from this facility's actual citation record — bring them to a tour and ask the administrator directly.
- "What is your falls rate, and what specific steps do you take to prevent falls and supervise residents at risk?"
- "Could I join residents for a meal to see the food quality and temperature for myself?"
- "How do you identify and arrange specialized services for residents with mental health conditions or disabilities?"
- "Can you show me an example care plan, and how are families included when it's created and updated?"
- "Can I get a written copy of resident rights, house rules, and a full list of services and charges today?"
- "Tell me about this abuse or neglect citation — what happened, and what specific changes did you make afterward?"
- "When abuse or theft is suspected, who do you notify, how fast, and how do you inform the family?"
- "If someone reports suspected abuse or neglect here, what happens in the first 24 hours?"
- "What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
- "Can I see the results and plan of correction from your most recent state inspection?"
Nearby facilities (within 20 miles)
| Facility | Distance | City | Overall | Inspection | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Careage Hills Rehabilitation and Healthcare | 0.5 mi | Cherokee, IA | ★★☆☆☆ | 2/5 | |
| Accura Healthcare of Cherokee, LLC | 0.6 mi | Cherokee, IA | ★★★☆☆ | 3/5 | |
| Accura Healthcare of Aurelia, LLC | 6.2 mi | Aurelia, IA | ★★★☆☆ | 3/5 | |
| Heartland Care Center | 13.7 mi | Marcus, IA | ★★★★★ | 3/5 | |
| Methodist Manor Retirement Community | 18.6 mi | Storm Lake, IA | ★★★★☆ | 3/5 | |
| Good Samaritan - Holstein | 18.9 mi | Holstein, IA | ★★★☆☆ | 2/5 |
Compare this facility with the 3 closest →
Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 165330.