Iowa ›Ottumwa

Ridgewood Specialty Care

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1977 Albia Road, Ottumwa, IA 52501 (opens Google Maps) · Wapello County · (641) 683-3111· 60 certified beds · avg 54 residents/day · certified since Jul 1, 1994 · Medicare and Medicaid certified

Certified for both programmes. Certification means the facility can bill Medicaid — it does not mean a Medicaid-funded bed is free right now, so ask directly. Who pays for nursing home care →

Part of chain: CARE INITIATIVES (43 facilities, chain avg rating 2.9★)

3/5
Health inspection rating (on-site)
inspected Dec 22, 2025
1
Serious findings on record
most recent Oct 31, 2024
$8,999
Fines, last 3 years
3.90
Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)

What health inspectors found (on-site government inspections — the most independent evidence available)

New to these records? How to read an inspection report →

Health inspection rating: ★★★☆☆3/5 · CMS overall rating: 3/5 · how star ratings work →

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 quality measures from resident assessments and claims.

Most serious findings (actual harm or immediate jeopardy)

▲ Immediate jeopardy, isolated · Oct 31, 2024 · F-0805

The facility did not prepare and serve food in a form that meets each resident's individual needs — for example, chopped, pureed, or softened food for residents with chewing or swallowing problems.

Why it matters: Food served in the wrong texture can cause choking or lead residents to stop eating and lose weight.

Severity (J): Immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety was cited. The scope was isolated: limited residents, staff, or locations were affected. Scope describes the extent of the deficiency, not whether it happened on previous inspections.

Corrected: Nov 1, 2024 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

Inspection findings in the public record

Showing the latest 3 of 18 inspection findings. Open the full record below to read every finding.

  1. D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated

    The facility's menus did not meet residents' nutritional needs, or were not prepared in advance, followed as written, kept up to date, or reviewed by a dietician. F-0803

  2. D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated

    The facility did not have a written plan describing how it runs its quality improvement program — the ongoing process of finding problems in care and fixing them. F-0865

  3. D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated

    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. F-0880

View all 18 inspection findingsShow only the latest 3 findings

CMS publishes roughly the last three inspection cycles plus recent complaint investigations. Older surveys drop out of the record as new ones are completed — that window is CMS's, not ours. Within it, every citation CMS publishes for this facility is listed here: none excluded.

DateSeverityWhat the facility was cited for
Dec 22, 2025D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility's menus did not meet residents' nutritional needs, or were not prepared in advance, followed as written, kept up to date, or reviewed by a dietician. · F-0803
Dec 22, 2025D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not have a written plan describing how it runs its quality improvement program — the ongoing process of finding problems in care and fixing them. · F-0865
Dec 22, 2025D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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. · F-0880
Oct 31, 2024▲ J · Immediate jeopardy, isolatedThe facility did not prepare and serve food in a form that meets each resident's individual needs — for example, chopped, pureed, or softened food for residents with chewing or swallowing problems. · F-0805
Oct 31, 2024E · Potential for more than minimal harm, patternThe facility's menus did not meet residents' nutritional needs, or were not prepared in advance, followed as written, kept up to date, or reviewed by a dietician. · F-0803
Oct 31, 2024E · Potential for more than minimal harm, patternThe facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards. · F-0812
Oct 31, 2024D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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 · F-0550
Oct 31, 2024D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not make reasonable adjustments to fit each resident's individual needs and preferences — things like call buttons within reach, preferred wake-up times, or accessible room setups. · F-0558
Oct 31, 2024D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment, including safe support for residents' daily living needs. · F-0584
Oct 31, 2024D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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. · F-0656
Oct 31, 2024D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own. · from a complaint · F-0677
Oct 31, 2024D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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 · F-0684
Oct 31, 2024D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls. · from a complaint · F-0689
Apr 11, 2024D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe 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. · from a complaint · F-0657
Apr 11, 2024D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own. · from a complaint · F-0677
Feb 15, 2024D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own. · from a complaint · F-0677
Oct 5, 2023D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not try to gradually reduce doses of mood- and mind-altering medications or use non-drug approaches first, as required, or used 'as needed' psychiatric drugs without proper limits. · F-0758
Oct 5, 2023D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not make sure special medical diets — like low-sodium or diabetic diets — were properly ordered by the resident's doctor or managed by a qualified dietitian as state law allows. · F-0808

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections decreased between the last two inspection cycles (10 → 3).

Citations by recorded inspection yearPublished citation counts, not a quality score · Source: CMS, 2026-08-01
All citationsSerious citations (G–L)
2023
All citations: 2
Serious citations (G–L): 0
2024
All citations: 13
Serious citations (G–L): 1
2025
All citations: 3
Serious citations (G–L): 0

All bars start at zero. Exact values and supporting details remain below.

YearCitationsSerious (G–L)Worst severity that year
202320D
2024131J ▲
202530D

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)

How to file a complaint about care →

1 fine totaling $8,999.

Every penalty CMS publishes for this facility in the 3-year window is listed —none excluded. The count and the dollar total come from two different CMS datasets and agree for this facility. Penalties older than the window are dropped by CMS before publication, not by us.

DateTypeAmount / length
Oct 31, 2024Fine$8,999

Nurse staffing (from payroll records, adjusted for how much care residents need)

What these staffing numbers mean →

Nurse time, in contextAdjusted hours per resident per day · Source: CMS, 2026-08-01
This facilityIowa averageU.S. average
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)
This facility: 3.90
Iowa average: 4.37
U.S. average: 3.95
Registered Nurse hours
This facility: 0.93
Iowa average: 0.85
U.S. average: 0.69
Weekend total nurse staffing
This facility: 3.59
Iowa average: 3.86
U.S. average: 3.50

All bars start at zero. Exact values and supporting details remain below.

MeasureThis facilityIowa avgU.S. avgWhere it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)3.904.373.95bottom 32% in Iowa; top 44% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours0.930.850.69top 34% in Iowa; top 19% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing3.593.863.50bottom 41% in Iowa; top 38% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)0.570.510.48top 30% in Iowa; top 26% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)43.544.045.8bottom 47% in Iowa; top 46% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)22.242.142.9top 24% in Iowa; top 17% in the U.S.

Hours are per resident per day for the most recent quarter of payroll data in this CMS release (2026-08-01) — the same quarter for every facility — 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 3.27, RN 0.78, weekend 3.01.Comparing with Medicare Care Compare? Care Compare shows the raw figure (3.27 here, displayed there as hours and minutes), not the adjusted one above. Both are correct; they answer different questions. Staffing rating: 4/5.

Quality measures: assessments & claims

Note: CMS combines facility-reported resident assessments (MDS) with claims-based measures. These are different sources from on-site inspection findings. Read the measures alongside inspection and staffing records; a high QM rating does not establish that a home is safe.

Quality measures rating: 4/5 · long-stay residents: 5/5 · short-stay residents: 3/5

Costs & payment

Price evidence · separate from quality

No verified facility-specific private-pay price is available in our data for Ridgewood Specialty Care. CMS inspection and staffing records do not tell us what this home will charge you.

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Understand who pays for care · How we handle price evidence · Report an incorrect price

Who owns this facility

How to read ownership records →

Ownership records as published by CMS on 2026-08-01. CMS records when an owner joined but not when they left. Listed here and no longer involved? Tell us →

Non profit - Corporation

Owner / managerTypeRoleStakeSince
Care InitiativesOrganization5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest100%11/12/2010
Beal, MichaelIndividualCorporate DirectorNOT APPLICABLE06/01/2020
Beal, MichaelIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE06/01/2020
Bowen, LaneIndividualCorporate DirectorNOT APPLICABLE01/01/2021
Carothers, Mary JaneIndividualCorporate DirectorNOT APPLICABLE01/01/2023
Childs, KevinIndividualCorporate DirectorNOT APPLICABLE04/01/2023
Computershare Corporate Trust Company, NaOrganization5% or Greater Mortgage InterestNOT APPLICABLE01/01/2025
Computershare Corporate Trust Company, NaOrganizationADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE08/05/2025
Corless, PeterIndividualCorporate DirectorNOT APPLICABLE01/01/2025
Dixon, DavidIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE06/01/2016
Drake, EmilyIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE01/04/2023
Gilyard, TanyaIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE05/23/2025
Gorman, ValeriaIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE03/14/2025
Gorman, ValeriaIndividualADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE08/05/2025
Krein, KeithIndividualCorporate DirectorNOT APPLICABLE06/29/2022
Kuhn, JeramyIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE06/25/2008
Mahler, CarlaIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE01/01/2024
McDyer, JessicaIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE02/22/2023
Rust, ElizabethIndividualCorporate DirectorNOT APPLICABLE01/01/2023
Sturm, DeniseIndividualCorporate DirectorNOT APPLICABLE01/01/2021

Showing 20 of 24 parties CMS has on file for this facility; 4 are not displayed. The full list is in the CMS Ownership dataset.

Other facilities in the same chain

CMS lists this facility under the chain Care Initiatives — 43 facilities in the current records. Chain membership says who operates these homes. It says nothing about how any individual one of them was inspected; each has its own record.

Listed by state, then facility name — not a ranking. Showing 8 of the 42 others, continuing from this facility's own place in that list.

Questions to ask on your visit

Full visit checklist →

Print visit checklist

Generated from this facility's actual citation record — bring them to a tour and ask the administrator directly.

  • "How do you handle residents who need modified food textures, and how do you make those meals appetizing?"
  • "Who reviews your menus, and can I see this week's menu and join my family member for a meal?"
  • "How does your quality improvement program work, and can you share a recent example of a problem you found and fixed?"
  • "Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
  • "What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
  • "Can you give me examples of how your staff protect residents' dignity in everyday care, like bathing and dressing?"
  • "Can you give me examples of how you adjust daily routines and room setups to fit each resident's preferences?"
  • "Can we tour the resident rooms, bathrooms, and common areas today, including areas not on the usual tour route?"

Also worth asking anywhere

  • "Your weekend nurse staffing is reported below the Iowa midpoint — how does the weekend schedule differ from a weekday?"
  • "Can I see the plan of correction for the findings in your most recent state inspection?"
  • "CMS reports 44% total nursing staff turnover here — who on the care team has been with you longest?"
  • "The ownership record on file lists 24 owning or managing parties — who makes the decisions about staffing levels?"
  • "Can I visit again unannounced, at a mealtime or on a weekend?"

Nearby facilities (within 20 miles)

FacilityDistanceCityOverallInspectionFlags
Good Samaritan - Ottumwa0.3 miOttumwa, IA★★☆☆☆2/5
Accura Healthcare of Ottumwa2.2 miOttumwa, IA★★★★☆4/5
Bloomfield Care Center17.4 miBloomfield, IA★★★☆☆3/5
Oakwood Specialty Care18.1 miAlbia, IA★★★★☆3/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Ottumwa →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 165223.

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