Northcrest Living Center

    34 Northcrest Dr, Council Bluffs, IA 51503
    • Assisted Living
    • Memory Care
    • Skilled Nursing
    4.2ยท33 reviews

    Caring staff, comfortable hometown feel

    I've lived here almost three years and have been very pleased - management is hands-on and responsive, and the staff (nurses, CNAs, and the physical therapy team) are caring and attentive. The food is excellent, activities like bingo and piano keep days lively, and rooms/common areas are clean, accessible, and family-friendly with thoughtful amenities. The hometown atmosphere, strong community engagement, and compassionate, round-the-clock care truly made this feel like home and supported our family through end-of-life needs.

    Current/former resident
    Jul 2026

    Schedule a Tour

    Date of Tour
    Time Window
    Tour Type

    You selected in-person tour on in the

    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Activities of daily living assistance
    • Assistance with bathing
    • Assistance with dressing
    • Assistance with transfers
    • Medication management
    • Mental wellness program

    Healthcare staffing

    • 12-16 hour nursing
    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Restaurant-style dining
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

    • Air-conditioning
    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Kitchenettes
    • Private bathrooms
    • Telephone
    • Wifi

    Transportation

    • Community operated transportation
    • Transportation arrangement
    • Transportation arrangement (non-medical)

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Computer center
    • Dining room
    • Fitness room
    • Gaming room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor space
    • Small library
    • Wellness center

    Community services

    • Concierge services
    • Fitness programs
    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Planned day trips
    • Resident-run activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    Reviews

    4.21ยท(33)

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      3.9
    • Staff

      3.8
    • Meals

      3.0
    • Amenities

      4.3
    • Value

      4.2

    Pros

    • Compassionate, caring nursing and CNA staff
    • Strong physical and occupational therapy team
    • Clean, well-maintained common areas
    • Well-equipped rehabilitation and therapy spaces
    • Engaging activities program (bingo, music, social events)
    • Private rooms with accessible large bathrooms
    • On-site laundry facilities
    • Personalized in-room amenities (mini-fridge, clock, laptop tray)
    • Family-friendly facility size and easy navigation
    • Supportive end-of-life and family-centered care
    • Good dining quality

    Cons

    • Inconsistent staff responsiveness to call systems
    • Variable staff communication and interpersonal tone
    • Gaps in clinical monitoring and care-transition processes
    • Inconsistent sanitation and housekeeping practices
    • Irregular personal-care and bathing schedules
    • Inconsistent meal-service continuity and menu management
    • Unreliable administrative communication and follow-up

    Summary of reviews

    Overall impression: Reviewers describe a facility with clear strengths in therapy, compassionate frontline caregiving, and a welcoming community atmosphere, alongside recurring operational inconsistencies. Positive comments emphasize a skilled therapy team, attentive CNAs and nurses, attractive common areas, private rooms with accessible bathrooms, and an active activities calendar. At the same time, multiple accounts highlight patterns of inconsistent responsiveness, variable communication tone, and gaps in routine clinical and housekeeping processes.

    Care and clinical services: The rehabilitation and therapy program receives consistent praise for quality and engagement; reviewers used terms such as phenomenal and well-equipped for the therapy staff and spaces. Many families described attentive nursing and CNA support, including above-and-beyond assistance and sensitive end-of-life care. However, several reviews indicate operational gaps affecting clinical reliability: delayed responses to call systems, discrepancies in clinical monitoring (for example oxygen-measurement and care-transition issues), and inconsistent follow-up after concerning events. These patterns suggest the facility delivers strong episodic clinical and rehabilitative care but may have uneven performance in continuous monitoring and handoffs.

    Staff and management: Staff are frequently characterized as kind, welcoming, and compassionate, and some reviewers credited management with responsive involvement and corrective action. Conversely, others described variable interpersonal tone from staff and front-office personnel, together with unreturned calls and inconsistent administrative follow-through. This mix indicates that leadership engagement and communication practices may vary shift-to-shift or by team, producing inconsistent family experiences.

    Dining and personal care: Several reviewers praised food quality and the dining experience, while a smaller set of accounts raised concerns about menu management and interruptions to meal service (including missed meals early in a stay). Personal-care concerns reported include irregular bathing schedules and inconsistent assistance with activities of daily living; these point to variability in routine caregiving rather than a uniform operational practice.

    Activities and community life: The facility offers a range of social and recreational options โ€” bingo, live piano music during lunch, and other engagements โ€” and many families noted a hometown, community-oriented atmosphere that fosters friendships and resident participation. Facility size and layout were described as convenient for visitors and residents, supporting family involvement.

    Facilities and housekeeping: Common areas, interior and exterior aesthetics, and therapy spaces are generally described as well maintained. Positive notes include on-site laundry, private rooms, and accessible bathrooms. Still, some reviews raised sanitation and housekeeping inconsistencies, suggesting variability in cleaning practices across units or shifts.

    Notable patterns and considerations for prospective families: Strengths center on rehabilitation services, compassionate direct-care staff, social programming, and a family-friendly environment. Risks to probe during a tour include: average call-response times and how the facility measures and enforces them; protocols for clinical monitoring and handoffs (oxygen/medication checks, follow-up after changes); consistency of housekeeping and bathing schedules; menu planning and meal continuity; and how management documents and follows up on family concerns. Asking for recent staffing ratios, examples of corrective actions for care concerns, and the day-to-day therapy schedule can help assess whether the facilityโ€™s strong elements are consistently delivered.

    Reviews written on Mirador

    We have no reviews to show about Northcrest Living Center.

    Help other families by writing a review about your experience with this community.

    Medicare Ratings

    1ยท/ 5
    • Overall

    • Health Inspection

    • Staffing

    • Quality Measures

    Ratings from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Care Compare). View on Medicare.gov

    Location

    Map showing location of Northcrest Living Center

    Northcrest Living Center is located at 34 Northcrest Dr, Council Bluffs, IA, 51503.

    About Northcrest Living Center

    Northcrest Living Center sits at 34 Northcrest Drive in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in a quiet neighborhood with well-kept outdoor spaces, offering 62 Medicare Certified Beds in a small, friendly building, which is actually the smallest facility of its kind in town, where the nursing home first opened in 1964 and has operated under a Limited Liability Company since December 1, 1999. The center focuses on skilled nursing and long-term care, as well as rehabilitation with physical, occupational, and speech therapy all on-site, so seniors get both daily care and support with recovering from injuries or surgeries, and a dedicated unit called Northcrest Care & Rehab handles a wide range of these services, with a team of healthcare professionals that provide personalized attention and support. Northcrest really pays attention to planning because its small size lets the staff create clear, detailed care plans for each resident, and families say the staff communicate well, treat everyone kindly, and offer help that feels like family care-this was recognized by awards for friendliness and staff helpfulness and is shown by the positive community reviews.

    There's a dining hall with nutritious meals arranged by chefs and meal planners, who pay close attention to vitamins, minerals, taste, and quality for every meal. The facility holds group exercise programs and recreational activities that help residents stay active and mentally engaged, and there are spacious common areas for people to gather and spend time together, so nobody feels left out or bored, and residents can always get outside for some fresh air or sit with friends in the landscaped garden areas. Northcrest Living Center holds accreditation from the BBB, works with the Iowa Health Care Association and the Iowa Center for Assisted Living, and takes guidance from those organizations on quality and regulatory steps, and this is reflected in their above average rating for resident care quality from Nursing Home Compare.

    The center offers different care programs, including short-term rehab and long-term elder care, and even has support in place for those who need help with the transition process, so people aren't left guessing about their next steps, and they also have a simple, straightforward admission process to make things less confusing. Northcrest Living Center focuses on keeping residents safe, and got the Telligen Blue Ribbon in COVID-19 Vigilance Award for their prevention work during the pandemic. In addition, 24-hour skilled nursing staff are available, meaning residents can get medical help and personal care at any time of day or night, whether they're there for a short rehab stay or need ongoing, around-the-clock support because of health issues requiring more attention. The programs, including individualized care and rehab, follow quality standards, with advice and resources from IHCA's Premier Partners and the Iowa Center for Assisted Living, along with options for group activities and personal growth, keeping seniors active in mind and body. The facility isn't part of a hospital and offers personalized tours for anyone interested, with staff ready to answer questions about what to expect, payment choices, and what every care option involves, so families and future residents can learn about what Northcrest Living Center offers without feeling rushed or pressured.

    People often ask...

    Northcrest Living Center offers assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing.

    The full address for this community is 34 Northcrest Dr, Council Bluffs, IA 51503.

    No, Northcrest Living Center does not offer respite care. Respite care in assisted living communities provides temporary, short-term relief for primary caregivers by offering professional care for their loved ones. It allows individuals to stay in an assisted living community for a limited time, giving caregivers a break while ensuring residents receive necessary support and assistance with daily activities.

    Disclaimer

    Mirador Living is not affiliated with the owner or operator(s) of Northcrest Living Center. The information above has not been verified or approved by the owner or operator. For exact information, please contact Northcrest Living Center directly. There is no cost for this service. We are compensated by the community you select.

    Are you an owner or operator of this community?

    Claim this listing to receive messages from prospective customers and manage your community page.

    Nearby Communities

    Assisted Living in Nearby Cities

    1. 89 facilities$5,732/mo
    2. 10 facilities$4,712/mo
    3. 10 facilities
    4. 47 facilities$5,244/mo
    5. 30 facilities$5,294/mo
    6. 118 facilities$5,124/mo
    7. 101 facilities$5,233/mo
    8. 82 facilities$5,182/mo
    9. 25 facilities$5,254/mo
    10. 51 facilities$5,087/mo
    11. 112 facilities$5,341/mo
    12. 2 facilities
    ยฉ 2026 Mirador Living