1 / 5CMS Care Compare
Families overwhelmingly describe Calvin Community as a warm, caring place where staff know residents by name and go out of their way to help, spanning independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing. Reviewers frequently praise long-tenured, attentive staff and communication with families, though a few reports raise serious concerns about neglect, understaffing, and unaddressed medical issues.
AI-generated from reviews and community data.
Calvin Community is a senior living community in Des Moines, Iowa offering Independent Living and Skilled Nursing / Long Term Care. Amenities include Restaurant style Dining Room, Gathering / Activity Spaces and Social Activities. Families rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 60 reviews.
Calvin Community is a senior living community in Des Moines, Iowa, offering skilled nursing, long-term care, assisted living, and independent living options across multiple levels of care within the same campus.
Families consistently praise the staff across all departments, from nursing and aides to maintenance, kitchen, and housekeeping, describing them as genuinely caring and often going above and beyond. Residents note a welcoming, friendly atmosphere where staff members learn and use residents' names, and where people from different backgrounds and viewpoints coexist respectfully. One family wrote, "Everyone at Calvin, from maintenance, laundry, kitchen, aides and nurses took wonderful care of my mother." Dining is highlighted as a social highlight with good food and variety, and the community offers regular activities, religious services, and wellness programs including flu, COVID, and RSV vaccinations on-site. Long-term residents report stability and satisfaction, with several noting staff tenure of years or decades.
One family gave a markedly different account, reporting neglect during a rehabilitation stay that they believe contributed to their grandmother's decline and transfer to memory care, including weight loss, mobility loss, and a missed UTI diagnosis. This contrasts sharply with the overwhelming majority of positive experiences.
Calvin Community holds a 4.8 out of 5 Google rating based on 60 reviews, with the vast majority of families describing their experiences as deeply positive, particularly in end-of-life and long-term care settings.
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Help Me Choose4.8overall · 61 ratings combined
4.8★ on Google (60) · 4★ on Yelp (1) · Yelp page ↗
Leah Scherer
Oct 2025
I can’t say enough about the staff at Calvin Community. My mother spent the last weeks of her life there, and the care couldn’t have been better. The nurses and aides are absolutely wonderful; so kind, gentle and caring not only for my mom but for the entire family. Calvin Community was a blessing for our family.
Mark Thompson
Oct 2025
Calvin Community took exceptional care of Maxine and she called this community home and felt the love and friendship of all who cared for her!! Thank you to every staff member from all the departments because you all showed this to her!
warren dobbertin
Mar 2025
Calvin has wonderful caring staff and lots of activities for residents. I highly recommend.
Justin Mead
Feb 2025
Very warm and caring place my mother is enjoying it there
Brad Spears
Dec 2024
Calvin Community has been such a blessing to our family. They welcomed Mom with open hearts and arms and she has flourished. The residents are always put first and treated with dignity and respect. We would highly recommend Calvin Community.
3 inspection visits in the last three years, 33 citations on file. Inspections are conducted by state agencies on behalf of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Ensure that testing and maintenance of electrical equipment is performed.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jan 2, 2026
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Dec 23, 2025
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Jan 9, 2026
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Jan 9, 2026
Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Jan 9, 2026
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Jan 9, 2026
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Jan 9, 2026
Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Dec 18, 2025
Provide the required documentation or notification related to the resident's needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Jan 9, 2026
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Jan 9, 2026
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Jan 9, 2026
Properly select, install, inspect, or maintain portable fire extinguishes.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Dec 18, 2025
Install a fire alarm system that can be heard throughout the facility.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jan 29, 2025
Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jan 29, 2025
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jan 29, 2025
Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Jan 29, 2025
Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Jan 29, 2025
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Feb 14, 2025
Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Feb 14, 2025
Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Feb 14, 2025
Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Jan 29, 2025
Develop and maintain an Emergency Preparedness Program (EP).
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Apr 9, 2024
Develop Emergency Preparedness policies and procedures.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Apr 11, 2024
Conduct testing and exercise requirements.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Apr 23, 2024
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Apr 16, 2024
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Apr 16, 2024
Ensure that testing and maintenance of electrical equipment is performed.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Apr 9, 2024
Address patient/client population and determine types of services needed.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Apr 16, 2024
Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Apr 12, 2024
Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Apr 12, 2024
Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Apr 10, 2024
Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Apr 12, 2024
Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Apr 18, 2024
Source: CMS Care Compare, public federal data covering certified nursing facilities, refreshed monthly. Citations range from A (least serious) to L (most serious) on the federal scope and severity scale. Most citations are corrected quickly; review the details and ask the community about anything that concerns you.
Calvin Community offers Independent Living and Skilled Nursing / Long Term Care.
Calvin Community is located at 4210 Hickman Road in Des Moines, Iowa.
Families overwhelmingly describe Calvin Community as a warm, caring place where staff know residents by name and go out of their way to help, spanning independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing. Reviewers frequently praise long-tenured, attentive staff and communication with families, though a few reports raise serious concerns about neglect, understaffing, and unaddressed medical issues.
Calvin Community had 3 government inspection visits in the last three years, with 33 citations on file according to CMS Care Compare data. The full history, including what each citation was for and whether it was corrected, is in the inspection section on this page.
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