3.5(27 ratings)
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An automated summary of family reviews and public information. Not verified by MyLivingChoice; confirm services, staffing and pricing with the community.
Reviews of The Waters of Wakarusa are sharply divided, with some families praising the rehab therapy team and smooth discharge coordination, while others report serious lapses in basic care, communication, and medication management. The facility offers short-term rehab, long-term skilled nursing, and memory care support, but experiences with staff attentiveness and follow-through appear inconsistent.
AI-generated from reviews and community data.
The Waters of Wakarusa is a senior living community in Wakarusa, Indiana offering Memory Care and Skilled Nursing / Long Term Care. Amenities include Gathering / Activity Spaces, Social Activities and Housekeeping. Families rate it 3.4 out of 5 across 26 reviews.
The Waters of Wakarusa is a skilled nursing facility in Wakarusa, Indiana offering short-term rehabilitation and long-term care. The community provides personalized memory care alongside general nursing services designed to support residents' recovery and independence.
The facility emphasizes specialized medical services including wound care and respiratory support, tailored to each resident's individual needs. The care team focuses on helping residents rebuild strength, confidence, and independence during both short stays and extended placements.
The community's memory care program is designed to encourage connection and comfort, with an emphasis on residents living well each day. The facility maintains a clean, welcoming environment where residents are supported to reach their fullest potential.
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Help Me Choose3.5overall · 27 ratings combined
3.4★ on Google (26) · 5★ on MyLivingChoice (1)
ChaelaFamily member of a resident
Oct 2026
Everyone is very friendly. Always doing activities with residents. Residents get to goto a large dinning area and enjoy meals with friends/family. Good looking meals that my family member really enjoyed!
Tara Ton
Sep 2025
DO NOT recommend. My uncle came for rehab after hip surgery & a stroke. The first week he was in a wonderful wing - constant help, great attention. They then moved him to a wing with long term care patients even though he was there for rehab. They constantly asked him if he was on medicaid - NO, he was going home. They overmedicated him then refused to let him into physical therapy because he was dizzy. When he went to see his his surgeon, the DR took one look at the meds and said the combo was a recipe for dizziness. He called and raised a fuss, then they let him back into physical therapy. They complained he would go to their fun social things - he wanted to GO HOME not make lifelong friends. Some of the nurses were great, but overall it felt very much like they wanted his money and were doing what they could to keep him them permanently.
Ralph Wood
Jul 2025
This facility went above and beyond throughout my stay with them. You can tell the staff care about the patients. Therapy got me stronger and feeling more independent. I was not nervous for my discharge at all. And Before I even left I had calls from my Dr. and Pharmacist. They had everything set up for me. I now have home health care as well. If I need rehab services again I will go back to The Waters of Wakarusa.
Timothy Brown
Apr 2025
Gorgeous rural skilled nursing facility located in the heart of Wakarusa, Indiana. Heart warming amenities with beautiful private therapy suites. The best therapy department in the area! I highly recommend The Waters of Wakarusa.
Jon Griffin
Jun 2024
These place is horrible. They are responsible for my Mothers death last week. They’re basically murderers. My mom was there for nearly 5 months. It was a fight every step of the way to get her the proper care she needed. My brothers and I were constantly on these people to do their jobs. We even had to bring in hospice so at least my mom could get proper care twice a week for two hours a day. Hospice immediately noticed the incompetence of this place. They fought with hospice when hospice tried to tell them what they need to do to give my mom proper care.They didn’t do a thing they were supposed to do. It’s almost like they gave my mom worse care just to spite hospice. She needed gluten free food, but these idiots kept giving her food off of the regular menu. We had to check everything she ate. My mom declined mentally and physically, and every time it was brought to their attention, they would just lie and gaslight us. What I was told more than once was, “well when we/ the doctors checked on her earlier today, she was fine.” I don’t know how many times I was told that. My mom started showing signs of dementia, which they also denied, but hospice noticed, and recommended She get out on some medication to help her. But, they couldn’t get her that particular medication, because the nursing home staff hadn’t documented my mom’s mental decline. My mom had a bed sore on her behind for some time. It only got worse. It never ended up healing. The staff was supposed to turn my mom on her side every two hours. I would be there up to five hours at a time wouldn’t see anyone come in. I would try to get them to come in and they were always too busy or would just ignore me. I even had one woman tell me I should just go home and Maybe my mom will just fall asleep. The only time these disgusting people Ever acknowledged that my mom was getting worse was after her rehab was finished after about the first month. They said she needed to be a permanent resident because she was Only going to decline, and could never go home. After they accomplished that, they basically just left her in that room to die. They got defensive when anything new was brought to their attention, they refused to acknowledge their staff was incompetent. The last time I saw my mom alive was three days before she died. She was struggling to breathe, which they hadn’t noticed (even though they said she gets thoroughly checked by a doctor or a staff member every day)she was confused, in pain and crying. I knew she was getting close to the end, But I was told she was just fine. When we were notified of her passing, they acted like she just unexpectedly passed away. The last day before she died, once again, it had been hours since anyone had checked on her before a family member left around 7-8 PM. There is absolutely no excuse that in a facility full of medical professionals, that not one of them knew her time was near. Instead, she died alone, scared, and in pain instead of being at a hospice facility where she could have been comfortable surrounded by her loved ones. They said her time of death was somewhere around nine in the morning, but it could’ve been several hours prior, and they never would’ve known because she was pretty much ignored. This place put my family and more importantly, my mother through absolute, Unnecessary Hell. She would have been better off suffering and dying at home. Keep your loved ones away, this place should be shut down.
6 inspection visits in the last three years, 67 citations on file. Inspections are conducted by state agencies on behalf of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedFound during a complaint inspectionCorrected Mar 27, 2026
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedFound during a complaint inspectionCorrected Mar 27, 2026
Follow proper procedures when the fire alarm was out of service for more than 4 hours.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jun 6, 2025
Implement emergency and standby power systems.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jun 6, 2025
Conduct testing and exercise requirements.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jun 6, 2025
Provide emergency officials' contact information.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jun 6, 2025
Establish procedures for tracking staff and patients during an emergency.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jun 6, 2025
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Apr 14, 2025
Follow proper procedures when the automatic sprinkler systems was out of service for more than 10 hours.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jun 6, 2025
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jun 6, 2025
Have proper fire barriers, ventilation and signs for the transfilling of oxygen.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jun 6, 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 Jun 6, 2025
Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jun 6, 2025
Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Jun 6, 2025
Have posted "No-smoking" signs in areas where smoking is not permitted or ashtrays provided where smoking was allowed.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Jun 19, 2025
Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Jun 6, 2025
Provide properly protected cooking facilities.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Jun 6, 2025
Ensure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Apr 14, 2025
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Apr 14, 2025
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternFound during a complaint inspectionCorrected Apr 14, 2025
Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Apr 14, 2025
Honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Apr 14, 2025
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Apr 14, 2025
Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Apr 14, 2025
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 Apr 14, 2025
Provide timely, quality laboratory services/tests to meet the needs of residents.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Apr 14, 2025
Provide appropriate colostomy, urostomy, or ileostomy care/services for a resident who requires such services.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedFound during a complaint inspectionCorrected Apr 14, 2025
Not transfer or discharge a resident without an adequate reason; and must provide documentation and convey specific information when a resident is transferred or discharged.
Severity J of L: immediate jeopardy, isolatedFound during a complaint inspectionCorrected Jan 28, 2025
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadFound during a complaint inspectionCorrected Jan 28, 2025
Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedFound during a complaint inspectionCorrected Jan 28, 2025
Ensure that feeding tubes are not used unless there is a medical reason and the resident agrees; and provide appropriate care for a resident with a feeding tube.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedFound during a complaint inspectionCorrected Jan 28, 2025
Prepare residents for a safe transfer or discharge from the nursing home.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedFound during a complaint inspectionCorrected Jan 28, 2025
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedFound during a complaint inspectionCorrected Jan 28, 2025
Post nurse staffing information every day.
Severity C of L: potential for minimal harm, widespreadFound during a complaint inspectionCorrected Jan 28, 2025
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jun 15, 2024
Conduct risk assessment and an All-Hazards approach.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jun 15, 2024
Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Jun 15, 2024
Have posted "No-smoking" signs in areas where smoking is not permitted or ashtrays provided where smoking was allowed.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Jun 15, 2024
Have proper fire barriers, ventilation and signs for the transfilling of oxygen.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Jun 15, 2024
Meet requirements for sections of health care facilities separated by fire resistive construction.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Jun 15, 2024
Ensure that the resident and his/her doctor meet face-to-face at all required visits.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected May 6, 2024
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected May 6, 2024
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected May 6, 2024
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 Mar 22, 2024
Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.
Severity C of L: potential for minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jun 15, 2024
Provide emergency officials' contact information.
Severity C of L: potential for minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Jun 15, 2024
Plan the resident's discharge to meet the resident's goals and needs.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedFound during a complaint inspectionCorrected Mar 12, 2024
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Apr 17, 2023
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 May 10, 2023
Meet other general requirements that are deficient.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Apr 17, 2023
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 Apr 17, 2023
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 Apr 17, 2023
Ensure heating and ventilation systems that have been properly installed according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Severity F of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadCorrected Apr 17, 2023
Keep aisles, corridors, and exits free of obstruction in case of emergency.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Apr 17, 2023
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 Feb 25, 2023
To conduct inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors by qualified individuals.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Apr 17, 2023
Provide properly protected cooking facilities.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Apr 17, 2023
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 17, 2023
Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Apr 17, 2023
Ensure residents do not lose the ability to perform activities of daily living unless there is a medical reason.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Feb 25, 2023
Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Feb 25, 2023
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Feb 25, 2023
Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Feb 25, 2023
Assure that each resident’s assessment is updated at least once every 3 months.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Feb 25, 2023
Have properly located and lighted "Exit" signs.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Apr 17, 2023
Have an externally vented heating system.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Apr 17, 2023
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 25, 2023
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.
The Waters of Wakarusa offers Memory Care and Skilled Nursing / Long Term Care.
The Waters of Wakarusa is located at 300 N Washington St in Wakarusa, Indiana.
The Waters of Wakarusa carries a 3.4 out of 5 rating from 26 Google reviews. One family has reviewed it on MyLivingChoice, averaging 5.0 out of 5. Reviews of The Waters of Wakarusa are sharply divided, with some families praising the rehab therapy team and smooth discharge coordination, while others report serious lapses in basic care, communication, and medication management. The facility offers short-term rehab, long-term skilled nursing, and memory care support, but experiences with staff attentiveness and follow-through appear inconsistent. Reviews on MyLivingChoice come from families who confirmed a connection to the community and appear with the reviewer's first name and last initial.
The Waters of Wakarusa had 6 government inspection visits in the last three years, with 67 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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