Des Moines Senior AdvisorJohnston is the suburb north of Urbandale along Merle Hay Road and Northwest 86th Street, bordered by Saylorville Lake and Camp Dodge, with about 25,065 residents in 2025 Census estimates.
Johnston has several large assisted living buildings with memory care certificates, a pediatric and young-adult nursing facility, and a skilled nursing center. Grimes and Polk City families often look here because it is the nearest larger suburb.
How much licensed senior care does Johnston, Iowa have?
Johnston had about 25,065 residents in Census Bureau estimates for July 1, 2025, and DIAL lists 5 certified assisted living programs and 3 nursing facilities with Johnston addresses.
| Found in Johnston | Not found in Johnston | |
|---|---|---|
| Certified or licensed with a local address (DIAL) | Assisted living programs: 5, Nursing facilities: 2, Hospices: 1 | — |
| No local certificate or license on file | — | Residential care facilities, Adult day services, Home health agencies, Hospice houses |
| Dementia-specific assisted living | 2 programs | — |
Which assisted living programs are certified in Johnston?
DIAL's current roster lists 5 certified assisted living programs in Johnston, 2 of them dementia-specific; Meadowview of Johnston is the largest at 170 units.
| Facility | Type | Units or beds | Last DIAL survey (approx.) | State fines since 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meadowview of Johnston 5555 Pioneer Parkway, 50131 | ALP | 170 | June 2025 | 0 |
| StoryPoint Johnston 6750 Corporate Drive, 50131 | ALP/D | 128 | December 2025 | 0 |
| Martina Place 5815 Winwood Dr, 50131 | ALP | 120 | June 2025 | 0 |
| Brio of Johnston Assisted Living 6901 Peckham Street, 50131 | ALP | 68 | July 2026 | 0 |
| Meadowview of Johnston MC 5555 Pioneer Parkway, 50131 | ALP/D | 42 | June 2025 | 1 |
Which nursing homes are in Johnston, and how does CMS rate them?
Johnston has 3 licensed nursing facilities with 260 licensed beds; of the 3 that CMS rates, 2 hold four or five stars.
| Facility | CMS overall rating | Units or beds | Last CMS health inspection | Deficiencies cited | State fines since 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop Drumm Retirement Center 5837 Winwood Drive, 50131 | 1 of 5 | 150 | July 21, 2025 | 26 | 9 |
| Brio of Johnston, LLC 6901 Peckham Street, 50131 | 4 of 5 | 36 | April 9, 2026 | 5 | 2 |
| ChildServe Habilitation Center 5900 Pioneer Parkway, 50131 Serves adults with disabilities or mental illness | 5 of 5 | 74 | June 18, 2026 | 3 | 1 |
Which home health, hospice and adult day providers have offices in Johnston?
DIAL's roster shows 1 home health agency, 1 hospice or hospice house and 0 adult day programs at Johnston addresses; agencies typically serve clients far beyond their office.
- ChildServe Homecare, INC: home health agency
- Hospice of the Midwest, LLC: hospice
Have any Johnston facilities been fined by the state?
Yes: DIAL's Assessed Fines Report lists state fines from visits ending January 2023 to November 2026 for 4 certified or licensed facilities in Johnston.
- Meadowview of Johnston MC: 1 fine, most recently after a visit ending January 20, 2026 ($6,000 issued)
- Bishop Drumm Retirement Center: 9 fines, most recently after a visit ending September 17, 2025 ($5,250 issued)
- Brio of Johnston, LLC: 2 fines, most recently after a visit ending April 25, 2024 ($0 issued)
- ChildServe Habilitation Center: 1 fine, most recently after a visit ending September 14, 2023 ($500 issued)
Each facility page lists the amounts. A past fine is not proof of a present problem; ask what changed.
How close is Johnston to a hospital?
From the middle of the area, the nearest general hospitals on DIAL's roster are Broadlawns Medical Center (about 7.9 miles) and MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center (about 7.9 miles).
UnityPoint Health Des Moines Iowa Lutheran is about 8.7 miles away. All are straight-line distances between ZIP code centers, good for comparing places but not for estimating drive times.
Where can Johnston families get free senior help?
Older adults in Polk County are served by Aging Resources of Central Iowa, the Area Agency on Aging at 5838 Grand Avenue, Suite 106, Des Moines, IA 50312 ((515) 255-1310, toll-free 1-800-747-5352), which handles information and assistance, options counseling, caregiver support, meal programs and elder rights.
Complaints about a certified program or licensed facility go to DIAL ((515) 381-7272 or its online complaint portal); suspected abuse of a dependent adult living at home goes to Iowa HHS at 1-800-362-2178. PACE is available here: Immanuel Pathways Central Iowa ((515) 270-5000, 7700 Hickman Road, Windsor Heights, IA 50324) enrolls Polk County residents aged 55 and older who meet nursing facility level of care.
