Nursing HomeMedicaid Top Rated

Sunrise Retirement Community

Strong Medicare quality ratings; families often praise warm, attentive nursing staff. Still worth an in-person visit.

5501 Gordon Drive East, Sioux City, IA 51106|74 beds|Licensed & Active

5/5

Medicare

Inspection

Quality

Staffing

Google rating

3.9/5

based on 40 Google reviews

(712) 276-3821 Directions Website

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What this means for your family

Sunrise Retirement Community is highly regarded for its compassionate nursing staff and engaging memory care programs. However, families should be prepared for high costs and should proactively request clear, written communication regarding financial policies and care plans to avoid the responsiveness issues noted by other families.

Google Reviews

40 reviews on Google

“Sunrise Retirement Community receives polarized feedback, with many families praising the compassionate nursing staff and the facility's warm, home-like atmosphere. However, significant concerns exist regarding high costs, inconsistent communication from management, and serious allegations of inadequate medical care for residents with complex health needs.”

Quality Themes

Tap a score for details

Strengths

Warm, attentive nursing staff
Clean, well-maintained facilities
Active social and event calendar
Supportive transition process for new residents

Concerns

Poor communication and lack of responsiveness from management (mentioned by 3 reviewers)
High cost and perceived lack of transparency regarding financial requirements (mentioned by 3 reviewers)
Inadequate medical care or pain management for complex health issues (mentioned by 2 reviewers)

Rating Trends

Tap a year to see what changed

Distribution · 42 analyzed

How They Respond to Reviews

70%response rate

This facility actively engages with reviewer feedback.

Questions for Your Tour

1I noticed your social calendar is quite active; what are some of the most popular activities residents here are currently participating in?
2With 14 state violations over the past year, could you walk me through the specific steps the leadership team is taking to improve oversight and ensure consistent quality of care?
3We have some concerns regarding complex medical needs; how does your clinical team coordinate with specialists to ensure effective pain management and ongoing health monitoring?
4I appreciate that you actively engage with online feedback; how do you typically handle communication with families when they have questions or concerns about their loved one's care?
5Could you provide a clear breakdown of the fee structure and any potential future costs so we can better understand the full financial requirements for residency?
6Given the recent focus on improving internal processes, what is the best way for family members to stay informed and reach management if an urgent issue arises?

Personalized based on this facility's data

Key Review Excerpts

“My Mom is on Medicaid and has been in their Dementia skilled Nursing care for the past 4 years. Every staff member cares and treats every resident with love and respect.”

Memory care family member · 2023★★★★★

“Communication with the administrators and nursing staff is great, and they have been so helpful guiding us as this is our first experience having a loved one in a care community.”

Long-term resident's family · 2023★★★★★

“My Aunt was a long time patient at Sunrise and was paying an ungodly amount, near $10,000 per month! She complained about the quality of the food and I saw it and, certainly agreed!”

Long-term resident's family · 2024★☆☆☆☆

Source: 40 Google reviews

Staffing

Staffing Hours

per resident/day · Medicare 2026

RN Hours

0.92hrs

Registered nurses for medical care

Total Nursing

5.13hrs

All nurses + aides combined

Staff Turnover

42%

Lower is better (< 30% = good)

RN Turnover

42%

Lower is better (< 30% = good)

This facility meets the national staffing benchmarks. Higher staffing is linked to fewer falls and better day-to-day care.

Quality Measures

Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 17 measures

Medicare Rating

3/ 5

Better Than Avg

measures

Worse Than Avg

measures

Mixed Results

measures

Long-Stay Residents

💊

Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication

↓ Lower is better

This Facility10.2%

Better than Avg

Here

10.2%

19.5%

20.7%

Woodbury

23.7%

😔

Residents with depression symptoms

↓ Lower is better

This Facility0.0%

Better than Avg

Here

0.0%

12.1%

4.1%

Woodbury

1.6%

Highly dependent on how each facility screens and codes depressive symptoms, so it varies widely between facilities.

💊

Residents on antipsychotic medication

↓ Lower is better

This Facility17.4%

Mixed vs Avgs

Here

17.4%

15.4%

19.4%

Woodbury

25.6%

💉

Residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better

This Facility97.6%

Better than Avg

Here

97.6%

93.4%

93.9%

Woodbury

90.5%

🚿

Residents whose bladder or bowel control got worse

↓ Lower is better

This Facility19.6%

Mixed vs Avgs

Here

19.6%

19.4%

25.9%

Woodbury

26.2%

🛏️

Residents needing more daily help over time

↓ Lower is better

This Facility20.2%

Worse than Avg

Here

20.2%

14.4%

17.6%

Woodbury

15.8%

Short-Stay Residents (Rehab / Post-Acute)

💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu

↑ Higher is better

This Facility91.3%

Better than Avg

Here

91.3%

79.7%

73.3%

Woodbury

76.9%

💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better

This Facility96.4%

Better than Avg

Here

96.4%

81.8%

84.0%

Woodbury

78.8%

💊

Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics

↓ Lower is better

This Facility9.5%

Worse than Avg

Here

9.5%

1.6%

2.0%

Woodbury

2.7%

Source: Medicare quality measures

US average from Medicare published data

Inspection History

Medicare Inspection History

3-year lookback · Medicare 2026

2deficiencies

Well below state avg (6.2)

Sunrise Retirement Community has faced persistent fire safety issues across all three surveys, with recurring problems in smoke detection systems, fire barriers, and sprinkler maintenance that required correction dates. The facility also showed deficiencies in care planning, medication management, and nursing staffing in earlier surveys. While all violations have correction dates indicating remediation efforts, the repeated fire safety citations suggest ongoing infrastructure challenges families should discuss during visits.

Sep 11, 2025Routine3 findings

0347Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Properly provide smoke detection systems in areas open to corridors.

0689Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

0880Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

Sep 26, 2024Routine10 findings

0133Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Construction Deficiencies

Install a two-hour-resistant firewall separation.

0161Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Construction Deficiencies

Use approved construction type or materials.

0353Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.

0363Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.

0920Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies

Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.

0926Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies

Ensure that personnel concerned with handling of medical gases and cylinders are trained on the risk.

0325Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Have properly installed hallway dispensers for alcohol-based hand rub.

0658Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.

0755Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Pharmacy Service Deficiencies

Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.

0842Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.

Nov 30, 2023Routine8 findings

0372Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating.

0321Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.

0812Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies

Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.

0584Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Rights Deficiencies

Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.

0656Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.

0695Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.

0725Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies

Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.

0760Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Pharmacy Service Deficiencies

Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.

State Inspection History

State Inspections

Source: Iowa Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing

10total

14deficiencies

Sep 30, 2025InspectionNo deficiencies

Clean