Elm Crest Retirement Community
Nursing Home Facility
2104 12th Street, Harlan, IA 51537
Today is the day and now is the time... time to enjoy the rewards that a lifetime of hard work and planning afford. Senior living is evolving to reflect the desires and needs of today's active seniors while continuing to provide a safe, caring, and loving home environment. Family, friends, comfortable living, and quality care are all reasons for considering senior retirement living, and you will find all these and more at Elm Crest Retirement Community.
Operated by American Baptist Homes of the Midwest, which runs 8 communities in our directory.
Elm Crest Retirement Community is licensed for 50 beds, about typical for the area, where senior care communities in Shelby County average about 58 beds.
Federal reporting puts occupancy at about 92% of its licensed beds, which is high; communities this full often maintain a waiting list, so it is worth calling well before you need a place. That is above the Shelby County average of roughly 84%.
Medicare rates this community 2 out of 5 stars overall, a score based on health inspections, staffing levels and quality measures. Its most recent standard health inspection was in January 2026 and recorded 5 deficiencies.
Residents receive about 4.0 hours of nursing care per day on average, including 0.7 hours from a registered nurse. Nursing staff turnover over the past year was about 72%, which is high and can affect continuity of care.
The community is located in Shelby County, IA.
Inspection record
In its last three standard inspections and any complaint visits, federal inspectors cited 19 problems at Elm Crest Retirement Community. 2 findings involved harm to a resident. 6 came from investigating complaints by residents or families.
Medicare stopped paying for new admissions once in that period.
Findings from the most recent inspection cycle
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Caused harm to a resident, one or a few residents
Quality of Life and Care
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, a pattern
Nutrition and Dietary
Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, a pattern
Nutrition and Dietary
Ensure each resident receives and the facility provides food prepared in a form designed to meet individual needs.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, a pattern
Nutrition and Dietary
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
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Could cause more than minimal harm, one or a few residents
Quality of Life and Care
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
A citation on its own does not mean poor care, and most are corrected within weeks. What matters most is how serious the findings were and whether the same problems keep coming back. When you visit, it is fair to ask the administrator what inspectors found and what has changed since.
Elm Crest Retirement Community offers assisted living, nursing home care, continuing care (CCRC), retirement living, and senior living.
Facility details
- Organization type Non profit - Church related
- Beds / units 50
- Religious affiliation Church Based
- Occupancy 92%
- Nursing hours per resident/day 4.0
- Annual staff turnover 72%
- Last health inspection January 2026
Resident & family reviews
No one has shared a review of Elm Crest Retirement Community yet. If you or someone you love has lived here, what you saw could help another family make this decision with more confidence.