CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Oakview Nursing Home and Oak Estates Assisted Living in Conrad has been ranked number one for health inspection ratings in the State of Iowa. Pictured, from left to right, are Ashley Bond, RN, Assisted Living Manager, Kara Butler, Administrator, Tonya McEwen, RN, Director of Nursing, Jess Gibbs, RN, MDS Coordinator, Natalie Fosdick, RN, Infection Control Specialist, Kelly Case, Activity Director, and Lynn Geiken, Social Services Coordinator.

CONRAD — Oakview Nursing Home and Oak Estates Assisted Living has been ranked number one for health inspection ratings in the State of Iowa.

“It’s a site that Medicare provides so that when people are looking for a nursing home, it shows different screens with star ratings,” said Oakview Administrator Kara Butler. “We are a five star facility, and it’s based on your surveys, your nurse coverage, your quality measures, things like that…So for the state survey rank, we’re ranked first out of 394 nursing facilities here in the State of Iowa.”

Butler added that Oakview Nursing Home had deficiency-free surveys in both 2024 and 2025.

The facility, a for-profit, is a mix of private rooms for patients (some couples) and independent living apartments. Those with dementia are welcome, but Oakview does not have a locked unit.

“The buildings are connected by a vestibule, and I oversee both, but we do have a director of nursing on our nursing home side, and then an RN nurse manager on our assisted living side,” she noted.

Construction of Oakview began in 1963 and it opened in February of 1964 with a 20-bed maximum. Its first administrator was Lila Koonce. By November of that year it reached capacity. A south wing was added followed by a west addition. In 2012 the facility underwent major renovations. In 2000 Oak Estates was built with the first resident coming in January of 2001. In recent years, an outdoor stage area was added.

Its staff numbers 67 people, a mix of nursing, kitchen, dietary, housekeeping, laundry, activities, social service, and maintenance. Surveyors have commented on how Oakview feels like a community.

“We are community-owned. We have a board of directors made up of community members. Our nursing home truly was created by people in this community that saw a need for a nursing home,” Butler said. “We are managed by a very small company. We’re not owned by a corporation, and so our staff tend to be somewhat local.”

Oakview typically has a waiting list to get in.

“We encourage them to come tour and then we can talk with them more about the needs of their loved one,” Butler said. “And then when we do have openings, we call our waiting list. We do make sure, though, that people understand that because we are community owned, we take that very seriously, so our community members are always the first people that we would reach out to.”

Concert Under the Oaks at Oakview, a series of free public performances, started the summer of 2004. In 2025, the concerts were held in conjunction with Family Market Night, sponsored by Conrad Chamber-Main Street.

“They do high-quality care and host several events, partnering with local businesses. (Oakview) is really a big part of what makes Conrad special,” said Conrad Chamber-Main Street Executive Director Heather Wilson. “The high schoolers love volunteering up there. It’s just a great thing to have in our community.”

Wilson said the amount of effort that goes into training Oakview staff is distinctive.

“We’re just so proud about being deficient-free, and really having a business in our town that really caters to our seniors being ranked number one in Iowa. What an accomplishment,” Wilson said.

Butler, who is a native of Union, has held the administrator role since 2016.

“I thank my staff, because if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t receive deficiency-free surveys, and we’ve won the Governor’s Choice Award in the past too,” she said.

To learn more about Oakview, visit: www.oakviewinc.net.