Safety Report: The Cottages

Pella, Iowa · Based on official CMS inspection records as of October 1, 2026.

Back to facility
How to read this report. Every nursing home receives some citations. One citation does not mean a facility is unsafe. Look at how serious the findings were, whether the same problems keep coming back, and whether things are getting better or worse. Learn how inspections work.

Official ratings

Overall★★★★★
Health inspections★★★★★
Staffing★★★★★
Quality measures★★★★★
Long-stay quality★★★★★
Short-stay quality★★★★★

Medicare's star ratings compare nursing homes within the same state for health inspections. A 5-star facility performed better than most in its state; a 1-star facility performed worse than most.

Stars are calculated by CMS, not by us. We do not create our own safety score.

Serious documented violations

1Immediate jeopardy citations (severity J–L)
2Actual harm citations (severity G–I)
2Requirements cited on more than one inspection
G
Government finding: Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Inspectors rated this “actual harm to a resident (not immediate jeopardy).” The problem affected one or a very small number of residents or staff. Inspection of June 4, 2026, during a complaint investigation. Facility reported correction by May 18, 2026.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Tag F689
G
Government finding: Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Inspectors rated this “actual harm to a resident (not immediate jeopardy).” The problem affected one or a very small number of residents or staff. Inspection of August 25, 2025, during a complaint investigation. Facility reported correction by September 25, 2025.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Tag F689
K
Government finding: Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Inspectors rated this “immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.” The problem affected more than a very small number of residents, or happened repeatedly. Inspection of February 24, 2025, during a complaint investigation. Facility reported correction by February 25, 2025.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Tag F689

Citations by topic

3Abuse, neglect & exploitation
3Infection control
3Medications & pharmacy
3Accidents & supervision

Topics use CMS's own deficiency categories; “accidents & supervision” counts tag F689 (free of accident hazards / adequate supervision). Counts cover the last three inspection cycles, including complaint investigations.

Is it getting better or worse?

More citations in the most recent cycle (13) than in the cycle before (4).

Two cycles ago
none serious
Prior cycle
1 serious
Most recent cycle
2 serious

An inspection cycle is roughly one year and includes the standard inspection plus complaint investigations. Counts depend partly on how many complaint investigations occurred, so treat small changes with caution. Red bars include at least one serious citation.

Staffing and rating trends will appear as we collect monthly CMS releases. We have one month so far, so a staffing trend cannot yet be determined.

Repeat findings

These requirements were cited on more than one inspection date in the last three cycles.

RequirementTimes citedInspection dates
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (F689)3June 4, 2026; August 25, 2025; February 24, 2025
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (F880)2August 25, 2025; September 26, 2024

Fines and enforcement

DateTypeAmount / length
June 4, 2026Fine$12,006
August 25, 2025Fine$26,800
February 24, 2025Fine$13,254

Federal civil money penalties and Medicare/Medicaid payment denials. State-level penalties may not be included.

Complete inspection history

23 citations across 7 inspection dates.

June 4, 2026 — 2 citations (includes serious) · complaint investigation
G
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Actual harm to a resident (not immediate jeopardy) · Isolated · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · F689 · complaint · corrected May 18, 2026
D
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Resident Rights Deficiencies · F550 · complaint · corrected June 12, 2026
November 25, 2025 — 2 citations · complaint investigation
D
Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · F609 · complaint · corrected December 11, 2025
D
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · F600 · complaint · corrected December 11, 2025
August 25, 2025 — 9 citations (includes serious)
G
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Actual harm to a resident (not immediate jeopardy) · Isolated · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · F689 · complaint · corrected September 25, 2025
D
Develop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Infection Control Deficiencies · F883 · corrected September 25, 2025
D
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Infection Control Deficiencies · F880 · corrected September 25, 2025
D
Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · F760 · corrected September 25, 2025
D
Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · F759 · corrected September 25, 2025
D
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · F755 · complaint · corrected September 25, 2025
D
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · F695 · corrected September 25, 2025
D
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies · F656 · corrected September 25, 2025
D
Prevent the use of unnecessary psychotropic medications or use medications that may restrain a resident's ability to function.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · F605 · corrected September 25, 2025
February 24, 2025 — 1 citation (includes serious) · complaint investigation
K
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety · Pattern · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · F689 · complaint · corrected February 25, 2025
September 26, 2024 — 3 citations
D
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Infection Control Deficiencies · F880 · corrected October 21, 2024
D
Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · F692 · corrected October 21, 2024
D
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.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Resident Rights Deficiencies · F578 · corrected October 21, 2024
May 16, 2024 — 1 citation · complaint investigation
D
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · F677 · complaint · corrected June 4, 2024
June 29, 2023 — 5 citations
E
Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Pattern · Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies · F725 · corrected July 20, 2023
D
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies · F812 · corrected July 20, 2023
D
Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies · F804 · corrected July 20, 2023
D
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.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies · F803 · corrected July 20, 2023
D
Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies · F657 · corrected July 20, 2023

Source: CMS Health Deficiencies dataset (data as of October 1, 2026); full inspection narratives on Medicare Care Compare

Compare