by Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch
April 15, 2026
A western Iowa nursing home cited for 24 regulatory violations, including the sexual abuse of a resident, has been fined a total of $500 by the state.
State inspectors working for the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing visited Hillcrest Health Care Center in Hawarden in March 2026 in response to six separate complaints, all of which were deemed verified. The inspectors cited the home for a total of 24 state and federal regulatory violations — an unusually high number.
The violations included resident abuse; failure to protect resident funds; failure to notify a resident’s emergency contact about a hospitalization; failure to provide a safe, clean, homelike environment; failure to respect residents’ right to be free of chemical restraints; failure to self-report alleged violations; failure to meet standards for overall quality of care; failure to provide sufficient nursing staff; inadequate services or treatment for people with dementia; failure to prevent significant medication errors, and failure adequately prevent infections.
