Southeast South Dakota News

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Wakonda Heritage Manor stood out as the third largest nursing home in Clay County, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Data shows that the nursing center had a total of 38 beds available, 16 less than the average in Clay County as of the fourth quarter of 2023. They aided an average of 31.9 residents during that period.

Wakonda Heritage Manor boasted an overall rating of 4 from the CMS, which is higher than the average of 2.9 recorded for nursing homes in South Dakota.

During the quarter, Sanford Care Center Vermillion stood out as the largest nursing home in Clay County, with 66 beds available. Sunset Manor Avera Health came in second place, with 58 beds available.

As of the fourth quarter of 2023, Wakonda Heritage Manor has spent a total of $658 in one fine and suffered one penalty.

In total, there were three non-profit nursing homes in Clay County, South Dakota.

According to US Census data, in 2020, nearly 1 in 6 Americans were aged 65 years or older. Since 1920, the older population skyrocketed from 4.9 million to 55.8 million, reflecting a growth rate of roughly 1,000%, five times higher than the average growth for the overall U.S. population.

A 2021 study suggests that nearly half of this age group, roughly 28 million individuals, may require long-term services and support. Additionally, the study projects that over a third of them may eventually need nursing home care.

“Living a long life is something that many of us want and could get,” said Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, an insurance education group. “But when we live a long life, the chances of us needing long-term care increase exponentially. But when you need that type of care, there are limited options.”

Rank	Nursing Home	Overall Rating
1	Sanford Care Center Vermillion	3
2	Sunset Manor Avera Health	3
3	Wakonda Heritage Manor	4