2955 Kaufmann Ave, Dubuque, IA 52001
Independent LivingActive Adult Living
Affordable senior housingIndependent livingAge 62+ community
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About Dubuque Specialty Care
Dubuque Specialty Care brings together skilled nursing and rehabilitation services designed for recovery and renewed independence. Our team in Dubuque, Iowa provides personalized care during transitions that matter most, combining medical expertise with genuine support for each person's next chapter.
Community at a glance
Capacity
84 residents
Location
Dubuque, IA
Status
Listed in a public registry
Care & services offered
Skilled Nursing
Contact & location
2935 Kaufmann Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa 52001
Medicare inspection record
From CMS Care Compare, the federal record every Medicare-certified nursing home is held to. Data as of September 1, 2026. Check it on Medicare.gov
At its most recent standard inspection, on July 30, 2025, state inspectors cited 8 health deficiencies (the Iowa average is 6.5).
Nurses and nurse aides spend 2 hours 54 minutes with each resident a day, below the Iowa average of 3 hours 49 minutes.
Medicare fined Dubuque Specialty Care once in the last three years, $53,372 in total.
Staffing
| Measure | This home |
|---|---|
| Nurse and aide time per resident, per day | 2 hours 54 minutesBelow the Iowa average |
| Registered nurse time per resident, per day | 34 minutesBelow the Iowa average |
| Nursing staff who left in the past year | 57%Above the Iowa average |
1 administrator has left the home in the past year.
Inspections
22 health citations in the last three years. Each one is a federal standard inspectors found the home was not meeting.
July 30, 2025 · Standard inspection · 8 citations
Have a plan that describes the process for conducting QAPI and QAA activities.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, widespread (level F)AdministrationCorrected Aug 28, 2025Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Nursing and Physician ServicesCorrected Aug 28, 2025Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Infection ControlCorrected Aug 28, 2025Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Nutrition and DietaryCorrected Aug 28, 2025Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Pharmacy ServiceCorrected Aug 28, 2025Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Resident Assessment and Care PlanningCorrected Aug 28, 2025Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Resident Assessment and Care PlanningCorrected Aug 28, 2025Ensure each resident must receive and the facility must provide necessary behavioral health care and services.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Quality of Life and CareFrom a complaintCorrected Aug 28, 2025
July 15, 2024 · Standard inspection · 14 citations
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Residents were harmed, a few residents (level G)Quality of Life and CareCorrected Aug 6, 2024Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a pattern (level E)Nursing and Physician ServicesFrom a complaintCorrected Aug 6, 2024Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a pattern (level E)Resident Assessment and Care PlanningFrom a complaintCorrected Aug 6, 2024Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a pattern (level E)Nutrition and DietaryCorrected Aug 6, 2024Make sure that a working call system is available in each resident's bathroom and bathing area.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)EnvironmentalFrom a complaintCorrected Aug 6, 2024Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Resident Assessment and Care PlanningCorrected Aug 6, 2024Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Infection ControlCorrected Aug 6, 2024Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Resident RightsCorrected Aug 6, 2024Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Quality of Life and CareFrom a complaintCorrected Aug 6, 2024Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Resident RightsFrom a complaintCorrected Aug 6, 2024Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Quality of Life and CareFrom a complaintCorrected Aug 6, 2024Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Risk of harm, no one hurt, a few residents (level D)Resident RightsFrom a complaintCorrected Aug 6, 2024Notify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.
Minimal harm or risk, a pattern (level B)Resident RightsFrom a complaintCorrected Aug 6, 2024Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.
Minimal harm or risk, a pattern (level B)Resident RightsCorrected Aug 6, 2024
Fines and payment denials
1 fine totaling $53,372 and 1 Medicare payment denial in the last three years.
- July 15, 2024Fine: $53,372
- July 15, 2024Payment denial, 16 days
About the home, per Medicare
- Ownership
- Non profit - Corporation
- Legal business name
- Care Initiatives
- Medicare-certified beds
- 84
- Average residents per day
- 52
- Accepts
- Medicare and Medicaid
- First certified
- May 1, 1994
- Part of a chain
- Care Initiatives, 43 homes
- Inside a hospital
- No
- Continuing care retirement community
- No
- Resident or family council
- Resident
- Sprinklers in all required areas
- Yes
- CMS Certification Number
- 165228
Location
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2935 Kaufmann AvenueDubuque, IA 52001
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Questions about Dubuque Specialty Care
How did Dubuque Specialty Care do on its last inspection?+
State inspectors visited on July 30, 2025 and cited 8 health deficiencies, 1 of them from complaint investigations. The Iowa average is 6.5.
How much nursing care does each resident get at Dubuque Specialty Care?+
Nurses and aides spend 2 hours 54 minutes with each resident per day, including 34 minutes from registered nurses. 57% of nursing staff left over the past year.
Has Dubuque Specialty Care been fined by Medicare?+
Yes. Medicare fined Dubuque Specialty Care once in the last three years, totaling $53,372.
Does Medicare cover skilled nursing?+
Medicare covers up to 100 days of skilled nursing per benefit period after a qualifying 3-day hospital stay — fully for the first 20 days, then with a daily copay. Long-term custodial stays are generally not covered.
How much does a nursing home cost?+
A semi-private room averages about $7,900 per month nationally; private rooms cost more. Medicaid is the largest payer for long-term nursing home care.
What is the CMS star rating?+
Medicare rates nursing homes 1 to 5 stars on its Care Compare site. We don't repeat those stars here. Each nursing home page shows Medicare's underlying record instead: inspections, staffing and fines, with a link to check it on Medicare.gov.