Missouri ranks among the states with the lowest nursing home prices in the country. But its Medicare ratings are also low. Twelve percent of Missouri’s nursing homes have five stars in the “overall” category, as of this writing. The national average is 18 percent. (Click here for tips on evaluating nursing homes.)

Approximate number of facilities:

• Nursing homes: 514
• Assisted living residences: 616*

Types of care available:

• Adult day care
• Home care
• Home health-care
• Continuing-care retirement communities
• Assisted living facilities
• Residential care facilities
• Nursing homes

Estimated average prices:**

• Adult day care: $70 per day
• Home care: $18 per hour
• Home health-care: $19 per hour
• Assisted living: $ 2,955 per month
• Nursing home, semi-private room: $138 per day
• Nursing home, private room: $153 per day

State websites for seniors:

• Attorney General: information for senior citizens
• Department of Health & Senior Services
• Rules of Department of Health and Senior Services: “Residential Care Facilities and Assisted Living Facilities” (PDF download)

Where to report elder abuse:

• In domestic/community care: 1-800-392-0210
• In nursing homes: 1-800-392-0210

Financial assistance (partial list):

• MO HealthNet (Medicaid)
• CLAIM (Community Leaders Assisting the Insured of Missouri)

Top-10 largest cities:

•  Kansas City
•  St. Louis
•  Springfield
•  Independence
•  Columbia
•  St. Joseph
•  Lee's Summit
•  St. Charles
•  St. Peters
• Florissant

Top nursing homes, based on Medicare ratings:***

Ava
Heart of the Ozarks Healthcare Center

Ballwin
Lutheran Senior Services at Meramec Bluffs

Bowling Green
Moore-Pike Nursing Home

Bridgeton
SSM DePaul Health Center

Buffalo
Colonial Springs Healthcare Center

Carthage
St. Luke's Nursing Center

Chesterfield
Brooking Park
Friendship Village Chesterfield

Clarence
Clarence Care Center

Columbia
Lenoir Health Care Center

Crystal City
Crystal Oaks

Dexter
Cypress Point – Skilled Nursing by Americare

Farmington
Presbyterian Manor of Farmington

Florissant
Delmar Gardens North

Fredericktown
Madison Medical Center

Glasgow
Golden LivingCenter – Glasgow

Hartville
Hartville Care and Rehabilitation Center

Hermann
Frene Valley Health Center

Jonesburg
Jonesburg Nursing & Rehab

Joplin
NHC Healthcare, Joplin

Kansas City
Jeanne Jugan Center
Seasons Care Center

King City
King City Manor

Lewistown
Country Aire Retirement Estates

Macon
Macon Health Care Center

Malden
Golden LivingCenter – Malden

Marshfield
Webco Manor

Mexico
Golden LivingCenter – Pin Oaks

Mound City
Tiffany Heights

Mountain Grove
Autumn Oaks Caring Center

Nevada
Medicalodges Nevada

Nixa
Christian Health and Rehabilitation of Nixa

Odessa
Golden LivingCenter – New Haven

Osage Beach
Osage Beach Rehabilitation and Health Care Center

Ozark
Ozark Riverview Manor

Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill Health and Rehabilitation Center

Puxico
Puxico Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

Richland
Richland Care Center

Rolla
Presbyterian Manor of Rolla

Saint Charles
Charlevoix Healthcare Center

Sainte Genevieve
St. Genevieve Care Center

Saint Joseph
Saxton Care Chateau

Saint Louis
The Charless Home
Delmar Gardens South
Dutchtown Care Center
Friendship Village Sunset Hills
Garrison Care Center
Little Sisters of the Poor
Nazareth Living Center
The Riverview
Village North Retirement and Health Center

Salem
Salem Memorial District Hospital

Sedalia
Sylvia G. Thompson Residence Center

Springfield
The Manor at Elfindale
Springfield Rehabilitation & Health Care Center
Woodland Manor

Stockton
Lake Stockton Healthcare Facility

Stover
Golden Age Living Center

Tuscumbia
Miller County Care and Rehabilitation Center

Van Buren
Riverways Manor

Versailles
Good Shepherd Care Center

Waynesville
Life Care Center of Waynesville

Webster Groves
Lutheran Convalescent Home

*Assisted-living residence numbers are from the Department of Health and Human Services’ 2007 Residential Care and Assisted Living Compendium. According to the National Center for Assisted Living, this is the industry’s only resource for such data. Depending on the state, the number may or may not include small residential-care homes, such as adult foster care.

**Senior-care price estimates are based on the 2011 MetLife Market Survey of Long-Term Care Costs, which reports average rates,and the Genworth 2011 Cost of Care Survey, which reports median rates.

***Medicare rates nursing homes in four categories using a five-star system. These are the nursing homes with five stars in the “Overall” category. The ratings were accessed on Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare site in November or December 2011 and are subject to change. The Medicare ratings system isn’t perfect, so use additional criteria to evaluate nursing homes as well.