If you are researching the avera prince of peace retirement community, you are likely weighing a major life decision for yourself or a parent.
Here is a fact that surprises many families: Avera Prince of Peace sits on a continuing care campus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where residents can move from independent living to assisted living, memory care, and long-term nursing care without changing their address. That single-campus model is rare, and it removes one of the most stressful parts of aging.
The problem? Most families cannot tell which level of care they actually need, or how to compare pricing. This guide breaks down the levels of care, costs, contract types, and the questions you should ask before you sign anything.
What Makes This Continuing Care Campus Different
The avera prince of peace retirement community is defined by its continuum of care on one campus. According to the South Dakota Department of Health, licensed assisted living and nursing facilities must meet distinct regulatory standards, and a campus that holds multiple licenses lets you verify each level separately.
That matters because moving between levels is the single biggest disruption in senior living. When a resident's needs increase, families often scramble to find a new facility, new doctors, and a new routine.
Here, the transition happens internally. You keep your physician relationships, your social circle, and your familiarity with staff.
Avera Prince of Peace is part of the Avera Health system, a regional nonprofit health network. Being tied to a health system means on-site therapy services and coordinated medical records are more likely than at a standalone facility.
- Independent living for active seniors who want fewer home maintenance chores
- Assisted living for help with medication, bathing, and daily tasks
- Memory care for dementia and Alzheimer's diagnoses
- Long-term care for skilled nursing needs
How to apply this: Call and ask which licenses the avera prince of peace retirement community holds and request the most recent state inspection report for each level you are considering.
How to Compare Costs Without Getting Surprised
Cost is where most families lose control of the process. Senior living pricing is rarely a single number, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns that senior living contracts can include entrance fees, monthly fees, and add-on charges that are not always obvious upfront.
Ask for a written fee schedule that separates the base rate from every add-on. Common add-ons include medication management, incontinence care, transportation, and guest meals.
Then ask a harder question: what triggers a rate increase, and how much notice do you get? Nonprofit providers like the avera prince of peace retirement community typically publish an annual increase, but the percentage varies by year and by level of care.
Do not compare only the monthly headline number. Compare total annual cost including care add-ons, because a lower base rate with high add-ons can cost more overall.
| Cost factor | What it tells you | Action to take |
|---|---|---|
| Base monthly rate | Covers rent, meals, basic services | Confirm exactly what is included |
| Care level add-on | Medication, bathing, mobility help | Get the tier thresholds in writing |
| Entrance or community fee | One-time charge at move-in | Ask whether it is refundable |
| Annual increase policy | Future affordability | Request the past 3 years of increases |
| Therapy and nursing | Skilled care billing | Confirm Medicare and insurance handling |
The avera prince of peace retirement community pricing structure follows this pattern, so treat the fee schedule as a negotiation document, not a brochure.
How to apply this: Build a spreadsheet with base rate, care add-ons, and a 5% annual increase assumption, then compare that total against two competitors.
Understanding the Contract Before You Sign
A residency contract is a legal document, and the details determine your financial exposure. The South Dakota Attorney General publishes consumer protection guidance on contracts, and the core advice applies here: never sign on the day you tour.
Ask specifically whether the contract is a rental agreement or a life-care contract. Rental agreements are month-to-month with a notice period. Life-care contracts involve a larger upfront payment in exchange for guaranteed care.
Then check the exit terms. What happens if you run out of money after three years? What happens if you want to move to be closer to family? Nonprofit communities often have charitable funds, but eligibility rules vary.
Also confirm the refund policy on any entrance fee. Some contracts refund a declining percentage over time; others refund nothing.
- Get the contract at least a week before signing
- Have an elder law attorney review it
- Ask for the resident handbook, not just the contract
- Confirm who holds the security deposit
How to apply this: Request the full contract and resident handbook in writing from the avera prince of peace retirement community, then book a one-hour review with an elder law attorney before your second visit.
Evaluating Care Quality and Staffing
Care quality comes down to staffing ratios and staff retention. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services publishes star ratings for nursing homes based on staffing, health inspections, and quality measures, and it is the fastest way to benchmark any skilled nursing component.
Pull the Care Compare report for the nursing level and look at the staffing star rating first. A high inspection score with low staffing is a warning sign.
Then ask about staff turnover during your tour. Long-tenured caregivers know residents' routines, and that continuity reduces falls and medication errors.
Ask how the community handles a resident whose needs escalate at 2 a.m. The answer reveals whether night staffing is adequate.
The avera prince of peace retirement community operates within a health system, so ask whether hospital transfers go to an affiliated facility and how records follow the resident.
How to apply this: Look up the nursing home star rating on Medicare Care Compare, then ask the admissions director to explain any rating below four stars.
Questions to Ask on the Tour
A tour is a sales presentation, so arrive with specific questions. Industry surveys consistently show that families rank staff attitude and cleanliness above amenities, yet tours emphasize amenities.
Ask to see a sample menu for a full week, not just the day's special. Ask what happens when a resident refuses care or becomes combative.
Visit at an off-peak time, such as a weekday evening or a weekend morning. Staffing looks different then, and so does the atmosphere.
Talk to residents without a staff member present if you can. Their answers about food, activities, and response times are the most honest data you will get.
- Ask how many staff are on duty overnight
- Ask the average tenure of caregivers
- Ask how family is notified of a fall or hospital visit
- Ask what the waitlist looks like for each level
How to apply this: Schedule a second, unannounced visit in the evening at the avera prince of peace retirement community and ask three residents the same question about staff response time.
Comparing Alternatives in the Sioux Falls Area
This campus is not your only option, and comparison protects you. Sioux Falls has a competitive senior living market with for-profit and nonprofit providers offering independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing.
Nonprofit communities like the avera prince of peace retirement community typically reinvest surplus into staffing and facilities rather than distributing it to shareholders. That is a genuine structural advantage, but it does not automatically mean better care.
For-profit communities sometimes offer newer buildings and more amenities at a similar price. If amenities matter to you, tour both.
Also consider the health system affiliation. Being inside the Avera network may simplify specialist referrals, but it can also mean less choice in physicians.
Use a simple scoring sheet: care rating, cost, contract terms, location, and staff tenure. Weight care and contract terms highest.
How to apply this: Tour at least two competitors in the same week so your impressions stay fresh, and score each on the same five criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions About avera prince of peace retirement community
What levels of care does the campus actually offer?
It offers a full continuum, from independent living through assisted living, memory care, and long-term skilled nursing. The practical benefit is that a resident can stay on campus as needs change. Confirm current availability at each level, because waitlists differ.
Ask whether memory care has a separate entrance and its own staffing model, since that affects both safety and cost at the avera prince of peace retirement community.
Does Medicare or Medicaid pay for any of the cost?
Medicare covers short-term skilled nursing and therapy after a qualifying hospital stay, but it does not pay for assisted living rent. Medicaid may cover long-term nursing care for eligible residents, subject to bed availability. Ask the business office which payer sources each level accepts before you assume a payment path at the avera prince of peace retirement community.
Can my parent keep their own doctor?
Often yes, but it depends on the level of care and transportation availability. Independent living residents usually keep outside physicians, while skilled nursing may rely on the community's medical director. Ask whether transportation to outside appointments is included or billed separately.
Clarify this early, because switching doctors late in the process is disruptive at the avera prince of peace retirement community.
What happens if a resident's money runs out?
Nonprofit communities frequently maintain charitable care funds, but eligibility rules and application timing vary. Ask directly whether a resident who outlives their assets can remain, and get the answer in writing. Do not rely on a verbal assurance from a sales counselor.
This is the single most important financial question to resolve before signing at the avera prince of peace retirement community.
Is there a waitlist, and how long is it?
Waitlists vary by level of care and change monthly, so a quoted timeline is only an estimate. Independent living may have immediate openings while memory care could take months. Ask to be placed on the list for your target level now, even if you are not ready to move.
Confirm whether a deposit is required to hold a spot at the avera prince of peace retirement community.
Conclusion
Choosing a senior living community is a research project, not a single visit. The key takeaways:
- Verify each level of care license and pull the Medicare Care Compare rating for skilled nursing
- Get a written fee schedule and model a realistic annual increase
- Have an elder law attorney review the contract before signing
- Tour at least two competitors and visit off-peak
Start this week by requesting the fee schedule and contract in writing, then book a second visit in the evening. Treat the avera prince of peace retirement community as one strong option among several, and let the documents, not the tour, make your decision.
