News

Bluestem Communities among best nationally in long-term care

NORTH NEWTON, Kan. – Two of Bluestem Communities’ long-term care campuses – Kidron Bethel Village in North Newton and Schowalter Villa in Hesston – have been recognized as a Best Nursing Home for Long-Term Care for 2026 by U.S. News & World Report. Both earned the “High Performing” rating, the highest possible achievement.

The annual Best Nursing Homes rating, now in their 15th year, assist prospective residents and their families in making informed decisions in consultation with their medical professionals about where to receive short-term or long-term care. Only 19 percent of U.S. skilled nursing communities rated by U.S. News earned the “Best Nursing Home” designation this year.

“The teams at Kidron Bethel Village, under the leadership of Executive Director Jennifer Traglia, and at Schowalter Villa, led by Executive Director Jeff Ritcha, exemplify exceptional care and compassion for every resident,” said James Krehbiel, Bluestem Communities President and CEO. “At Bluestem Communities, our staff truly understand what it means to make a positive difference in the lives of those we serve – and these honors are a testament to that commitment.”

For the 2026 rankings, U.S. News rated almost 15,000 nursing homes on staffing, patients’ health outcomes and results of government-conducted health and safety outcomes. To calculate the Best Nursing Homes ratings, U.S. News evaluated each organization’s performance using a variety of data obtained from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), scientific literature review, discussions with industry experts and statistical modeling.

Kidron Bethel Village and Schowalter Villa are both part of Bluestem Communities, a non-profit organization of life plan communities offering several living and care options for seniors, including independent living, assisted living, health care and PACE (Programs for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) in south central Kansas.