F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
E

Unsafe and Unsanitary Facility Conditions

Autumn Lake Healthcare Post-acute Care CenterBaltimore, Maryland Survey Completed on 11-24-2025

Summary

The facility failed to ensure a safe, functional, sanitary, and comfortable environment for residents, staff, and the public. Complaint intakes alleged the facility was outdated, smelled foul, and was dirty, and a family member stated the facility was dirty and nasty and needed to do better with cleaning and caring for residents. Survey observations found the facility was not well-lit, hallway walls, baseboards, and railings were dirty with old stains and spots, and some hallway areas smelled of urine. The surveyor also observed that some resident rooms did not have chairs for visitors, and the wall behind Resident #11's bed was stained with a substance that appeared to have been there for some time. Additional observations noted dirty marks around the whiteboard at the nurse's station and heavy scratches on resident room doors. The facility also failed to provide enough clean linen to all residents and failed to maintain certain environmental areas and fixtures. Staff stated there were not enough blankets for all residents and that more were being ordered, and after clean linen was distributed, only 2 blankets were observed on the clean linen cart in the laundry room. Surveyors observed rust-like stained linoleum, mismatched flooring pieces, and missing linoleum near the third-floor clinical unit nursing station, as well as peeling paint on hallway hand railings between rooms. In the clean utility room, surveyors observed a red biohazard bag inside a cardboard box on the floor, dirty linen uncovered with personal resident clothing items, no paper towels in the towel container near the sink, oxygen tanks in holders on the wall, and an old call bell and cord lying on the floor. The housekeeping director stated there was no schedule for stripping and waxing the linoleum floors and that monthly deep cleaning of resident rooms was performed without documentation provided to support it.

Penalty

No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Resources

Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:

See other F0921 citations
Unsanitary Hair Salon and Open Kitchen Drain
D
F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Short Summary

An open floor drain near the dish machine was observed without a grate, and the FSM confirmed it had no grate and was unsure how long it had been open. In the Hair Salon, the sink drain filter had a glob of hair, and 3 brushes plus a box of hair curlers had hair on them; the AD and HS both confirmed the unsanitary conditions, and the HS stated she might have forgotten to clean the salon after the beautician visit.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Dirty resident room and unclean memory care dining room
E
F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Short Summary

A resident room was observed in disrepair with unpainted wall areas, black marks, discoloration, ceiling staining, and scuffed, missing paint on the door frame, and the same conditions remained on follow-up. The memory care dining room floor also had food crumbs and debris under multiple tables; an LPN said it appeared not to have been cleaned after the prior night's meal, and the administrator confirmed the food was still present.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Leaking and Loose Faucets in Facility Sinks
F
F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Short Summary

Leaking and Loose Faucets in Facility Sinks: During a facility tour, a beauty shop style sink was observed leaking where the faucet connected to the sink, and maintenance staff stated they were not aware it needed repair. A sink in the soiled linens room on D/F Hall was also observed with a loose swivel faucet that leaked when turned on, and maintenance staff confirmed the observation.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Sharps Containers Left Full and Unusable
D
F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Short Summary

Sharps containers on a locked dementia unit were observed full to the point that they could not be opened, including one in a shower room with three uncapped used disposable razors sitting on top of it and another on a medication cart. The DON and an LPN confirmed the containers were unusable, and the LPN noted two residents on the unit required routine blood glucose monitoring with lancets that would need disposal in a sharps container.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Resident Room Walls Found Moist, Stained, and Damaged
D
F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Short Summary

Resident room walls were observed with moisture, black/gray staining resembling mildew or mold-like substance, bubbling paint, cracks, gouges, and dirty vents in multiple rooms, including B-2, B-4, B-6, B-8, B-10, and B-12. The Tel's record review showed no reports about the wall conditions for the past 6 months, and the ADM stated the moisture had been present for a while and had not previously been brought to the ADM and Maintenance Director's attention.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Broken Bedside Table Within Resident Reach
D
F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Short Summary

A resident with moderate cognitive impairment and anticoagulant use had a bedside table within reach that was observed to be broken, with an unfinished edge, exposed particle board, splinters, and wood chips on the tabletop. A CNA confirmed the table was in poor repair and accessible to the resident.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
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