F0925

E

Failure to Maintain Pest-Free Conditions in Resident and Main Shower Rooms

Amsterdam, New York Survey Completed on 03-27-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

Surveyors identified that the facility failed to maintain a pest-free environment and an effective pest control program in multiple shower areas, including two private resident shower rooms and two main shower rooms. During observations on 3/17/2026, dead and live insects, including ants and water bugs, were found in the private shower room of one resident room, and dead ants were found on the floor of another resident room’s private shower. Additional observations the same day revealed little black ants crawling on the floors of the Unit A and Unit C main shower rooms located across from specified resident rooms. These findings showed the presence of pests in resident shower areas that should have been maintained free of infestation.

Interviews with staff revealed gaps in cleaning and maintenance practices related to these shower rooms. Housekeeping staff reported that private showers were cleaned every other day and that they notified maintenance when pests were seen, but one housekeeping aide stated they had been employed for about three months and only learned of one private shower a week prior, and had not cleaned it because it was not used. The Director of Maintenance stated that ants had been an ongoing problem attributed to residents dropping food, and that a pest control vendor provided monthly treatments, including a visit on the morning of 3/17/2025. The Director of Maintenance also stated that water in the two private showers was run weekly, while a maintenance staff member reported that they ran water in those showers monthly and that the last time water was run was about a month and a half earlier. Maintenance staff also indicated they relied on the Director of Maintenance to contact the pest control vendor when pests were observed, as they were not permitted to use spraying chemicals themselves.