Failure to Maintain a Safe and Sanitary Therapy Environment Due to Mold-Contaminated Vents
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide a safe, functional, sanitary, and comfortable environment in the primary therapy room, where black, spotty substance consistent with mold was observed on four air vents and the surrounding ceiling. During an observation, surveyors noted this substance in the primary therapy room, which was actively being used for resident therapy. The facility’s own mold report documented that the physical therapy room had visible mold growth around the vents on the ceiling and that ductwork testing showed heavy mold spore populations. The report also stated that employees working in that room had reported irritation to skin and other symptoms that may be caused by mold exposure. Two residents who regularly used the primary therapy room were observed receiving services directly underneath vents and ceiling areas with the black, spotty substance. One resident, a male with a history of spinal stenosis of the cervical region, weakness, unsteadiness on feet, gait abnormalities, and hemiplegia/hemiparesis following a cerebral infarction, had a BIMS score of 15 indicating normal cognition and received therapy services at least 15 minutes a day on one or more days in the last 7 days. He was observed using a SciFit machine directly under the affected vent and ceiling area and reported using the primary therapy room at least once a day, though he had not noticed the substance because he did not often look up. Another resident, a male with diagnoses including nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage, hemiplegia/hemiparesis affecting the right dominant side, muscle weakness, and unsteadiness on feet, had a BIMS score of 13 indicating normal cognition and also received therapy services at least 15 minutes a day on one or more days in the last 7 days. He was observed completing a puzzle at a table directly underneath a vent and ceiling area with the black substance and reported entering the primary therapy room daily, but stated he had never looked up to see it. Staff interviews and record review showed that facility leadership and therapy staff were aware of environmental issues in the primary therapy room but continued to allow resident use of the space. The Director of Rehab stated that someone had come to the facility months earlier, that they were instructed not to use the air conditioning or heat in that room, and that residents were to be brought to a separate therapy area when it was too hot or too cold. He reported that a wall unit was later installed to regulate temperature and believed it was safe because no air was going through the vents. The PT and PTA both reported being instructed around December not to use the main air system in the therapy room due to a water leak and inability to use the vented air system, and that a new window or wall unit had recently been installed; the PTA stated the vents had looked black, brown, and dusty since December and their appearance had not changed. The ADON was aware the air system was not working but unaware of further issues, while the DON acknowledged there had been talk of mold, that therapy had been moved to a separate area, and believed the vents were recently cleaned, though she was unsure if the substance was mold. The Administrator reported waiting on bids to repair the therapy area, planned to remove and replace the venting system, and knew the substance had been tested but could not provide who had deemed the room safe for resident use. The regional director of maintenance confirmed test results showing penicillin, aspergillus, and another fungus in the vents and ceiling and stated he would not want his family receiving therapy under those conditions. The facility’s own mold report recommended that the HVAC system not be operated until the ductwork was cleaned and remediated and described required containment and access restrictions for remediation, while the facility’s Homelike Environment policy required a clean, sanitary, and orderly environment. Despite this, the primary therapy room with visible mold growth on vents and ceiling remained in use for resident therapy. A review of facility records cross-referencing residents with pneumonia in the last six months and residents receiving therapy services showed no residents who had received therapy in the front therapy room had been diagnosed with pneumonia. Residents observed in the room did not have observable skin irritation or respiratory issues and denied experiencing such symptoms. However, the mold assessment report documented that the ductwork had heavy mold spore populations and that employees working in the room had reported irritation to skin and other symptoms that may be caused by mold exposure. The mold assessment consultant later stated that most typical mold spores in the area were low, with the air duct being the exception, and that the facility was obtaining quotes for remediation work. The facility’s continued use of the primary therapy room for resident services, despite visible mold growth on vents and ceilings, documented heavy mold spore populations in ductwork, and internal acknowledgment of suspected mold and the need for remediation, constituted the failure to maintain a safe, functional, sanitary, and comfortable environment as required by facility policy and regulatory standards.
Penalty
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Unsanitary bathroom conditions were observed in 7 rooms, with black and dark filmy growth on ceilings, walls, doors, and door frames, along with warm, musty, foul-smelling conditions. Follow-up checks showed the growth and odors remained, and prior work orders documented mold, ventilation, and A/C concerns without completion dates recorded.
Peeling Wallpaper Left Unrepaired in Resident Room: A resident with severe cognitive impairment and diagnoses including Alzheimer's dementia, CKD, HTN, and depression was observed in a room where wallpaper next to the bed was loose and peeling away from the wall. A NA said the damage had been present for months and the resident had been pulling at it, while an LPN said they were not aware of the issue. The maintenance director said the wallpaper needed repair, but no maintenance requests were found for the room.
A facility failed to keep 4 hallways clean and comfortable, with stained carpets, food debris, urine odor, and cluttered resident rooms observed. Residents reported rooms were not cleaned routinely, one said a spill was left sticky after being wiped but not mopped, and a grievance showed food spills remained for days before cleaning. Staff said housekeeping could not always complete daily room cleaning and that staffing was limited.
Failure to maintain the sewer line and sanitary environment resulted in raw sewage backing up through toilets and shower drains into resident rooms and hallways, with wastewater also leaking into an office area. Residents reported repeated clogs, the building water supply was shut off for hours, and staff confirmed corroded piping, flushed wipes, and that no medical or clinical assessments were completed after residents were exposed to sewage and fumes.
Pest activity and unsanitary conditions were observed in resident areas and near the garbage area. A resident reported a spider on her curtain and a fly in her room, another resident reported flies during meals, and a family member reported roaches, moldy walls, and chipped paint in a resident room. Staff also observed dead insects near the kitchen exit, leaking waste at the garbage compactor, uncovered dumpsters, and unused equipment stored outdoors on muddy ground.
Failure to maintain comfortable temperatures in common areas: surveyors found the dining rooms, hallway, lobby, and kitchen at or above 81 F, with the kitchen reaching 86 F while outdoor heat index conditions were very high. Staff reported the chiller had failed the prior year, the roof unit serving the kitchen and dining room had gone out the prior week, and portable AC units were being used in hallways and dining areas; a resident said bingo was too hot and humid and hard to breathe.
Unsanitary bathroom conditions with unresolved maintenance issues
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a safe, functional, sanitary, and comfortable environment in 7 of 60 rooms, specifically Rooms 341 through 347. During observation of the 300 Hall, the resident bathrooms for these rooms were seen with black and dark-colored filmy growth on multiple surfaces, including the ceilings, walls, doors, and door frames. The bathrooms were warm and had a musty, foul odor. Follow-up observations on multiple subsequent dates showed the black or dark growth remained present on the bathroom surfaces, and the bathrooms continued to be warm and musty with foul odors noted. Review of the Maintenance Repair/Housekeeping Logs and Work Orders/Repair Requests showed prior environmental concerns related to moisture, ventilation, water intrusion, and mold before the survey observations. One work order for a room noted mold in the bathroom after a resident complaint, another noted air filters needing replacement, windows needing cleaning, and mold on ceilings, and a maintenance log entry documented that the A/C and heat were not working in one of the affected rooms. The reviewed records did not contain documentation showing completion of the identified work, and the Maintenance Director acknowledged that the entries did not include a date of completion.
Peeling Wallpaper Left Unrepaired in Resident Room
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to keep a resident room in good working condition for a resident who was severely cognitively impaired and diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and depression. During observation, the resident was lying in bed with the bed positioned with its long side against the wall. Next to the bed, the wallpaper seam by the wall light was loose, and approximately 2 feet of wallpaper was peeling away from the wall, exposing a beige wall and some loose white matter where the wallpaper had been attached. During interviews, the maintenance director observed the room and stated the wallpaper needed to be repaired, and noted loose wallpaper may be a safety issue due to the possibility of lead paint in buildings, although they did not believe the facility had lead paint. A nursing assistant stated the wallpaper had been damaged for a few months and that the resident had been pulling at it and removing pieces. The assistant said staff normally notify the nurse when repairs are needed so a maintenance request can be entered. An LPN stated they had not been told about the damage and were not aware the resident was pulling on the wallpaper, and the interim DON and regional nursing consultant stated resident rooms should not have peeling wallpaper. Review of maintenance work orders from 1/1/26 through 8/5/26 showed no maintenance requests were placed for wallpaper repair in the resident's room.
Unclean hallways and inconsistent room cleaning
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a clean and comfortable environment in 4 of 4 hallways reviewed for physical environment, including hallways 100, 200, 300, and 400. Observation showed a large brown stain on the carpet near the nurses station on 100 hall, multiple large dark stains on the carpet on 200 hall, dark brown spots on the floor in rooms on 200 hall, dark stains with hardened substance on the carpet on the back side of 200 hall, dark stains in front of the nurses station between 200 and 300 halls, a large dark grayish spot in a doorway, a strong odor of urine at the end of 300 hall, and food particles under a table and in the sink of the dining area on 400 hall. The observation also noted multiple items on the floor in a resident room, including pillows, socks, bags, shoes, towels, books, cups, wheelchair legs, and the call light, as well as breakfast trays left on bedside tables in two rooms. Resident interviews and record review showed concerns about routine cleaning. One resident reported orange juice had been spilled on the floor and wiped with a paper towel but not mopped, leaving a sticky residue. Other residents said their rooms were not cleaned routinely, with one stating the room had been cleaned only once in two weeks and another saying the room was not cleaned on a routine basis. A resident council minute noted a request for more frequent sweeping, and a grievance documented food spills remaining on the floor for several days before the room was cleaned. Staff interviews confirmed housekeeping could not always complete daily room cleaning, that each housekeeper had about 19 to 20 rooms per shift, that only two housekeepers were working at the time, and that dining rooms should be swept and mopped after meals.
Failure to Maintain Sewer Line and Sanitary Conditions
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide housekeeping and maintenance services necessary for a safe, functional, sanitary, and comfortable environment when the main sewer plumbing line backed up and raw sewage containing urine and feces entered resident rooms and corridors. Surveyors observed that the flooding extended through the second-floor hallway, with wet bath towels and bedsheets used to soak up wastewater, and that the sewage also leaked through the first-floor ceiling into an administrative office. Stained ceiling tiles were later observed in a resident room, and a resident reported that a prior clogged toilet had caused the damage about six months earlier. Residents 2, 6, and 7 reported that sewage water backed up through toilets and shower drains, flooding the hallway and their rooms, and that the building water supply was shut off for several hours after the incident. Resident 6 also reported another clog the following week. Maintenance staff stated the main sewer drain backed up because of corroded cast-iron piping and flushed wipes, and confirmed that sewage entered resident rooms and that residents in wheelchairs traveled through the contaminated water. The Administrator confirmed the sewer line backed up due to pipe separation and flushed wipes, that staff tried to divert traffic and kept unaffected residents in their rooms, and that no medical or clinical assessments were conducted on residents after exposure to the sewage and fumes.
Pest activity and unsanitary conditions observed in resident areas
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment when bugs, flies, and spiders were observed in and near resident rooms. Resident 4, who was admitted with cellulitis of the lower limb and had a BIMS score of 15, stated she saw a spider on her curtain and a fly in her room. Housekeeping staff reported occasionally seeing dead fruit flies on the windowsill and sometimes finding spiders in resident rooms. Resident 5, who had a BIMS score of 14, stated she occasionally saw flies inside the room during lunch and dinner. Family Member 1 reported that upon arrival at the facility there were roaches in the hallway, moldy walls, and chipped paint inside the resident room. During observation, a deceased roach-like insect was seen near the exit door by the kitchen leading to the garbage area, with two similar dead insects outside the door. The garbage compactor area had liquid waste leaking toward the drain, and old manual lifts and other unused equipment were stored nearby on wet, muddy ground. Two dumpsters containing empty boxes were present without covers. Resident 6, who had a BIMS score of 14, stated flies were seen in the room during mealtimes and that she kept a fly swatter because she did not like seeing flies while eating; Resident 7 stated roaches ran around their room at night, and a fly and a spider were observed during the interview.
Failure to Maintain Safe Common-Area Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure an air conditioning system maintained comfortable temperatures below 81 degrees F in common areas, including the dining rooms, hallways, lobby, and kitchen. Facility temperature logs showed the dining room at 86 F on one date and 81 F on another. During surveyor observations, portable air conditioning units were seen venting into hallways, the dining room, the entrance lobby, and other areas, while staff reported that the built-in heating/air conditioning units were used for heat only and that window air conditioning units had been installed in resident rooms after the chiller went out last year. Surveyors measured common-area temperatures of 80 F to 87 F in the west dining room, front hallway, main dining room, and kitchen, with the kitchen reaching 86 F while outside temperatures were 87 F with a feels-like temperature of 107 F. The Administrator reported that the roof unit that cooled the kitchen and helped cool the dining room had gone out the prior week, that the chiller had gone out last year, and that quotes were being sought for mini split air conditioning units for common areas and hallways. A resident reported leaving bingo in the main dining room because it was too hot and humid and hard to breathe.
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