Above average — CMS composite of the measures below.
The next survey window likely opens around October 2026
Estimate from public CMS data, current as of July 2026. Survey timing is at the state agency's discretion.
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Hickory Creek At Winamac during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
Unsanitary food handling and improper hot holding were observed in the kitchen. A cook stored clean plates upright and uncovered near the stove, reached into a thickener container with an ungloved hand, touched wet blender parts to his clothing, and handled the inside of a blender blade with an ungloved hand while preparing pureed foods for two residents. On tray line, meatballs and pureed rice were below the required hot holding temp, and the cook stated he was unaware of the correct holding temps.
ADL Care Plan Did Not Include Resting Hand Splint Use. A resident with hemiplegia and hemiparesis following a CVA, along with DM, HTN, CKD, anemia, and atrial fibrillation, had a physician order to wear a resting hand splint to the left hand at bedtime. The resident was observed with an edema glove on the left hand and a hand splint at the bedside, but the ADL care plan listed assistance with multiple ADLs and did not include the splint. The DON stated the hand splint should have been included on the care plan.
Failure to provide twice weekly one-to-one activities for a cognitively impaired, dependent resident. A resident with cerebral palsy, moderate ID, legal blindness, and hearing loss was severely cognitively impaired and dependent for all ADLs. The care plan called for passive participation in group activities and one-to-one activities twice weekly, but charting showed limited activity documentation. The AD stated CNAs helped with one-to-one activities but had not completed the documentation, and CNAs said the resident preferred to stay in bed and that they provided button sorting and passive ROM.
Failure to provide timely treatment for itching skin: A resident with hemiplegia, dementia, and convulsions was observed rubbing her forearm and reporting a rash and itching that had been ongoing for weeks. Although an order existed for hydrocortisone lotion PRN, the MAR showed it had not been used in October or November, and the DON was unaware of the concern when the rash was observed. CNAs reported the resident had complained of itching for about a week and that they had notified three different nurses.
Pureed food was not prepared according to the facility’s written guidelines for two residents on a pureed diet. A cook was observed making pureed meatballs, broccoli, and rice using unmeasured water and thickener amounts based on his own judgment, rather than measured amounts directed by the Pureed Food Preparation Guidelines. The ED was informed of the concern during the survey.
The facility did not provide 8 hours of consecutive RN coverage for 9 out of 20 days, potentially affecting all 27 residents. The Administrator confirmed the absence of scheduled RNs on specific dates.
The facility failed to maintain a sanitary kitchen, with expired and improperly stored food items observed. Additionally, a staff member did not sanitize a food thermometer probe between uses, contrary to facility policy. These deficiencies were noted during a kitchen tour and interviews with staff.
The facility failed to prepare pureed food to meet the needs of two residents on a pureed diet. A cook was observed preparing pureed hot dogs without measuring ingredients, resulting in a mixture with visible chunks. The cook admitted to not having puree recipes, and the facility's consistency chart lacked guidance on liquid use. The Dietary Manager acknowledged the oversight, and the deficiency had the potential to affect residents requiring pureed diets.
A facility failed to maintain infection control standards during medication administration. Two QMAs were observed handling tamulosin capsules with bare hands, contrary to the facility's protocol requiring gloves. The Assistant Director of Nursing confirmed the expectation for staff to wear gloves, and the facility's competency checklist emphasized avoiding contamination during medication handling.
Unsanitary food handling and improper hot holding in kitchen
Penalty
Summary
Food was not served under sanitary conditions in the main kitchen. During the initial kitchen tour, plates were observed stored upright and uncovered next to the stove top. The Dietary Manager stated the plates were not stored inverted because the heating element would not work correctly if they were, and that the plates were stored upright so the heating element worked. The staff should keep the plates covered when stored, but the observation showed they were not covered. During meal preparation, a cook pureed meatballs, rice, and broccoli for lunch and handled blender parts and food in ways that were not sanitary. He reached into a thickener container with an ungloved hand to scoop thickener into the blender, returned the scoop to the container, and later again reached into the container with an ungloved hand to obtain thickener. After the blender and its parts were washed and sanitized, they were still dripping wet and were not allowed to air dry; the cook touched the blender parts to his clothing. He also touched the inside of the blender blade with an ungloved hand before placing it back into the blender. At tray line, holding temperatures were checked and meatballs were 127 degrees Fahrenheit and pureed rice was 120 degrees Fahrenheit, while the cook stated he was unaware of the required holding temperatures.
ADL Care Plan Did Not Include Resting Hand Splint Use
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure an ADL care plan was updated to include the use of a hand splint for one resident reviewed for range of motion. The resident was observed lying in bed with an edema glove on the left hand and a hand splint on the bed, and he stated he wore the hand splint at night only. The resident’s record showed diagnoses including hemiplegia and hemiparesis following a cerebral infarction affecting the left side, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. The admission MDS indicated the resident was cognitively intact and had left-sided hemiparesis and hemiplegia. A physician’s order directed the resident to wear a resting hand splint to the left hand at bedtime. The ADL care plan addressed assistance with bed mobility, transfers, eating, toileting, bathing, and other ADLs related to the resident’s conditions, but it did not indicate the resident used a resting hand splint. The DON stated the hand splint should have been included on the care plan.
Failure to Provide Twice Weekly One-to-One Activities
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure twice weekly one-to-one activities were implemented for a cognitively impaired and dependent resident. Resident 11 had diagnoses including cerebral palsy, moderate intellectual disabilities, legal blindness, and hearing loss. The Quarterly MDS dated 10/15/25 indicated the resident was severely cognitively impaired for daily decision making and was dependent on staff for all activities of daily living, including bed mobility, transfers, personal hygiene, and bathing. The care plan dated 3/24/22 stated the resident enjoyed puzzles, sorting buttons, exercise, and ice cream socials, and that she liked to sit in during group activities even if she could not participate. The care plan also included a goal for passive participation in group activities while awake and for one-to-one activities twice weekly for 15 minutes each. Observation showed the resident lying in bed awake on multiple occasions, and during the review period the Activities Charting Report documented only several group or individual activity entries, with no other activities documented. The Activity Director stated the resident liked sorting buttons and that CNAs helped with one-to-one activities but had not completed the documentation. CNAs stated the resident preferred to stay in bed lately and that they had provided button sorting and passive range of motion exercises.
Failure to Provide Timely Treatment for Itching Skin
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure timely treatment for a resident’s itching skin. Resident 8, who had diagnoses including hemiplegia and hemiparesis following cerebral infarction, unspecified dementia, and unspecified convulsions, was assessed as having moderate cognitive impairment and being dependent for transfers and toileting. A physician’s order dated 4/14/25 directed hydrocortisone lotion 1% to be applied in a thin layer twice daily as needed for skin conditions including itching, but the October and November 2025 MAR showed the medication had not been used, with the last documented use occurring in July for itching skin. During observation on 11/17/25 and again on 11/19/25, the resident was seen rubbing her left arm against her body and stated that her arm was itching and that she had a rash. She reported the itching had been ongoing for several weeks and that no treatment was being applied. On 11/19/25, the DON observed a pink, slightly raised rash on the resident’s forearm and the resident stated she had told a nurse about it, though she could not identify which nurse. The DON stated she had not been made aware of the concern and that the rash had not been identified during a shower the previous day. CNA 1 and CNA 2 later stated the resident had been complaining of itching to her forearm for about a week and that they had applied barrier cream or lotion and notified three different nurses.
Pureed Food Preparation Did Not Follow Written Guidelines
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure food was prepared in a form designed to meet individual needs by not making pureed food using the Pureed Food Preparation Guidelines to preserve nutritional value. The deficiency involved the two residents who received a pureed diet. On 11/20/25 at 11:29 a.m., a cook was observed preparing pureed foods and used methods that did not follow the written guidelines, including adding unmeasured water to pureed broccoli and using thickener in amounts based on his own judgment rather than measured amounts. He stated he had been doing it this way for a while and knew how much liquid and thickener to use. The cook also prepared pureed rice by adding scoops of rice, thickener, and an undetermined amount of water from a pitcher, then blending and testing the mixture. When more pureed rice was needed, he again added rice, thickener, and an undetermined amount of water before blending. The Pureed Food Preparation Guidelines on the wall directed staff to add fluid in measured amounts, continue blending gradually, and use recommended fluids such as residual cooking water or broth for cooked vegetables. During an interview later that day, the ED was informed of the concerns and stated she would follow up with the cook.
Failure to Ensure 8-Hour RN Coverage
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure there was 8 hours of consecutive Registered Nurse (RN) coverage for 9 out of 20 days reviewed. This deficiency had the potential to affect all 27 residents in the facility. The review of the Nursing Staff Schedules from 8/18/24 through 9/6/24 revealed that there was no RN scheduled for the dates 8/18/24, 8/20/24, 8/21/24, 8/22/24, 8/23/24, 8/27/24, 8/31/24, 9/1/24, and 9/6/24. During an interview, the Administrator confirmed the lack of 8-hour RN coverage on these dates.
Sanitation and Food Safety Deficiencies in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a sanitary kitchen environment, as evidenced by the presence of expired and improperly stored food items. During a kitchen tour, it was observed that the refrigerator contained three bags of lettuce and a bag of chicken with expired use-by dates, as well as a bag of scrambled eggs that was open to air. Additionally, the freezer contained a bag of unknown meat without any labeling to indicate its contents or freezing date. The staff member present during the tour acknowledged that these items should have been labeled or discarded when expired, as per the facility's labeling and dating policy. Furthermore, the facility did not ensure proper sanitation practices when using a food thermometer. An employee was observed checking the temperatures of various food items without sanitizing the thermometer probe between uses. Although the employee initially sanitized the probe before checking the first item, subsequent checks were conducted without proper sanitation. The Dietary Manager confirmed that the thermometer should have been sanitized between each use, as outlined in the facility's policy on the proper use of a food thermometer.
Failure to Ensure Proper Consistency of Pureed Food
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that pureed food was prepared to meet the individual needs of residents requiring a pureed diet. During an observation, a cook was seen preparing pureed hot dogs with meat sauce. The cook did not measure the amount of meat sauce or water added to the blender and initially failed to achieve a smooth consistency, as chunks of hot dog were still visible in the mixture. Despite stirring and blending the mixture multiple times, the cook only achieved the correct consistency after several attempts. The cook admitted to not having any puree recipes to follow, and the facility's food and liquid consistency chart did not provide guidance on the amount or type of liquid to use. The Dietary Manager confirmed that the cook should have ensured the puree was smooth and free of chunks before considering it complete. The facility lacked specific puree recipes, and the dietician had advised that the type of liquid used was not important as long as the proper consistency was achieved. The deficiency had the potential to affect two residents who were on a pureed diet, as the facility did not have adequate procedures in place to ensure the correct preparation of pureed foods.
Infection Control Breach During Medication Administration
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain proper infection control practices during medication administration for one of the twelve residents observed. On two separate occasions, Qualified Medication Aides (QMAs) were observed handling medication capsules with their bare hands. On the first occasion, QMA 1 was seen popping a tamulosin capsule from the medication card into her hand, opening it, and pouring the contents into a cup without wearing gloves. During an interview, QMA 1 admitted to normally opening capsules with her hands without using gloves. On the second occasion, QMA 2 was observed performing the same action with a tamulosin capsule, although she stated in an interview that she usually wore gloves when opening medication capsules. The Assistant Director of Nursing confirmed that staff are expected to wear gloves and avoid touching pills with their hands. The facility's Skills Competency checklist for Medication Administration also indicated that medications should be opened without contamination. These observations and interviews highlight a failure in adhering to the facility's infection control protocols during medication administration.
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Resident with a documented fall history left unattended on the patio; found on the ground with a hip fracture.
Walk-in cooler logs missing for 12 days; expired supplements in the medication room fridge.
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Nursing homes near Winamac
How nearby facilities compare on the same public inspection record.
| Facility | Distance | Overall rating | Citations, 12 mo | Serious (J–L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski Health Care Center | 0 mi | ★★★★★ | 24 | 0 |
| Miller's Merry Manor | 14.8 mi | ★★★★★ | 15 | 0 |
| Parkview Haven | 15.1 mi | ★★★★★ | 0 | 0 |
| Brickyard Healthcare - Knox Care Center | 15.9 mi | ★★★★★ | 0 | 0 |
| Life Care Center Of Rochester | 19.7 mi | ★★★★★ | 18 | 0 |
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Trusted data, never guesswork. Every citation, penalty, rating and Plan of Correction on this page is sourced from public CMS records (latest release July 2026) and official state health department websites.