Average — CMS composite of the measures below.
A standard survey is most likely before around September 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 Salem Center during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
Surveyors identified multiple infection control failures, including a resident's suction machine left uncleaned and uncovered, wheelchairs and a geri-chair with torn arm pads exposing inner padding, inoperable laundry room ventilation, soiled linen and trash left in shower rooms, and improper use of the facility van to transport soiled linen without disinfection. The facility also lacked proper infection surveillance and water management protocols, with no documentation of flushing or maintenance of fixtures in unoccupied rooms.
Multiple deficiencies were observed, including broken and missing fixtures, unfinished drywall, stains, and damaged furniture in several resident rooms. In the kitchen, the exhaust fan and air conditioning were not working, causing excessive heat, and several pieces of equipment were broken or nonfunctional. The shower rooms had non-operational ventilation, musty odors, and visible black and brown substances on surfaces and equipment. Staff confirmed the ongoing nature of these issues.
Kitchen staff lacked training on the use of the fire compression system, as observed when they were unable to identify how to manually activate the fire hood during a survey. The maintenance department had to demonstrate the activation process, revealing that staff were previously unaware of the correct procedure.
Surveyors identified multiple deficiencies in food storage and handling, including open and unlabeled food items, expired products, improper storage of staff personal drinks, unclean kitchen areas, and inadequate hair/beard covering by kitchen staff. Additionally, kitchen and nourishment room temperatures were found to be above recommended levels, and food items were left uncovered and unlabeled, all in violation of professional standards and facility policy.
Resident wheelchairs were observed lined up on both sides of a hallway, blocking a direct walking path. The facility administrator confirmed the insufficient space and lack of a clear passage during staff interview.
The facility failed to maintain operational venting systems in both laundry and shower rooms, resulting in unsanitary and uncomfortable conditions. Staff confirmed that the venting systems had been non-functional for over a month, leading to high humidity, musty odors, and the potential for microorganism transfer between dirty and clean areas.
The facility did not maintain operational ventilation systems in the shower rooms and dirty laundry room, resulting in humid, musty conditions and visible substances on shower surfaces and chairs. Staff confirmed the ventilation had been non-functional for over a month, and the lack of negative pressure in the laundry area potentially allowed microorganism transfer between rooms.
Multiple residents reported that meals were bland, cold, and not served according to individual preferences, with food lacking seasoning and visual appeal. Care plans did not document dietary preferences or interventions for meal satisfaction, and the kitchen environment was unsanitary with broken equipment. Despite complaints, requested test trays for surveyors were not delivered, and staff failed to communicate or follow up on these requests.
A resident left the facility for a procedure and did not return, but the required transfer or discharge notice was not completed. The DON and Administrator confirmed that no documentation was provided, as staff did not think it was needed in this case.
Surveyors found that garbage and refuse were not properly disposed of, with overflowing trash cans and boxes on the kitchen floor, expired food containers left on counters, and multiple issues in the dumpster area including blocked drainage pipes and scattered trash and gloves. Staff confirmed the trash overflow and acknowledged the problems in the dumpster area.
Multiple Infection Control Failures in Facility Equipment, Laundry, and Water Management
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain infection control standards in multiple areas, as evidenced by direct observations and staff interviews. One incident involved a resident's suctioning machine, which was found with a half-full canister of a clear/yellow thick substance and an uncovered cord exposed to the environment. The responsible RN confirmed the machine had not been cleaned or covered after use and had not noticed its condition prior to the observation. Additionally, several resident-assigned wheelchairs and a geri-chair in a hallway were observed with cracks and tears in the arm pads, exposing the inner padding. The facility's Infection Preventionist acknowledged these as infection control issues. The laundry room's ventilation system, designed to maintain negative pressure and prevent cross-contamination between dirty and clean laundry areas, was found to be inoperable for over a month. The air conditioning unit in the clean laundry room was also not functioning. Housekeeping staff and the Regional Director of Maintenance confirmed the ongoing issues with the ventilation system. Furthermore, soiled linen and trash were not removed from shower rooms between uses, and the shower rooms were noted to be humid, musty, and had visible black substance on the walls, which was confirmed by maintenance staff during inspection. The facility also failed to implement proper infection control protocols when using the facility's transport van to carry soiled linen to an offsite laundromat. The van was used to transport soiled linen and then residents, without any arrangements for cleaning or disinfecting the van between uses. The Infection Preventionist was unaware of this practice. Additionally, the facility did not maintain adequate infection surveillance or implement water management protocols, such as flushing and draining dead legs or fixtures in unoccupied rooms. Maintenance and administrative staff confirmed the absence of logs or documentation for these activities, and unoccupied rooms were not properly maintained during periods of vacancy.
Environmental Deficiencies in Resident Rooms, Kitchen, and Shower Rooms
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple deficiencies in the facility's environment, including resident rooms, the kitchen, and shower rooms. In several resident rooms, there were broken or missing toilet seats and tank lids, chipped and unfinished drywall, scuff marks, peeling paint, brownish stains on floors, loose bed foot rails, broken bedside table drawers, and black spots or stains on walls and toilets. These issues were confirmed by the facility administrator during a walkthrough, who acknowledged the presence of these environmental deficiencies. In the kitchen, the exhaust fan above the stove was not working, the air conditioning was inoperable resulting in temperatures exceeding 91 degrees, and staff were observed perspiring heavily during meal preparation. Additional issues included a broken convection oven, a non-functional upright freezer, a broken sink drain lever, a spill left on the floor, and a broken trash receptacle foot pedal at the handwashing station, which prevented staff from lifting the lid without contamination. The kitchen account manager confirmed the duration of these problems and the lack of timely repairs. In the shower rooms, the ventilation system was not operational, resulting in humidity and a musty odor, with black substances on the shower stall walls and brown substances on shower chairs. Staff interviews confirmed the venting system had been nonfunctional for over a month.
Failure to Train Kitchen Staff on Fire Compression System Use
Penalty
Summary
Kitchen staff were not provided with education or training on how to use the fire compression system in the facility's kitchen. During an observation, it was noted that there was no manual pull chain for the fire system, and when questioned, kitchen staff were unaware of how to manually activate the fire hood to extinguish a fire. The maintenance department later demonstrated to both staff and surveyors the button used to activate the fire hood, confirming that kitchen staff did not previously know how to operate the fire compression system.
Improper Food Storage and Handling Practices
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple failures in food storage and handling practices within the facility's kitchen and nourishment pantries. In the kitchen pantry, spices and a corn muffin mix box were left open and exposed, and a box of elbow noodles was stored without an opening or expiration date. Additionally, expired spaghetti was found in the pantry. In the cooler, staff personal drinks were stored alongside facility food items. The kitchen area was found to have food spills on the floor that were not cleaned, and a metal basin pan was left on the floor near the stove. Utensil drawers contained dried food spots and utensils were not stored in a uniform manner. The chef was observed with hair and beard not fully covered, wearing only a hat with hair exposed at the neck. The kitchen temperature was recorded at 91 degrees due to a broken air conditioner, and the cooler temperature was elevated at 51 degrees, which was acknowledged by both the Kitchen Account Manager and the facility administrator. In the nourishment pantries, the refrigerator in Nutrition Room One was consistently above the recommended temperature, with logs showing temperatures of 42-44 degrees over several days. A bowl of oatmeal was left uncovered and unlabeled on the counter, and staff reported that the room became excessively hot when the ice machine was running, affecting the refrigerator's ability to maintain safe temperatures. In another nutrition room, a tray of medicine pudding cups was found in the refrigerator without labels or dates, which was confirmed by the Nurse Infection Preventionist as having come from food service in that condition. These findings indicate a pattern of non-compliance with professional standards for food storage and handling, as well as facility policy requirements.
Obstructed Hallway Due to Wheelchair Placement
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to provide sufficient hallway space and equipment, as evidenced by resident wheelchairs lined up on both sides of the Hill Top Front Hallway, obstructing a direct walking path. This was observed during a random opportunity for discovery, with the hallway arrangement leaving no clear passage for those walking through. The facility administrator acknowledged the lack of adequate space and direct path during a staff interview. No specific details about individual residents' medical history or conditions at the time of the deficiency were provided in the report.
Non-Operational Ventilation in Laundry and Shower Rooms
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a safe, functional, sanitary, and comfortable environment in both the laundry and shower rooms. During an inspection, it was observed that the venting system responsible for maintaining negative pressure in the dirty laundry room was not operational, and the air conditioning unit in the clean laundry room was also non-functional. Housekeeping staff confirmed that the venting system had been out of service for over a month, and the Regional Director of Maintenance acknowledged the issue. The lack of negative pressure in the dirty laundry room could allow microorganisms to transfer into the clean laundry room when the connecting door is opened. In the shower rooms, the venting system was also found to be non-operational, resulting in high humidity and a musty odor. The Regional Maintenance Director confirmed the conditions and stated that repairs were underway. A nursing assistant reported that the venting system in the shower rooms had not been working for over a month. The Administrator and Director of Nursing were notified of the issues with the shower rooms.
Inadequate Ventilation in Shower and Laundry Rooms
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure adequate ventilation in both the shower rooms and the dirty laundry room. During an inspection, it was observed that the venting systems in the two shower rooms were not operational, resulting in humid conditions and a musty odor. The shower stall walls had a black substance present, and several shower chairs had a brown substance on the underside of the seats and on the chair legs. Staff interviews confirmed that the venting system in the shower rooms had not been operational for over a month. In the dirty laundry room, the venting system responsible for maintaining negative pressure was also found to be non-functional. This failure potentially allowed the transfer of microorganisms from the dirty laundry room into the clean laundry room whenever the connecting door was opened. Housekeeping staff confirmed that the venting system in the laundry room had not been operational for over a month, and the Regional Director of Maintenance acknowledged the issue during the inspection.
Failure to Provide Palatable, Appealing, and Properly Served Meals
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that food and drink were palatable, visually appealing, and served at a safe and appetizing temperature, as evidenced by observations, staff and resident interviews, and record reviews. Multiple residents reported that meals were bland, cold, and not served according to their individual preferences. Food was described as lacking seasoning, being overcooked or undercooked, and visually unappealing, with no garnishes or condiments provided. The care plans reviewed did not document residents' dietary preferences, dislikes, or specific modifications, and there were no interventions listed to support resident satisfaction with meals. The dietary manager acknowledged that resident food preferences were not routinely gathered, except during infrequent walk-throughs and committee meetings, and relied on CNAs to relay concerns. Environmental observations in the kitchen revealed poor sanitation, broken equipment, inadequate refrigeration, and lack of ventilation or air conditioning, further compromising food quality and safety. Despite resident complaints about food quality, the facility failed to provide requested test trays for surveyors to assess food temperature, appearance, and taste. The dietary manager admitted to not following up on the delivery of test trays, and the survey team was not notified when trays were placed on the meal cart, resulting in the trays not being received. Staff interviews confirmed the oversight, and the facility administrator acknowledged the breakdown in communication. These failures were observed for all five residents reviewed for food satisfaction, with a facility census of 87.
Failure to Provide Transfer/Discharge Notice Prior to Resident Leaving
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide the required transfer or discharge notice prior to a resident leaving the facility. During a record review, it was found that there was no documentation of a transfer or discharge notice for a resident who left the facility for a procedure and subsequently went home. When documentation was requested, both the DON and the Administrator confirmed that no transfer or discharge paperwork had been completed for this resident, as staff did not believe it was necessary in this situation. This deficiency was identified for one of two residents reviewed for closed records related to hospitalization and discharge.
Improper Disposal of Garbage and Refuse
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed improper disposal of garbage and refuse in multiple areas of the facility. In the kitchen, boxes and trash were found on the floor next to an overflowing trash can, and expired food containers were stacked on the side sink counter during lunch preparation. In the dumpster area, three dumpsters were inspected: one had a broken tree branch protruding from the drainage pipe, blocking drainage; another had a garbage bag and used clear gloves scattered on the ground behind it; and a third had a plastic garbage bag with trash protruding from the drainage pipe, also blocking drainage. Staff interviews confirmed that the kitchen trash can was overflowing and that expired food was awaiting disposal, and the Kitchen Account Manager acknowledged the issues in the dumpster area, stating she was unaware of the blocked drains and that the littered gloves were not from the kitchen.
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What surveyors actually found near you
We read the 86 citations issued within 25 miles in the last 12 months — and tell you exactly what happened, in plain English, matched to your record.
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.
Illustrative
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Risk indicators are statistical estimates from public CMS data — not predictions, findings, or compliance advice.
Nursing homes near Salem
How nearby facilities compare on the same public inspection record.
| Facility | Distance | Overall rating | Citations, 12 mo | Serious (J–L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksburg Healthcare Center | 9.6 mi | ★★★★★ | 17 | 0 |
| River Oaks Healthcare Center | 12.5 mi | ★★★★★ | 3 | 0 |
| Crestview Manor Healthcare | 14.9 mi | ★★★★★ | 4 | 0 |
| Bridgeport Healthcare Center | 15.6 mi | ★★★★★ | 10 | 0 |
| United Transitional Care Center | 17.4 mi | ★★★★★ | 0 | 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.