Springs at Rochester Hills: Social Worker Missing 5 Months - MI
The 126-bed facility's last qualified social worker stopped working March 28, according to termination records reviewed by inspectors. Federal regulations require nursing homes with more than 120 beds to employ a full-time qualified social worker.
The staffing gap created cascading problems throughout the facility. One resident with intact cognition complained repeatedly about tooth pain, telling inspectors in a group meeting that they were "supposed to have their tooth taken out in January but had no assistance from the facility in getting the procedure completed."
Later that day, the same resident expressed concerns in the hallway about their tooth hurting and needing to be pulled, telling inspectors "nobody was going to do anything about it."
Dental evaluations in February and April had clearly identified the problem. The February evaluation noted the resident had "discomfort from fractured teeth" and recommended referral to an oral surgeon for extractions. The April evaluation was more urgent, documenting "irreversible pulpitis and/or symptomatic apical periodontitis" and again calling for surgical extraction.
The resident did make it to one dental appointment in July, but returned to the facility without treatment because no guardian was present. The appointment needed to be rescheduled, but inspectors found no evidence this happened.
When questioned about the lack of oral surgeon referral, the administrator told inspectors they had been without a social worker "who would usually make those referrals" and had recently hired a new one starting September 4.
The social worker shortage affected medication safety as well. Inspectors observed a licensed practical nurse improperly documenting controlled substances, writing that they had removed a pill from the supply two hours after the fact. The nurse told inspectors this violated proper procedure for accounting for controlled substances.
"He should have documented the removal of the pill at the time it was removed and administered," the director of nursing confirmed to inspectors.
The facility's controlled medication system had other gaps. Staff were observed counting only opened bottles of morphine while failing to account for unopened bottles in their possession. One nurse told inspectors they were trained to count only "full and half cards of medications" rather than individual pills or liquid doses.
When inspectors asked for the facility's controlled medication policies, they received multiple documents that failed to provide clear protocols for receiving and reconciling controlled substances.
Kitchen safety violations compounded the facility's problems. Inspectors found raw chicken thawing improperly in a sink basin, with an internal temperature of 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Food safety codes require potentially hazardous food to be thawed under refrigeration at 41 degrees or below, or under running water at 70 degrees or below for limited periods.
The walk-in cooler contained multiple undated items including leftover enchiladas, white sauce, gravy, and opened containers of salad dressing. One container of Caesar dressing was dated from June 17 to July 17, well beyond safe consumption periods.
A dietary staff member confirmed the items should have been dated when opened, as required by food safety regulations.
Medication storage violations extended beyond controlled substances. Inspectors found applesauce containers stored alongside medications and insulin in a backup storage room refrigerator. The facility's own policy explicitly prohibited storing "other foods" in refrigerators designated for medications.
Staff had not checked the refrigerator temperature since August 20, a week before the inspection. The director of nursing told inspectors that night shift nurses were responsible for temperature checks and promised to "start education with their staff."
Hospice coordination suffered without proper social work oversight. One hospice respite patient's care lacked proper documentation and communication protocols. The director of nursing admitted to inspectors that all communication with the hospice company was happening "verbally" with "no actual book or log" for coordination.
"I have told the administrator about the communication concern, and they will communicate to the hospice company about our requirements and expectations," the director of nursing told inspectors.
The facility underwent a change in ownership on August 1, according to human resources staff interviewed by inspectors. Corporate HR representatives confirmed no qualified social worker was employed at the time of the ownership change.
Various people had been "helping out" with social services since August 1, but not onsite and not full-time, HR staff told inspectors. The facility had hired a replacement social worker scheduled to start September 4.
The social worker position carries extensive responsibilities according to the facility's job description reviewed by inspectors. The role includes assessing residents' psychosocial needs, coordinating with psychiatric providers, overseeing discharge planning, managing advance directives, and serving as an advocate for resident rights.
Without this position filled, residents faced delays in essential services. The inspection revealed failures in multiple areas that typically fall under social work oversight: advance directives coordination, ancillary service referrals like dental and audiology appointments, discharge planning, and required assessments for residents with mental health needs.
The facility's 62 residents during the inspection period all potentially faced impacts from the missing social worker position. Federal inspectors noted the staffing violation had "the potential to affect all 62 residents who resided in the facility."
The inspection found deficient practices spanning from March through August, when the facility operated without meeting federal staffing requirements designed to ensure residents receive comprehensive psychosocial care and coordination of essential services.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for The Springs At Rochester Hills Rehab and Nursing C from 2024-08-28 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: June 20, 2026 · Our methodology
The Springs at Rochester Hills Rehab and Nursing C in Rochester Hills, MI was cited for violations during a health inspection on August 28, 2024.
The 126-bed facility's last qualified social worker stopped working March 28, according to termination records reviewed by inspectors.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.