North Auburn Care: Missing iPhone, No Follow-Up - WA
The resident, identified in inspection records only as Resident 17, reported her iPhone missing from North Auburn Care on January 20, 2025. She was assessed as cognitively intact on her most recent quarterly evaluation. She understood what she'd lost. She knew what she wanted. And for the next three months, not a single staff member followed up with her directly about what had happened to her phone.
When a federal inspector sat down with her on April 14, she said it plainly: "I had to buy an android, I couldn't afford an iPhone. I really liked that phone." She still had the Android. She still wanted the iPhone back.
The grievance log tells the story of how the facility handled it. After Resident 17 filed her complaint, the Social Services Director contacted administration. Administration told the Social Services Director to check with the resident's family about a replacement. The family said they'd already bought her another phone. The facility took that as a resolution and moved on.
At no point, according to the grievance notes, did staff circle back to Resident 17 herself.
When an inspector reviewed the grievance form with Staff G on the morning of April 21, Staff G confirmed it directly: staff had not followed up with the resident about her missing phone.
That confirmation matters because the resident's own account and the facility's grievance record point in opposite directions. The family told staff they'd purchased a replacement and declined further assistance. But the resident, sitting with an Android she said she couldn't afford, told the inspector she still wanted her iPhone. Someone bought her a phone. It wasn't the phone she wanted, and no one from the facility ever asked her how she felt about that.
The violation cited by inspectors involves resident rights under Washington state administrative code, specifically the requirement that facilities respond to grievances in a way that keeps the resident informed and involved. The harm level was assessed as minimal harm or potential for actual harm, affecting a small number of residents.
On its face, a missing cell phone is a minor complaint. Nursing homes handle hundreds of grievances. Belongings go missing. Families step in. Cases get closed.
But the mechanism that closed this case is worth examining. Staff didn't ask the resident whether the resolution worked for her. They asked her family. The family said yes. Staff accepted that answer and stopped. The resident, who was fully capable of answering for herself, was never consulted.
She filed the grievance in January. The inspection happened in April. Three months passed. She still had the wrong phone.
North Auburn Care is located at 2830 I Street Northeast in Auburn. The inspection was completed April 21, 2025.
There is no indication in the inspection record that Resident 17's iPhone was ever found, or that anyone at the facility has since spoken with her about what she wants done.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for North Auburn Care from 2025-04-21 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: This article is based on inspection data downloaded directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via Medicare.gov. CMS releases inspection reports in bulk; we publish the findings as documented by state surveyors in the official Form CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies.
Plan of correction: The CMS report we receive does not include the facility's plan of correction. Facilities submit plans of correction separately to state survey agencies and those responses may not be reflected in CMS data at the time of publication. The absence of a plan of correction in our data does not mean one was not filed. Readers who want information about corrective steps taken are encouraged to contact the facility directly or their state survey agency.
Corrections may have occurred: Inspection reports reflect conditions observed on the date of the survey. Facilities may have implemented corrections, staffing changes, additional training, or other remediation since the report was issued. We report what CMS provides and encourage readers to seek current information from the facility.
Editorial process: Inspection findings are extracted from CMS source documents and synthesized using AI, reviewed for factual accuracy against the original report by our editorial team.
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Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: October 26, 2026 · Our methodology
North Auburn Care in AUBURN, WA was cited for violations during a health inspection on April 21, 2025.
The resident, identified in inspection records only as Resident 17, reported her iPhone missing from North Auburn Care on January 20, 2025.
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.