Columns Community Care Center: 14-Lb Weight Loss LA
JONESVILLE, LA - State health inspectors documented multiple serious care failures at The Columns Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, including a resident with Alzheimer's disease who lost 14 pounds over three months while staff repeatedly failed to provide physician-ordered nutritional supplements and falsified documentation about her food intake.
Critical Weight Loss Goes Unaddressed Despite Clear Warning Signs
A 69-year-old female resident with severe cognitive impairment experienced dangerous weight loss between February and May 2025, dropping from 137.5 pounds to just 123.2 pounds - a loss of more than 10% of her body weight. The resident, who had Alzheimer's disease and required assistance with meals, repeatedly went without the nutritional supplements her doctor had ordered, while staff members documented that she was eating 76-100% of her meals when observations showed she had barely touched her food.
Medical records showed the resident's weight began declining sharply in April, with an 8-pound loss in just one month between April and May. Weight loss of this magnitude in elderly residents, particularly those with dementia, significantly increases the risk of pressure ulcers, infections, muscle wasting, and accelerated cognitive decline. For individuals with Alzheimer's disease, maintaining adequate nutrition becomes increasingly challenging as the disease progresses, making proper nutritional support essential for preserving quality of life and preventing complications.
During multiple meal observations by state inspectors, the resident was observed sitting in the dining room with untouched food on her tray. Staff members failed to provide the setup assistance she required - such as removing plate covers, opening beverage containers, and arranging utensils - and did not offer encouragement or cueing that her care plan specified she needed. Despite clear documentation that she required these interventions due to her cognitive impairment, certified nursing assistants (CNAs) were observed removing her trays without checking whether she had eaten or providing any assistance.
Falsified Documentation Conceals Nutritional Crisis
The documentation failures revealed a systematic breakdown in care coordination. On May 12, a CNA documented that the resident had consumed 76-100% of her lunch, when inspectors had observed her sitting with an untouched entree and noted she had not been provided the prescribed Mighty Shake supplement. The next day, another CNA documented 51-75% breakfast intake and 76-100% lunch intake, despite inspectors observing unopened food items and the resident not eating during both meals.
When interviewed, staff members demonstrated confusion about the resident's needs. One CNA stated the resident was "independent with eating but requires meal set up," while failing to provide that setup assistance. Another confirmed that CNAs were responsible for notifying nurses when residents didn't eat, but this notification system had clearly broken down. The facility's clinical support nurse acknowledged that "weight loss was not identified until it became significant," indicating a failure in the monitoring systems designed to catch nutritional problems early.
The physician had ordered Mighty Shakes or Magic Cup supplements three times daily with meals on May 9, after speech therapy evaluated the resident and identified swallowing difficulties. However, observations on May 12, 13, and 14 showed the supplements were frequently not provided. When they were provided, staff did not ensure the resident consumed them or document accurately whether she had received them.
Expired Medical Supplies and Loose Pills Found in Medication Carts
Beyond the nutritional care failures, inspectors discovered concerning medication storage violations that posed risks to all residents. During a review of medication carts, inspectors found loose, unidentified tablets in the bottom drawer of one cart - a serious safety hazard that could lead to medication errors if these unknown pills were inadvertently given to residents.
A second medication cart contained multiple expired medical supplies, some dating back several years. Inspectors documented 17 packages of lubricating jelly that had expired in March 2019 - more than six years before the inspection - along with skin protectant creams expired since September 2024 and other supplies with expiration dates ranging from 2022 to 2024. Using expired medical supplies can lead to infections, skin irritation, and treatment failures, as products may lose their effectiveness or become contaminated over time.
The presence of expired supplies for such extended periods indicates a failure in the facility's quality control systems. Professional standards require regular inventory checks and immediate removal of expired products from active stock. The facility's own policy mandated safe storage of all drugs and biologicals consistent with professional standards, yet staff had allowed these expired items to remain in active medication carts where they could potentially be used on residents.
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.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: September 19, 2026 · Our methodology
The Columns Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Jonesville, LA was cited for violations during a health inspection on May 14, 2025.
Medical records showed the resident's weight began declining sharply in April, with an 8-pound loss in just one month between April and May.
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.