Birch Creek Post Acute: Son Forces Food on Resident - WA
The resident's son brought what he acknowledged was "dangerous" food for his mother to eat during visits to Birch Creek Post Acute & Rehabilitation. When chunks of food got stuck in her mouth, he told inspectors there was no way to remove it "except to open forcefully."
Staff observed the son feeding his mother soup on July 30. When she coughed, he said "it happens sometimes." The resident used her tongue to scan inside her mouth and removed a slice of vegetable herself.
The son defended his actions by explaining that "more natural (non-pureed) foods look familiar, more accurate, like they are supposed to, when everything is mashed up, you cannot even see what it is."
A speech therapist told him the resident's diet could not be upgraded from pureed without additional treatment sessions. The therapist explained he should not be giving foods that were not pureed. The son said staff had not told him that previously.
But facility records showed this was not the first time. During the resident's previous stay, the son's feeding visits were supervised because of the same violations. He acknowledged the supervision was "inconvenient for him, but he did not mind if they watched."
When the resident returned to the facility, staff failed to reinstate the feeding supervision despite knowing about the previous incidents.
The son told inspectors he gets frustrated when his mother doesn't eat. "If they don't eat, they will die," he said. He brought the dangerous foods depending on her condition, noting she was "more agreeable" when awake than when sleepy.
Staff had suggested telling the resident to open her mouth or putting a spoon up to her mouth. The son said those methods didn't work.
During the observed feeding, the resident appeared "glassy eyed." When asked if he feeds her in that condition, the son said yes, sometimes she'll open her mouth because "she needs to eat."
The speech therapist met with other staff members after the incident. She said the facility needed to ensure feeding was safe and would continue observing visits and working with the family.
Inspectors documented multiple failures. The facility didn't implement prior feeding restrictions when the resident was readmitted. The dangerous feeding incident happened again when it was preventable. Staff failed to document monitoring after the incident occurred.
The facility's own incident investigation, completed August 1, revealed the son had "poor comprehension of why forcing Resident 1's mouth open to let it empty could cause harm." Despite this finding, administrators documented there was "no willful action or inaction that inflicts injury."
The investigation summary contradicted itself. It found the son was "disregarding the resident's right to refuse food and drink and may ultimately lead to aspiration, physical or mental harm." Yet the facility determined no intentional harm occurred.
The resident remained on a pureed diet order due to swallowing difficulties that put her at risk for choking and aspiration pneumonia. Forcing regular textured foods into her mouth violated medical orders designed to prevent life-threatening complications.
Federal regulations require nursing homes to ensure residents receive proper nutrition while respecting their rights and safety. When family members endanger residents through feeding violations, facilities must intervene with supervision or restrictions.
The son's admission that he brought "dangerous" food knowing it could harm his mother, combined with his use of force when she resisted, raised questions about elder abuse that the facility's investigation failed to address adequately.
The resident's previous stay required supervised visits specifically because of unsafe feeding practices. Staff knew the son would likely repeat the same violations but failed to protect the resident upon her return.
The facility's incident summary acknowledged the son was forcing food on a resident who was trying to refuse it. This constituted a violation of the resident's fundamental right to make decisions about her own care, even when family members disagreed.
State regulations require facilities to protect residents from harm, including harm caused by well-meaning family members who lack understanding of medical restrictions. The facility's failure to supervise known dangerous feeding practices put the resident at continued risk for choking, aspiration and death.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Birch Creek Post Acute & Rehabilitation from 2025-08-11 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: August 4, 2026 · Our methodology
BIRCH CREEK POST ACUTE & REHABILITATION in TACOMA, WA was cited for violations during a health inspection on August 11, 2025.
The resident's son brought what he acknowledged was "dangerous" food for his mother to eat during visits to Birch Creek Post Acute & Rehabilitation.
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.