Sharmar Village: Residents Left Hungry After Meals - CO
The complaint inspection on August 11 found the facility failed to provide adequate portions despite having detailed menu plans that promised nutritious, satisfying meals.
During a group interview on August 7, residents were direct about their experience. The meals did not always fill them up, they said. They were hungry when the meals were over because they did not receive enough food at their meals.
Resident #19 faced an additional problem — she couldn't eat any of the snacks provided because she didn't have teeth.
The registered dietitian told inspectors she kept daily calorie intake between 1700 and 1800 calories with room for snacks. But the actual menu extensions revealed a different reality.
On August 6, the total calories provided was only 1537 — well below what the dietitian claimed she was providing.
Inspectors observed the evening meal service that day at 5:15 p.m. Residents received a chicken breast of approximately three ounces, a biscuit, an eight-ounce garden salad and a peanut butter cookie. The menu extensions had specified a dinner roll, not a biscuit.
The portion sizes were often vague or missing entirely from the facility's own planning documents. For the August 6 dinner, menu extensions listed "one breast, lemon herb chicken" but didn't indicate the size of the chicken breast to be served.
The next evening's meal showed similar problems. Residents were served three ounces of chicken strips, iceberg garden mix salad served with tongs, a two-ounce scoop of strawberries, a breadstick and a slice of pie approximately one inch thick.
Again, the menu extensions failed to specify how much chicken strawberry salad or pie each resident should receive.
The cook acknowledged the portion problems when interviewed. He said he wasn't aware how the pie was cut and into how many portions. The cook agreed the pieces were small.
The registered dietitian said she reviewed menus to ensure they met residents' needs and had changed menu items when residents didn't like an entree. She said snacks were always available if residents were hungry — rice crispies, cheese crackers and various other items.
For residents losing weight, she said the facility used protein pudding and assessed residents for health shakes.
But the gap between policy and practice was stark. The facility's Menu Planning and Requirements policy, dated 2020, promised that "menus are planned to provide nourishing, palatable, attractive meals that meet the nutritional needs of residents served, based on age, gender, physical activity, and state health."
The policy referenced national dietary standards and required menus to be "planned in advanced and varied for the same day of consecutive weeks."
Yet residents consistently told inspectors they left meals hungry.
The violation affected some residents and carried a potential for minimal harm, according to federal classification. But for the residents who spoke up, the impact was immediate and daily — sitting down to meals that didn't provide enough food to satisfy their hunger.
Federal regulations require nursing homes to provide adequate nutrition to maintain residents' health and well-being. The Sharmar Village case illustrates how detailed policies and menu planning can exist on paper while residents experience a different reality at mealtime.
The facility's own menu extensions revealed the discrepancy between what the dietitian promised — 1700 to 1800 calories daily — and what was actually planned for residents on at least one day during the inspection period.
For Resident #19, who couldn't eat the available snacks due to lack of teeth, the problem was compounded. While other residents might supplement inadequate meals with crackers or rice crispies, she had no such option.
The inspection found a nursing home where residents were straightforward about their hunger, staff acknowledged portion problems, and the facility's own documentation revealed calorie counts below what its dietitian claimed to provide.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Sharmar Village Senior Care Community 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: June 20, 2026 · Our methodology
SHARMAR VILLAGE SENIOR CARE COMMUNITY in PUEBLO, CO was cited for violations during a health inspection on August 11, 2025.
During a group interview on August 7, residents were direct about their experience.
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.