The problems persisted for over a week. When inspectors returned September 24, they documented identical conditions in the same rooms they had flagged eight days earlier.
In one room, inspectors discovered an open cup of cream and a bottle of peri-cleanser — products used for incontinence care — sitting in a resident's refrigerator next to three cans of soda. The contaminated food storage remained unchanged for eight days until a certified nurse aide spotted the inspectors looking and quickly threw the items in the trash.
"Those shouldn't be stored there," the aide said on September 24, removing the incontinence products only after inspectors pointed them out.
Multiple bathrooms reeked of urine during both inspection visits. Room 101's private bathroom carried a strong odor on September 16 at 12:33 p.m. Eight days later at 9:10 a.m., inspectors noted the identical smell.
Safety hazards compounded the unsanitary conditions. In room 108, inspectors found loose handle bars and toilet seats that could give way if residents grabbed them for support. The call light cord in that bathroom had turned brown, likely from prolonged contact with bodily fluids or cleaning chemicals.
The brown, soiled call light cords appeared throughout the facility. In room 207's shared bathroom, inspectors found a discolored cord wrapped around a grab bar. Room 204's bathroom also had a brown call light cord alongside the persistent urine smell.
When confronted about the conditions, facility staff offered explanations that revealed systemic problems with basic care. Housekeeper 5 told inspectors some rooms smell because "residents forget to flush or didn't hold the handle down long enough."
The housekeeper said staff used "bio enzymatic odor eliminator spray" when they located odor sources and cleaned rooms daily "and as needed." But the identical conditions found eight days apart suggested the cleaning wasn't working.
For the soiled call light cords, the housekeeper said maintenance would need to replace them. No replacements occurred during the inspection period.
The housekeeper acknowledged responsibility for checking resident refrigerator temperatures daily, which required opening the units. She said if staff found inappropriate items during these checks, they would discard them. Yet the incontinence supplies sat undisturbed in the refrigerator for over a week.
The facility's Director of Nursing revealed a fundamental gap in oversight when questioned about environmental standards. "The facility didn't really have a policy for the environment but they would follow the regulations," she told inspectors on September 25.
The lack of written environmental policies may explain why basic sanitation problems festered unaddressed. Federal regulations require nursing homes to maintain a homelike environment that's safe, clean and comfortable for residents.
Core of Dale's violations affected residents across multiple areas of the facility. The East Hall and another named hallway both had rooms with documented problems. Six of the 15 resident rooms inspectors reviewed failed to meet basic environmental standards.
The persistent urine odors would have been particularly distressing for residents who spend most of their time in these rooms. Unlike staff who can leave at the end of their shifts, residents must live with the consequences of inadequate cleaning and maintenance.
The contaminated food storage posed health risks beyond the obvious hygiene concerns. Incontinence care products contain chemicals not intended for consumption and could cause illness if they leaked onto food or beverages.
Loose grab bars and toilet seats created fall hazards for residents who rely on bathroom safety equipment. Many nursing home residents have mobility issues and depend on properly secured grab bars for balance and support during transfers.
The soiled call light cords represented both a sanitation issue and a potential barrier to emergency communication. Residents who need help may hesitate to touch visibly dirty equipment, potentially delaying necessary assistance.
The inspection occurred in response to a complaint, suggesting someone reported concerns about conditions at the facility. The September 25 inspection date indicates the problems continued even after initial documentation on September 16.
Federal inspectors classified the violations as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm to residents. The citation affected "some" residents rather than all facility occupants, though the specific number wasn't disclosed beyond the six rooms documented.
The inspection revealed a facility struggling with basic housekeeping and maintenance functions essential to resident dignity and safety. Eight days between inspection visits provided ample opportunity to address the documented problems, yet conditions remained unchanged until inspectors returned.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Core of Dale from 2025-09-25 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.