Federal inspectors documented the disturbing scene at Elkton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on September 28, finding flies throughout two of the facility's three nursing units during a complaint investigation.
"There are flies flying around my head, landing on my food, all over my bed and just everywhere," the resident told inspectors at 8:56 AM, one minute after surveyors counted the insects circling overhead.
The resident's room had become a breeding ground for the infestation. Inspectors watched flies hover near the privacy curtain and settle on the bed where the person spent their days.
Administrator staff member number 1 learned about the problem around 11:00 AM that morning and promised it would be addressed. But two days later, inspectors returned to find five black insects still flying around the same resident's bed and curtain.
A staff member suggested calling pest control only if the flies remained a problem, telling inspectors on September 30: "The pest control company can come in and if the flies are still a problem, then they can come in and spray the room."
The insect invasion extended far beyond one room. Inspectors found flies and gnats in Unit 2's hallway and inside a shower room on Unit 1. Another resident confirmed the facility-wide problem during an interview on September 28.
"The facility issues with flies and gnats in the building," resident number 155 told surveyors.
In one room on Unit 2, inspectors discovered a trail of ants marching from the baseboard beneath a window toward a yellow food particle on the floor beside the bed. The geriatric nursing assistant and unit manager both confirmed what inspectors had found.
"She would let the maintenance department know about the ants," the unit manager told surveyors after witnessing the insect parade across the resident's floor.
The pest problem persisted despite weekly visits from an extermination company. During environmental rounds on October 2, the director of maintenance acknowledged the concerns about gnats, flies, and ants throughout the facility.
The maintenance director promised the pest control company "will make sure they look into the pest concerns" during their regular visits.
Federal regulations require nursing homes to maintain effective pest control programs that keep facilities free of insects and other pests. Inspectors determined Elkton Nursing failed this basic sanitation requirement on two of three nursing units they examined.
The violation represents more than a cleanliness issue. Flies can spread bacteria and disease, particularly dangerous for elderly residents with compromised immune systems. Food contamination becomes a serious health risk when insects land on meals, as the resident reported experiencing.
For the person trapped in bed while flies circled their head, the infestation created a nightmare scenario. Unable to swat away the insects or escape to another room, they remained defenseless against the swarm that invaded their most personal space.
The facility's delayed response highlighted systemic problems with pest management. Despite knowing about the issue for days, staff suggested calling exterminators only "if the flies are still a problem" rather than treating the infestation as an immediate health hazard.
Ants trailing toward food particles on resident room floors indicated deeper sanitation failures. The insects followed a clear path from wall baseboards to nutrition sources, suggesting food debris regularly accumulates where vulnerable people sleep and eat.
The administrator's promise to "address" the fly problem on September 28 proved hollow when inspectors returned September 30 to find insects still circling the same resident's bed. Two days provided ample time to eliminate flies from one room, yet nearly half the original swarm remained.
Weekly pest control visits appeared ineffective against the ongoing infestation. The maintenance director's assurance that exterminators would "look into" the problem suggested reactive rather than preventive pest management.
Residents like number 155 recognized the facility-wide scope of the insect problem, indicating the infestation had persisted long enough to become common knowledge among people living there.
The resident tormented by flies landing on their food faced a daily struggle against contamination and disease transmission. Each meal became a battle to eat before insects could spread bacteria from other surfaces to their nutrition.
State inspectors classified the pest control failure as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm, but residents experienced the immediate consequences of living alongside swarms of flies and marching ants in their most intimate spaces.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Elkton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center from 2025-10-09 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
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