The November 21st grievance from Resident #11 also described the same staff member as "very loud at night" and making comments to the resident's roommate like "so sorry you have been with a grump." The resident used a racial slur to describe the staff member in the written complaint.
Federal inspectors reviewing grievances from July through December found residents repeatedly complained about staff customer service problems. Many residents don't speak up about concerns because they fear "getting kicked out of the facility, with nowhere to go or no family support," Resident #6 told investigators.
The complaints painted a picture of daily indignities. Kitchen staff refused to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Resident #8 after she rejected her chicken sandwich at lunch on September 17th. "Not offering to make it after trays were passed," a staff member wrote in documenting the incident.
Resident #11 filed another grievance in July describing a staff member who "passes dirty looks around like they are a gift."
Basic care suffered alongside courtesy. On December 1st, Resident #1 used his urinal and told nursing assistants he was wet. "They walked away without changing him or coming back with clean dry linen," according to his grievance.
Another resident expressed concern on November 12th about "staff approach to patient cares, felt cares were lacking in customer service approach," according to inspection records.
The inspection found the facility violated federal requirements for treating residents with dignity and respect. Inspectors classified the violation as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm, affecting some residents.
The pattern of grievances spanned five months, from July through December, suggesting ongoing problems rather than isolated incidents. Resident #6's comment about fear of retaliation indicates the documented complaints may represent only a fraction of actual problems.
Federal regulations require nursing homes to treat residents with dignity and ensure they can voice grievances without fear of retaliation. The inspection findings suggest Whitefish Care and Rehabilitation failed on both counts, with staff making racial comments while residents remained silent about other concerns due to fear of losing their housing.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Whitefish Care and Rehabilitation from 2025-10-22 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
- View all inspection reports for Whitefish Care and Rehabilitation
- Browse all MT nursing home inspections