Federal inspectors found Rolling Hills Healthcare Center failed to maintain proper hot water temperatures throughout the 82-bed facility during a November complaint investigation. Water temperatures measured as low as 88 degrees in some bathrooms, while one room had no hot water at all.
The maintenance director told inspectors on November 13 that he flushed the hot water system every morning and hadn't heard complaints from residents. But when inspectors interviewed Resident B that same morning, he said he'd been without hot water since September and had already informed management about the problem.
"He informed management that he did not have any hot water in his bathroom," inspectors wrote. "He indicated they recently informed him the sink needed a valve replacement, but he has not had any hot water since September."
When the maintenance director tested the water in Resident B's bathroom, inspectors watched as he let the hot water run. The water never warmed up. The maintenance director confirmed a valve needed replacement.
Other residents described water that took so long to heat up they gave up waiting. Resident E said hot water in her bathroom took about 10 minutes to warm up, so she washed her hands in cold water instead because "it took too long to even get warm water."
Resident F reported inconsistent hot water availability. "There were some days she did not have hot water in her bathroom," inspectors noted. "Most of the time it would take the hot water a long time to warm up. The hot water would come and go."
A certified nursing aide confirmed the widespread delays, telling inspectors that hot water in resident rooms and the shower room took five to ten minutes to warm up. The farther rooms were from the boiler, the longer residents waited.
The maintenance director acknowledged the lengthy delays but attributed them to water sitting unused overnight. "The hot water does take a while to warm up, but he thought it was related to the lack of running water for a while especially overnight," inspectors documented.
Federal regulations require nursing homes to maintain hot water temperatures between 100 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Inspectors found multiple violations during their November 13 testing. One room measured 93.6 degrees, well below the minimum requirement. Another room had water that measured just 88 degrees. A third room had no hot water flowing at all.
The executive director told inspectors she became aware of the problem a couple weeks before the inspection when a qualified medication aide called to report no hot water. She said the maintenance director had flushed the lines the previous Monday.
"The farther the rooms were the less the hot water there was, and she indicated it should not take that long for the water to heat up," inspectors wrote. The executive director explained that boilers weren't centralized but instead each unit had its own hot water boiler.
The facility's hot water problems affected all 82 residents living at Rolling Hills Healthcare Center, according to the inspection report. Federal investigators classified the violation as having potential for minimal harm.
While staff implemented daily system flushing as a response measure, the underlying infrastructure problems persisted. Resident B continued waiting for his valve replacement after months without hot water, while other residents adapted by using cold water rather than waiting the extended time required for warm water to reach their rooms.
The inspection was conducted in response to a complaint and resulted in a citation for failing to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for residents. The facility must submit a plan of correction to address the hot water temperature deficiencies.
For Resident B, the solution remained pending after two months of cold water baths and hand washing, despite management's awareness of his specific valve problem since September.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Rolling Hills Healthcare Center from 2025-11-13 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
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