Federal inspectors documented the same dried, unknown substances on October 15 at 9:09 in the morning, again at 3:39 that afternoon, and still there the next morning at 8:45. Scattered across the floors were bits of torn paper, toilet paper, and what appeared to be food particles.
The facility's 74 residents had been living with increasingly dirty floors for months.
V22, a family member who visits regularly, told inspectors the dining room floors had been "very dirty over the past couple of months." She described sticky substances and unidentified dried spills that remained even when housekeeping staff had plenty of time between meals to clean. The floor around the nurses' station on the 100 hall was frequently sticky and appeared not to have been cleaned recently.
A resident grievance form dated September 11 complained about dirty floors in one resident's room.
The facility had no written housekeeping policy, Administrator V1 acknowledged during the October inspection. But housekeeping routes A, B, C, and D all indicated floors should be swept and mopped daily.
That wasn't happening.
Housekeeping Supervisor V26 said the facility had been down about two housekeepers for one to two weeks, causing staff shortages that left hallway floors and other common areas neglected. During this period, common area floors were being cleaned every other day instead of daily.
The equipment wasn't helping. Regional Director of Operations V80 said the facility's floor cleaning machine had been broken "for a while," preventing thorough cleaning. The facility had ordered a new machine that was supposed to arrive "next week sometime."
District Manager V81, who worked for the contracted housekeeping services company, said the facility lost housekeeping and laundry staff between the middle and end of September, causing routine cleaning to fall behind.
Staff members working the floors daily could see the deterioration.
Certified Nurses' Aide V17 said the hallway floors had been dirtier over the past one to two months than when she first started working at the facility. She believed the reason was housekeeping staff shortages.
Another CNA, V48, confirmed the hallway floors had recently been dirtier than in the past due to housekeeping staff shortages over the previous one to two months.
Housekeeper V50 explained the impossible math facing the remaining staff. Over the last one to two months, hallway floors weren't being cleaned as frequently because some housekeeping staff had quit. The remaining workers were trying to focus on what they considered more important areas: resident bathrooms, resident rooms, and shower rooms.
The hallways where residents moved between their rooms and common areas were left with days-old spills.
Clear liquid spills that hadn't yet dried joined the dark, concentrated stains near the nurses' station. Paper debris scattered across walking surfaces where residents in wheelchairs and walkers navigated daily.
Administrator V1 admitted the hallway floors hadn't been cleaned as frequently as needed over the past one to two months and had been dirtier than in the past due to housekeeping staff shortages.
The facility had written procedures requiring daily floor cleaning. The reality was every-other-day cleaning at best, with some areas apparently going longer between attention.
Family members visiting their loved ones walked through dining rooms with sticky floors and unidentified dried substances. Staff members acknowledged the visible decline in cleanliness that had persisted for months.
Residents filed formal grievances about dirty floors in their personal living spaces. The complaints went back to September, but the October inspection found the same problems continuing.
The broken floor cleaning machine sat unused while management waited for a replacement to arrive "sometime" the following week. Meanwhile, housekeepers with mops and limited time tried to cover areas meant for multiple staff members with proper equipment.
Federal inspectors found the facility failed to maintain floors in a clean and sanitary manner, with the potential to affect all 74 residents. The violation cited the facility's failure to honor residents' right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment.
The dark spills near the nurses' station became a daily landmark, visible to anyone walking the main hallways. Staff members, visitors, and residents passed the same stains morning and afternoon, a visible reminder of the facility's inability to maintain basic cleanliness standards.
What should have been routine daily maintenance became every-other-day cleaning, then longer gaps as remaining housekeeping staff prioritized bathrooms and resident rooms over the common areas where people moved throughout their days.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Metropolis Rehab & Hcc from 2025-11-17 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.