Metropolis Rehab: Kitchen Staff Walkout Left Residents Without Meals - IL
Nurses and aides first noticed something was wrong when nobody called them for the drink carts. They went to check on the kitchen and found it empty. Then they went in themselves and made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and oatmeal, because that was what they could manage. That was breakfast for 74 residents.
The dietary staff had been working without air conditioning in the kitchen, without adequate supplies, and some had been buying items out of their own pockets. There was no gas to cook with. They had a meeting with administration that Sunday morning. After the meeting, they walked out.
The administrator, identified in the inspection report as V1, confirmed to inspectors on September 29 that all previous dietary staff had walked out a couple weeks earlier. That first morning, she said, her husband came in to help. Some nurses and CNAs cooked. She and others handled lunch and dinner. By the second day, she said, they had agency staff in for the midday and evening meals.
What residents got that Sunday was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and oatmeal. Some also received fruit. There was no cereal. A CNA who worked that day told inspectors she does not believe residents received their supplements, their double protein orders, or other items specified in their care plans. One resident was on a pureed diet. The CNA said she had to take the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches back to the kitchen to get them pureed, and that she believes another CNA figured out how to do it.
A licensed practical nurse who worked that day said the same thing more plainly: the residents probably did not get the supplements and other directed items, but they did the best they could with no dietary staff there.
The problems did not end when agency workers arrived. A CNA told inspectors that meals had been coming out as late as 2 PM in the weeks that followed, that trays routinely arrived missing all condiments, and that staff were not given a basket of condiments for the hall trays or anything like that. The nurse said kitchen staff had still been missing supplements and not reading the tickets carefully. Some days were better than others.
The family member of one resident told inspectors that about a week before the September 29 inspection visit, he left the facility around 1:15 PM and his family member still had not received lunch. He was on the phone with her when she finally got it, around 2 PM.
A dietary worker told inspectors on October 15 that they do not have time to read the bottom of the tickets, or to get items that staff are coming to the dietary door to request during meal service.
The facility's own policy states meals will be served no more than 30 minutes after the scheduled meal time. A separate policy describes an "exceptional dining experience" that provides attention to each resident's individual plan of care and dining wishes.
Federal inspectors cited the facility for the violations on November 17, 2025, rating the level of harm as minimal harm or potential for actual harm, affecting many residents. Metropolis Rehab & HCC has 74 residents and is located at 2299 Metropolis Street.
The resident whose family member called to check on her lunch waited until 2 PM to eat. Her family member had already gone home.
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.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: June 22, 2026 · Our methodology
METROPOLIS REHAB & HCC in METROPOLIS, IL was cited for violations during a health inspection on November 17, 2025.
Nurses and aides first noticed something was wrong when nobody called them for the drink carts.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.