Apple Ridge Care Center: Phone Access Denied - MO
The facility used to keep a cordless phone in the nurses' office. Residents could take it with them, find a quiet corner, and talk without staff standing nearby. Then the facility switched to a new phone system, and the cordless phone disappeared with the old one.
The administrator told inspectors on December 18 that he or she had asked corporate about getting a cordless phone back and was told no. The reason was never given.
Without it, a resident who wants privacy has to let staff know, wait for them to secure paperwork in the office, and then talk while a staff member stands just outside the door. The administrator acknowledged there should be no restrictions on when residents can use the phone. Residents, he or she said, should be able to call whenever they want.
The Director of Nursing said the same thing, and added that one LPN in particular had needed to be educated about that. As far as the DON knew, residents were using the phone whenever they needed to. He or she hadn't heard otherwise.
Inspectors found that some residents had been denied access.
The violation was cited at the lowest level of harm, affecting some residents. But the cordless phone that would have made private calls simple has been gone for a year, the corporate office has declined to replace it, and the person running the facility couldn't explain the decision.
Residents who want to make a call now depend on staff availability, staff willingness to step away, and a fixed phone in an office. The administrator described the old cordless setup as more convenient. Residents could take it with them, he or she said. They could talk any time.
That option has been gone for a year, and nobody in charge has said why.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Apple Ridge Care Center from 2025-12-19 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Download the official CMS inspection PDF from Medicare.gov
Additional Resources
Data source: This article is based on inspection data downloaded directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via Medicare.gov. CMS releases inspection reports in bulk; we publish the findings as documented by state surveyors in the official Form CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies.
Plan of correction: The CMS report we receive does not include the facility's plan of correction. Facilities submit plans of correction separately to state survey agencies and those responses may not be reflected in CMS data at the time of publication. The absence of a plan of correction in our data does not mean one was not filed. Readers who want information about corrective steps taken are encouraged to contact the facility directly or their state survey agency.
Corrections may have occurred: Inspection reports reflect conditions observed on the date of the survey. Facilities may have implemented corrections, staffing changes, additional training, or other remediation since the report was issued. We report what CMS provides and encourage readers to seek current information from the facility.
Editorial process: Inspection findings are extracted from CMS source documents and synthesized using AI, reviewed for factual accuracy against the original report by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: September 19, 2026 · Our methodology
APPLE RIDGE CARE CENTER in WAVERLY, MO was cited for violations during a health inspection on December 19, 2025.
The facility used to keep a cordless phone in the nurses' office.
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.