WOONSOCKET, RI — Federal health inspectors identified 12 deficiencies at The Friendly Home during a complaint investigation conducted on December 19, 2025, including failures related to catheter care and urinary tract infection prevention that placed residents at risk of harm.
Bowel and Bladder Care Protocols Failed
Among the citations, inspectors documented that The Friendly Home did not provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel and bladder function. The deficiency, cited under federal regulatory tag F0690, also encompassed failures in catheter care and inadequate measures to prevent urinary tract infections.
The violation was classified at Scope/Severity Level D, meaning the problem was isolated in scope but carried the potential for more than minimal harm to residents. While inspectors did not document actual harm at the time of the survey, the conditions observed created circumstances where residents could experience negative health outcomes.
Why Catheter Care Standards Exist
Urinary catheters are medical devices that require meticulous maintenance to prevent complications. When catheter care protocols are not followed, bacteria can enter the urinary tract and cause infections that spread rapidly, particularly in elderly residents with compromised immune systems.
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are among the most common healthcare-associated infections in nursing facilities. According to established clinical guidelines, proper catheter care includes regular hygiene of the insertion site, monitoring for signs of infection, ensuring closed drainage systems remain intact, and evaluating whether the catheter is still medically necessary.
For residents managing bowel and bladder incontinence without catheters, appropriate care involves timely toileting assistance, regular checks for skin breakdown, proper use of incontinence products, and individualized care plans that address each resident's specific needs.
When these protocols break down, residents face increased risk of urinary tract infections, skin infections, pressure injuries in the perineal area, and associated complications such as sepsis. Elderly nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable because UTIs in older adults frequently present with atypical symptoms — confusion, agitation, or falls — rather than the burning and urgency that younger patients typically report. This makes early detection dependent on attentive staff monitoring.
A Facility Under Broader Scrutiny
The catheter care deficiency was not an isolated finding. It was one of 12 deficiencies documented during the December 2025 inspection, which was initiated in response to a complaint. The breadth of citations suggests systemic issues extending beyond a single care category.
Federal nursing home regulations require facilities to ensure that residents who are incontinent receive services and assistance to restore as much normal bladder and bowel function as possible. Facilities must also ensure that catheterized residents receive care consistent with professional standards to prevent complications and that catheters are not used unless the resident's clinical condition demonstrates that catheterization is necessary.
Correction Timeline
The Friendly Home was classified as deficient with a provider-reported date of correction. The facility indicated it addressed the cited deficiencies by January 18, 2026, approximately 30 days after the inspection.
A correction plan typically involves staff retraining on catheter insertion and maintenance protocols, revision of incontinence care policies, enhanced monitoring schedules, and updated individualized care plans for affected residents. However, the effectiveness of corrective measures is generally not confirmed until a subsequent follow-up survey by state or federal inspectors.
What Families Should Know
Family members of residents at The Friendly Home should be aware that the December 2025 inspection resulted in multiple citations. Families can review the complete inspection report, including all 12 deficiencies, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Care Compare website, which publishes detailed findings for every Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing facility in the country.
Residents and families have the right to request a copy of the facility's most recent inspection results and to ask administrators directly about what corrective actions have been implemented. Signs that catheter care or incontinence management may be inadequate include unexplained fevers, increased confusion, skin redness or breakdown in the groin area, and wet or soiled clothing or bedding that is not promptly addressed.
The full inspection report for The Friendly Home provides additional detail on all deficiencies cited during the December 2025 survey.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for The Friendly Home from 2025-12-19 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.