Federal inspectors found the 92-bed nursing home failed to serve food at proper temperatures during a December complaint investigation. Milk sat at 54 degrees on beverage carts, 13 degrees above the FDA safety limit of 41 degrees.
The problems extended beyond temperature violations. Resident #58 told inspectors on December 15 that "the food is terrible" and staff had ignored her request to update meal preferences made three months earlier.
"The food is cold, we are last to get meals sometimes they run out," she said. "I usually do not get what I ask for. When they send us food, generally it is all mixed together."
Her complaints proved accurate when inspectors observed her lunch service that same day. The turkey burger arrived with baked beans running across the plate and soaking into the hamburger bun.
"I wish they would have put those beans in a bowl," the resident told the inspector.
The Food Service Director confirmed the presentation problem when shown the plate, acknowledging the beans had run into the bun. When questioned about updating the resident's meal preferences, the director admitted: "No I have not."
Temperature monitoring appeared haphazard throughout the facility. On December 17, employee #152 told inspectors that cooks were supposed to record food temperatures on production sheets. When asked for the temperatures of lunch items, he provided a production sheet with no temperatures recorded.
The Director of Dining acknowledged the milk temperature violation when inspectors tested the west hall beverage cart on December 15 at 12:45 PM. The 54-degree reading exceeded FDA food safety standards designed to prevent bacterial growth.
Inspectors found temperature failures on four of five hallways tested for beverage cart milk temperatures. The single meal tray tested also failed to meet proper temperature standards.
The violations affected multiple residents across the facility, with inspectors documenting problems in various hallways during the survey process. Some residents reported running out of food options when meals arrived late to their sections.
Food presentation issues compounded the temperature problems. The facility failed to serve meals that were both palatable and attractive, with items running together on plates rather than being properly separated or contained.
The resident who complained about her meal preferences had specifically asked management to make changes almost three months before the inspection. Despite this extended timeframe, no updates had been made to accommodate her dietary requests.
Staff appeared unaware of basic food safety protocols. The cook's failure to record temperatures on production sheets suggested inconsistent monitoring of food safety requirements throughout meal preparation and service.
The Food Service Director's acknowledgment that she had not updated resident meal preferences despite a three-month-old request indicated systemic problems with resident care coordination beyond just temperature control.
Inspectors classified the violations as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm to residents. However, the combination of improper temperatures, poor presentation, and ignored dietary preferences affected daily quality of life for residents who depend entirely on the facility for nutrition.
The December 22 inspection followed a complaint about food service conditions at the facility. The findings revealed problems that had persisted for months, with residents continuing to receive substandard meals while management failed to address known issues.
Resident #58's experience illustrated the broader failures: cold food, ignored preferences, unappetizing presentation, and items running together on plates. Her three-month wait for updated meal preferences remained unresolved when inspectors completed their survey.
The facility's 92 residents rely on staff to provide safe, appetizing meals that meet individual dietary needs and preferences. The inspection findings suggested systematic failures in this basic care requirement.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Willows Center from 2025-12-22 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.