The man, identified as R1 in inspection records, told state inspectors on December 30 that hot water hadn't worked in his wing for "a couple of months." He described receiving his first bath in two weeks the night before, using water staff retrieved from elsewhere in Loft Rehab & Nursing of Normal.
Federal inspectors found the facility failed to provide required showers to three of five residents they interviewed during a complaint investigation completed January 2.
R1 explained the facility's layout to inspectors: his section, called "uptown hall," had no hot water, while the other half called "Downtown" still had functioning hot water systems. Staff had to carry water between sections to bathe residents.
Another resident, R6, communicated through a dry erase board that her hall had lacked hot water for over a month. She wrote that staff took her to another part of the facility where hot water was available, but said she didn't feel she received enough showers.
R6 was admitted with fractures to her upper and lower left fibula and had fallen repeatedly before her arrival at the facility in December.
A third resident, R3, who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes, told inspectors she doesn't get two showers per week every week. She said when she does shower, the water is only "warm to touch."
R3's cognitive impairment was documented as moderate in her medical assessment.
The facility's corporate nurse, identified as V16, admitted to inspectors that "not all residents are getting the showers as required." Residents are supposed to receive two showers weekly according to facility policy.
V16 could not provide documentation showing the dates residents had received showers.
The facility's Activities of Daily Living policy, dated February 10, 2025, states that residents unable to carry out daily living activities "will receive the necessary services to maintain good nutrition, grooming, and personal hygiene and oral hygiene."
The policy also requires the facility to ensure residents' abilities don't deteriorate "unless deterioration is unavoidable."
R1's medical record shows he was admitted with acute osteomyelitis in his right ankle and foot, along with chronic atrial fibrillation and stage four chronic kidney disease. His care plan documented deficits in activities of daily living.
Despite his serious medical conditions, R1 remained cognitively intact according to his assessment scores.
The inspection found residents were dependent on staff for bathing assistance but weren't receiving the care required by federal regulations. The facility received a citation for failing to provide adequate care and assistance with activities of daily living.
State inspectors classified the violation as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm to residents.
The hot water system failure affected multiple residents across an entire wing of the 510 Broadway facility, forcing staff to improvise solutions like carrying water from functioning areas.
R6's communication through writing suggests she may have speech difficulties related to her medical conditions, yet she was still able to clearly express her concerns about inadequate shower frequency to inspectors.
The corporate nurse's inability to produce shower documentation indicates potential record-keeping failures beyond the immediate hot water problem.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Loft Rehab & Nursing of Normal from 2026-01-02 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.