The man, identified as R1 in inspection documents, said the hot water system had been broken for months across the entire "uptown hall" at Loft Rehab & Nursing of Normal. He described receiving his first bath in two weeks using lukewarm water that staff had to carry from the facility's "downtown" section, where hot water still worked.
Federal inspectors found the facility failed to provide required showers to three of five residents they reviewed during a complaint investigation completed January 2. The violations affected residents with serious medical conditions including chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and recent bone fractures.
R3, a woman with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and moderate cognitive impairment, told inspectors she "does not get two showers a week every week." She said the showers she did receive were only "warm to touch."
Another resident, R6, used a dry erase board to communicate that the facility had experienced a lack of hot water on her hall for over a month. She wrote that staff took her to another part of the building to shower where hot water was available, but said "she doesn't feel that she gets enough showers at this facility."
R6 had been admitted in December with fractures to both the upper and lower portions of her left fibula, along with a history of repeated falls and muscle disorders.
The facility's corporate nurse, identified as V16, acknowledged to inspectors that "residents are to be receiving two showers weekly and not all residents are getting the showers as required." When asked for documentation showing when residents had received their showers, the corporate nurse said she was "unable to provide correct documentation of dates."
R1, the resident who went two weeks without bathing, had been admitted with acute bone infection in his right ankle and foot, along with chronic heart rhythm problems and stage four kidney disease. His medical records showed he was mentally intact and had been identified as needing assistance with daily living activities since April 2025.
The facility's own policy, dated February 10, 2025, requires staff to provide bathing services based on each resident's comprehensive assessment and individual needs. The policy specifically states that residents unable to carry out activities of daily living "will receive the necessary services to maintain good nutrition, grooming, and personal hygiene."
The inspection revealed a facility divided by its plumbing problems. While the "downtown" section maintained working hot water, the "uptown hall" had been without hot water for what residents described as months. This forced staff to either transport residents to functioning shower areas or attempt bathing with inadequate water temperatures.
The corporate nurse's admission that she couldn't produce shower records suggested documentation problems beyond the mechanical failures. Federal regulations require nursing homes to maintain detailed records of resident care, including bathing schedules and completion.
R1's experience illustrated the human impact of the facility's infrastructure breakdown. As someone with a serious bone infection and advanced kidney disease, proper hygiene represented more than comfort – it was a medical necessity. His two-week gap in bathing occurred despite his cognitive ability to request and understand the need for regular care.
The residents affected represented a cross-section of the facility's most vulnerable population. R3's respiratory problems and cognitive impairment made her dependent on staff for recognition of her hygiene needs. R6's recent fractures and communication challenges – requiring written exchanges through a dry erase board – left her particularly reliant on consistent care routines.
When staff finally provided R1 with his December 29 bed bath, they used lukewarm water carried from the functioning section of the building. The makeshift solution highlighted both the persistence of the hot water problem and the facility's failure to implement adequate workarounds for basic resident care.
The inspection found that some residents were receiving showers, but not the required two per week, and not with properly heated water when bathing occurred in the affected wing.
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.