State inspectors found the supply shortages violated residents' right to dignity during a January complaint investigation at the facility.
Two residents told inspectors the makeshift cleaning supplies made them feel bad and angry. "They have used paper towels to clean me," one resident said during the inspection. "That makes me feel bad, they should have towels or wipes to clean me."
Another resident expressed similar frustration: "They use paper towels to clean me. I don't like when they do that. It makes me mad."
The problems extended beyond paper towels when even those weren't available. A certified nursing assistant told inspectors she had resorted to destroying facility property to provide basic hygiene care.
"I have had to use paper towels to clean residents," the CNA said. "I've ripped up shirts, blankets and sheets to use to clean residents."
A second nursing assistant confirmed the practice, telling inspectors she had used paper towels to clean residents "when there was no linen."
The supply shortages forced staff into an impossible position. They knew the practice violated basic standards of care, but felt they had no choice when proper supplies weren't available.
A licensed practical nurse at the facility acknowledged the problem during the inspection. "Staff should not use paper towels to clean residents," the LPN said. "They should use towels or wipes."
The Illinois Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program explicitly addresses dignity in nursing homes, stating that facilities "must treat you with dignity and respect and must care for you in a manner that promotes your quality of life."
Using paper towels and torn fabric for intimate personal care falls far short of that standard. The inspection found the facility failed to ensure appropriate peri care supplies were available for residents who needed them.
Personal care requires specialized supplies designed for human skin and dignity. Paper towels are rough and inappropriate for cleaning sensitive areas of the body. Torn clothing and bedding present additional hygiene risks and signal a breakdown in basic facility management.
The supply shortages affected multiple residents and involved multiple staff members across different roles. The problem wasn't isolated to a single shift or department, suggesting systemic issues with inventory management and resident care planning.
Federal regulations require nursing homes to provide all necessary care and services to maintain each resident's highest level of well-being. That includes having appropriate supplies available for basic hygiene needs.
The inspection identified this as a dignity violation affecting few residents with minimal harm or potential for actual harm. But the impact on the residents who experienced it was clear from their own words.
Being cleaned with paper towels during intimate personal care represents a fundamental failure to maintain human dignity. Residents depend entirely on staff for these basic needs and have no alternative when proper supplies aren't available.
The facility's supply management system failed to prevent a situation where staff felt compelled to use inappropriate materials for resident care. The nursing assistant who ripped up shirts and blankets was trying to provide care under impossible circumstances created by administrative failures.
State inspectors documented the violations during a complaint investigation, indicating someone reported concerns about conditions at the facility. The inspection focused specifically on dignity issues affecting residents.
The findings reveal how quickly dignity can erode when basic systems fail in nursing homes. What should be routine personal care became a source of distress for residents who had no choice but to accept whatever cleaning materials staff could find.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Morgan Park Healthcare from 2026-01-30 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.