Loyalhanna Care: Bowel Incontinence Plan Missing - PA
Federal inspectors cited Loyalhanna Care Center on April 2 for failing to create comprehensive, individualized care plans that include specific interventions for residents' documented needs.
The violation centered on Resident 3, whose March 13 assessment showed she was mentally sharp and independent with most daily activities. But the same assessment flagged her as "frequently incontinent of bowel."
Her bowel record from March 3 through April 1 documented five separate incidents of incontinence.
The facility had no care plan addressing this problem.
"An individualized care plan and interventions was not developed related to Resident 3 being incontinent of bowel and should have been," the Director of Nursing admitted to inspectors on April 2 at 10:32 a.m.
The facility's own policy, dated January 1, requires comprehensive person-centered care plans for each resident. The policy states these plans must include "measurable objectives and timeframes to meet a resident's medical, nursing, and mental and psychosocial needs."
The policy also mandates that care plans address "all services that are identified in the resident's comprehensive assessment" and meet professional quality standards.
Resident 3's assessment clearly identified frequent bowel incontinence as a care need requiring intervention. Yet inspectors found no documented evidence that staff developed any plan to manage this condition.
The oversight represents more than paperwork. Bowel incontinence can lead to skin breakdown, infections, and dignity issues for residents. Without individualized interventions, problems often worsen.
Inspectors reviewed 35 residents during their visit. Only one lacked a proper care plan for documented needs, suggesting the violation was limited in scope but clear in its regulatory breach.
The facility operates under Pennsylvania nursing service regulations requiring individualized care planning for all identified resident needs. Federal Medicare and Medicaid standards impose similar requirements.
Care plans typically include specific interventions like scheduled toileting, dietary modifications, medication reviews, or incontinence products. They also establish monitoring schedules and staff responsibilities.
For a cognitively intact resident like Resident 3, interventions might focus on maintaining dignity while addressing the medical issue. Clear protocols help staff respond consistently when incidents occur.
The March assessment period coincided with the facility updating its care planning policy in January. The new policy emphasized person-centered approaches and measurable objectives.
But implementation appeared to lag behind policy updates. Despite having current guidelines, staff failed to apply them to Resident 3's documented condition.
The Director of Nursing's acknowledgment to inspectors was straightforward. No hedging about incomplete documentation or pending reviews. The care plan should have existed and did not.
Inspectors classified the violation as causing "minimal harm or potential for actual harm" to residents. The finding affected few residents within the facility's population.
But for Resident 3, the gap meant living with a manageable condition without systematic support. Her cognitive abilities made the oversight particularly notable since she could participate in developing solutions.
The inspection occurred during routine federal monitoring of the 535 McFarland Road facility. Inspectors completed their review on April 2, documenting the care planning deficiency under Pennsylvania Code 211.12.
Loyalhanna Care Center must submit a correction plan addressing how it will ensure comprehensive care plans for all residents with identified needs. The plan must include staff training and monitoring procedures.
The facility serves residents requiring various levels of nursing care and rehabilitation services. Most care plans meet regulatory standards, making Resident 3's situation an apparent oversight rather than systematic failure.
Her case illustrates how even cognitively intact residents depend on facility protocols for comprehensive care coordination. Without proper planning, manageable conditions can impact quality of life unnecessarily.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Loyalhanna Care Center from 2026-04-02 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: June 15, 2026 · Our methodology
LOYALHANNA CARE CENTER in LATROBE, PA was cited for violations during a health inspection on April 2, 2026.
The violation centered on Resident 3, whose March 13 assessment showed she was mentally sharp and independent with most daily activities.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened at LOYALHANNA CARE CENTER?
- The violation centered on Resident 3, whose March 13 assessment showed she was mentally sharp and independent with most daily activities.
- How serious are these violations?
- Violation severity varies from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the inspection report for specific deficiency codes and scope. All violations must be corrected within required timeframes and are subject to follow-up verification inspections.
- What should families do?
- Families should: (1) Ask facility administration about specific corrective actions taken, (2) Request to see the follow-up inspection report verifying corrections, (3) Check if this represents a pattern by reviewing prior inspection reports, (4) Compare this facility's ratings with other nursing homes in LATROBE, PA, (5) Report any new concerns directly to state authorities.
- Where can I see the full inspection report?
- The complete inspection report is available on Medicare.gov's Care Compare website (www.medicare.gov/care-compare). You can also request a copy directly from LOYALHANNA CARE CENTER or from the state Department of Health. The report includes specific deficiency codes, facility responses, and correction timelines. This facility's federal provider number is 395860.
- Has this facility had violations before?
- To check LOYALHANNA CARE CENTER's history, visit Medicare.gov's Care Compare and review their inspection history, quality ratings, and staffing levels. Look for patterns of repeated violations, especially in critical areas like abuse prevention, medication management, infection control, and resident safety.