Civita Care Center at Salmon Brook operated with just one functioning washing machine for approximately six months after two of its three washers broke down, according to a federal inspection completed in October. One machine had been broken for over two years, another for about a year.
Resident #2 filed a grievance in August after waiting a full week for personal items to be laundered. The facility's response acknowledged they were "working on buying a new washing machine," but residents continued complaining about laundry delays at council meetings in August and September.
The breakdown created a cascade of problems throughout the facility. Nurse aides routinely searched through lost and found bins to find clean clothes for residents whose personal items remained unwashed, the Central Supply Manager told inspectors. Staff added a third shift specifically to manage the laundry backlog.
Two months before the inspection, administrators began outsourcing some soiled clothing to an outside service once per week. But even with the additional help, Laundry Technician #2 said the facility remained "down/short one washing machine and one dryer, causing a continued delay in completing resident laundry."
The Environmental Services Director said two of the broken machines were "irreparable due to replacement parts were not available." He told inspectors he was "unsure as to the reason for the delay in replacing the washing machines as the corporate office, the regional manager, and Administrator were all aware of the issue."
Records show the facility purchased a 60-pound washing machine on August 14, with delivery scheduled for August 29. But by October 1, when inspectors interviewed the Administrator, only one replacement machine had been installed. The Administrator acknowledged being aware of the laundry problems and confirmed the facility had replaced just one washer as of that date.
That meant 58 days had passed since Resident #2's grievance was filed, and 48 days since the first replacement machine was invoiced. A September invoice showed the facility had received a quote for an additional 60-pound washing machine to replace the third broken washer, but that machine had not yet been installed.
The laundry crisis affected many residents, according to the inspection report. With only one functioning machine handling all personal clothing and facility linens, the single washer couldn't keep pace with the needs of the nursing home population.
Laundry Technician #1 described the progression of equipment failures that created the bottleneck. The large washing machine broke down over two years ago but was never replaced. When the second machine failed about a year later, staff were left with just one working washer for all laundry needs.
The facility's response revealed a pattern of delayed action despite widespread awareness of the problem. Corporate offices, regional management, and the facility administrator all knew about the broken machines, yet replacement took months to begin and remained incomplete at the time of inspection.
Even after adding overnight laundry staff and contracting with an outside service, residents continued experiencing delays getting their personal items cleaned and returned. The lost and found bins became an unofficial backup closet as staff scrambled to dress residents who lacked clean clothes.
The inspection found the facility failed to provide sufficient laundry services due to the broken washing machines, creating minimal harm or potential for actual harm to residents. While the facility eventually began addressing the equipment failures, the months-long delay left residents like #2 waiting weeks for basic laundry services that should have been completed promptly.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Civita Care Center At Salmon Brook from 2025-11-26 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.