Skip to main content
Complaint Investigation

Salem Lutheran Home

October 8, 2025 · Elk Horn, IA · 2027 College Avenue
Citations 1
CMS Rating 1/5
Beds 64
Provider ID 165155
Healthcare Facility
Salem Lutheran Home
Elk Horn, IA  ·  View full profile →
Source Document
Official CMS Inspection Report (Medicare.gov)
Downloaded from CMS/Medicare.gov. Reflects what state inspectors documented and does not include the facility's plan of correction, which is submitted separately. Facilities may have taken corrective actions since this report was released.
Inspection Summary

Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn, IA — inspection on October 8, 2025.

Found 1 citation. Severity: Standard violations.

Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct within required timeframes. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns and are subject to follow-up verification.

Inspection Findings

FF0677
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

bath day then they are moved to the next day.

Staff A further revealed that if a resident refuses it will

revealed that if a resident's bath or shower is missed they will try to move the resident to the next

Interview 10/8/25 at 12:15 PM with Staff C CNA revealed residents are supposed to be bathed twice a week.

Staff C then revealed that it depends on staffing levels.

Staff C further revealed that the facility will pull a med aide to help.

Staff C then revealed refusals are normally charted, and then reported to the nurse.

Staff C revealed that CNAs will also report to the next shift if a bath is missed.

Staff C further revealed residents will be moved to the next day if they are missed on their bath/shower days.

Staff C revealed that it is not uncommon for residents to go several days in between baths or showers as staff will call in leaving the floor short.

Interview 10/8/25 at 12:20 PM with Staff D CNA revealed residents are bathed twice a week.

Staff D revealed that if baths/showers are missed or refused it should be charted, and CNAs will let the nurse know.

Staff D revealed sometimes they are short staffed, with no bath aid and residents miss baths.

Staff D then further revealed that it is not uncommon for residents to go for several days in between bathing related to call ins or being short on the floor of staff.

Interview 10/8/25 1:15 PM with the Administrator revealed that his expectation would be for residents to have baths/showers at least twice a week or per their request.Request for a policy from administration on frequency of bathing revealed no policy to review.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an F-tag violation?
F-tags are federal deficiency codes used by CMS to categorize nursing home violations. Each F-tag corresponds to a specific federal regulation (42 CFR Part 483). For example, F607 relates to abuse prevention policies, F880 relates to infection control.
Were these violations corrected?
Facilities must submit plans of correction and implement changes within required timeframes. CMS conducts follow-up inspections to verify corrections. Check the inspection report for specific correction dates and follow-up verification status.
How often do nursing home inspections happen?
CMS conducts unannounced inspections of all Medicare/Medicaid-certified nursing homes at least once per year. Additional inspections may occur based on complaints, facility-reported incidents, or follow-up to verify previous violations were corrected.
What should families do about these violations?
Families should: (1) Review the full inspection report for details, (2) Ask facility administration about specific corrective actions taken, (3) Check if this represents a pattern by reviewing prior inspections, (4) Compare with other facilities in Elk Horn, IA, (5) Report new concerns to state authorities.
Where can I see the full inspection report?
Complete inspection reports are available on Medicare.gov's Care Compare website (www.medicare.gov/care-compare). You can also request copies directly from Salem Lutheran Home or from the state Department of Health. Reports include deficiency codes, facility responses, and correction timelines.


More Reports

About This Inspection Report

Source: This inspection report was downloaded directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via Medicare.gov. CMS releases nursing home inspection reports in bulk. The findings reflect what state surveyors documented in the official Form CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies on the date of the inspection.

Plan of correction not included: The CMS report we receive does not include the facility's plan of correction. Facilities submit plans of correction separately to their state survey agency and those responses may not appear in CMS public data at the time of release. The absence of a plan of correction in this report does not mean one was not filed. Readers who want information about corrective steps taken by the facility are encouraged to contact the facility or their state survey agency directly.

Corrections may have been made: This report reflects conditions observed on the date of the survey. The facility may have implemented staffing changes, additional training, policy revisions, or other corrective actions since this report was issued. We publish what CMS provides and encourage readers to seek current information from the facility.