Brickyard Healthcare - Merrillville Care Center

In the surveyor’s words

From the most serious findings on record at Brickyard Healthcare - Merrillville Care Center, in the surveyor’s own words.

• Actual harm, isolatedF600Jan 3, 2025

  Based on record review, observation, and interview, the facility failed to protect a cognitively impaired resident's rights to be free from physical abuse for 1 of 2 residents reviewed for abuse. (Residents B and C). This deficient practice resulted in Resident B sustaining swelling with discoloration injuries to the bilateral eyes and left wrist, a laceration on the right toe, and a laceration on the right ankle that required six sutures to repair. Finding includes: A Facility-Reported Incident (FRI), dated 12/29/24, indicated the following: .Incident date: 12/29/24 Incident time: 9:30 a.m. […]

• No harm, potential for more than minimal, widespreadF812Aug 8, 2025

  Based on observation, record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure a sanitary kitchen was maintained related to testing of the chemical dishwasher. This had the potential to affect all residents who received meals prepared in the Main Kitchen. Finding includes:On 8/4/25 at 9:00 a.m., the Initial Kitchen tour was completed with the Dietary Service Manager (DSM). The DSM indicated the dishwasher was a chemical system. He indicated the dishwashing solution was tested every shift. He obtained a test strip from a bottle on top of the dishwasher. The test strip was weaved into the tines of a fork and placed on a tray that was put through the dishwasher. […]

• No harm, potential for more than minimal, widespreadF812Jun 14, 2024

  Based on observation, record review, and interview, the facility failed to serve food under sanitary conditions related to dirty and greasy food equipment, an accumulation of dust on fan blades, food spillage, lack of hair restraints, touching food with gloved hands after touching other items, and the dishwasher gauge not functioning for 1 of 1 kitchen observed. (The Main Kitchen). This had the potential to affect 137 residents who received food from the kitchen. Findings include: 1. During the Kitchen Sanitation Tour on 6/10/24 at 9:10 a.m. with the Dietary Food Manager (DFM), the following was observed: a. A bag of noodles, located in the dry storage room, was not fastened. Loose noodles were observed on the shelves and on top of food boxes. b. […]

• No harm, potential for more than minimal, patternF584Jan 15, 2026

  Based on observation, record review, and interview, the facility failed to ensure residents had a clean and homelike environment related to dirty bed linens on made beds for 4 of 7 resident beds observed on the Advanced Alzheimer's Care Unit (AACU). (Residents E, H, F, and G)Finding includes:During observations of the bed linen, on the AACU on 1/15/26 at 9:42 a.m. through 9:50 a.m., with the AACU Supervisor the following was observed:Resident E's bed had been made with a bottom sheet, top sheet and blanket. There was a moderate amount of a brown substance located on the top sheet that was hanging over the side of the bed. The AACU Supervisor acknowledged the brown substance. […]

• No harm, potential for more than minimal, patternF921Aug 8, 2025

  Based on observation and interview, the facility failed to ensure the residents' environment was clean and in good repair related to discolored ceiling tiles, dirty ceiling vents, broken window curtains, peeling wallpaper around window sill, gouges in walls, and marred floors for 3 of 3 units. (Reflections, C-wing, and D-wing) Findings include:During the Environmental Tour on 8/7/25 at 3:21 p.m., with the Regional Maintenance Director and the Housekeeping Manager, the following was observed: 1. C-wing a. There were several ceiling tiles that were discolored and stained. b. The ceiling vents were dirty throughout the unit. c. The window curtain fasteners were broken in room [ROOM NUMBER]. There were two resident's residing in the room. d. […]