Nursing home may shut down after inspection cited problems

FESTUS, Mo. -- A St. Louis-area nursing home may be forced to shut down after an inspection found residents were not provided with enough food and the home did not meet minimum requirements for cleanliness and care.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch report a lawyer for Benchmark Healthcare in Festus said he believes all residents already have been moved.

Federal inspectors filed a report in July that found the nursing home failed to meet nutritional needs of residents. Staff members told inspectors they had not received a food delivery in a month because of nonpayment to the vendor. They said they were spending their own money to buy food.

Attorney Josh Schindler said no appeal is planned but the health and safety of residents was never in jeopardy.

Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com