I've spent a lot of time covering the problems at Gracedale over the past several years. This home gets a lot of coverage from me because something always is going on there and it is publicly owned. It also recently attracted the attention of a NorCo Investigating Grand Jury. Is it packed with lies and perjury, as Zrinski asserted just last week? And what about other nursing homes in Northampton and Lehigh County? Are they even worse, as NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski has suggested during a county council meeting? I've reviewed the Department of Health and ProPublica inspection records for nursing homes in Northampton and Lehigh counties from 2024 to present. They reveal numerous deficiencies since 2024, ranging from relatively minor regulatory violations to findings classified as posing immediate jeopardy to residents’ health or safety. Gracedale is among the worst.
What is a deficiency? It means inspectors determined that a facility failed to meet a federal or state requirement. The seriousness of those deficiencies, however, varies considerably.
The most significant findings involve deficiencies classified as J, K or L, the highest levels on the federal scope-and-severity scale. Recent federal data identify J-level findings at both Gracedale and Bethlehem South, while Phoebe Allentown had a K-level infection-control finding in 2025.
Gracedale
It appears that the coverage I've given is warranted. It has had more than 20 deficiencies since 2024.
Among the most serious was a J-level finding in May 2026 , which occurred six months after Exec. Zrinski assumed office. It involved a failure to ensure that the nursing-home environment was free of accident hazards and that residents received adequate supervision to prevent accidents. Federal records classified it as immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety, affecting a few residents.
Gracedale also had a serious finding in September 2025 involving resident assessment and care planning. Pennsylvania Department of Health's inspection records document the September 23, 2025 abbreviated survey and resulting deficiencies.
Inspection records also show a K-level staffing finding in May 2026 (5 months after Exec. Zrinski was in office), determining that Gracedale did not provide enough nursing staff every day to meet residents' needs and did not have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift. That finding was classified as immediate jeopardy and resulted in a $21,756 fine. The Pennsylvania Department of Health's inspection database shows that a subsequent abbreviated survey completed August 10, 2026 found no deficient practice related to the particular complaint allegations investigated during that survey.
Bethlehem South
Bethlehem South Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center has accumulated 28 deficiencies in the current federal reporting record.
Its most significant recent finding came from a June 9, 2026 complaint inspection. Inspectors cited the facility at the J level, finding that it failed to protect residents from abuse and neglect. J means immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety. The facility also had two D-level deficiencies in an April 29, 2026 complaint inspection involving pressure-ulcer care and bowel and bladder care. The inspection resulted in a $27,378 fine. Pennsylvania's inspection records subsequently reported that the deficiencies cited in the June 30, 2026 survey had been corrected by the July 17 revisit.
Bethlehem North
Bethlehem North Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center also has a substantial number of deficiencies. A February 2026 standard inspection identified deficiencies involving such areas as nutrition, treatment and care, resident notification, activities of daily living, range of motion and infection control.
A May 2026 complaint investigation also produced an E-level deficiency involving the failure to timely report suspected abuse, neglect or theft.
The pattern illustrates why simply counting deficiencies can be misleading. A facility can accumulate a large number of D- or E-level findings without those findings reaching the immediate-jeopardy level.
Phoebe Allentown
Phoebe Allentown Health Care Center had 13 deficiencies, one of which was particularly serious. An August 19, 2025 complaint inspection produced a K-level infection-control deficiency. Inspectors found that the facility failed to provide and implement an effective infection-prevention and control program. The finding was classified as immediate jeopardy and involved some residents.
A July 2025 standard inspection produced three additional D-level deficiencies involving resident rights, range of motion/mobility and accident hazards or supervision. That inspection also resulted in an $11,087 fine.
Interestingly, Gracedale Administrator Michelle Morton came to NorCo from Phoebe. At last week's County Council meeting, Zrinski stated that she visited that home to pick up a few pointers. Why she'd visit a home with a K-level deficiency is beyond me.
Cedarbrook
Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehabilitation has accumulated 16 deficiencies in the current federal record. This is Lehigh County's public home. The deficiencies are all minor involving resident rights, assessments, activities of daily living, resident care, accident hazards, dietary equipment, infection control and reporting of suspected abuse or neglect. They've all been corrected.
Complete Care at Lehigh
Complete Care at Lehigh LLC has 12 deficiencies. They include deficiencies involving food handling and storage, pressure-ulcer care and pharmacy services. Most of its recent deficiencies were classified at the D level — meaning no actual harm was identified but there was potential for more than minimal harm.
Northampton Post Acute
Northampton Post Acute has 15 deficiencies. A May 2026 standard inspection identified four D-level deficiencies, including problems involving resident rights, care planning and accident hazards or supervision. Those deficiencies were documented as corrected during a June 2026 revisit.
Easton Skilled Nursing
Easton Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation has 20 deficiencies. They include repeated issues involving resident care and activities of daily living.
A December 2025 inspection produced nine health deficiencies, most at the D level.
An April 2026 complaint inspection also cited the facility for an infection-control deficiency.
The Gardens at Easton
The Gardens at Easton, including its memory-care operation, has had several deficiencies during the period examined, generally at the lower levels of the severity scale.
What the severity ratings mean
The federal nursing-home inspection system uses a scope-and-severity system that ranges from relatively minor deficiencies to immediate jeopardy.
D, E and F indicate no actual harm was found, although there was potential for more than minimal harm. G, H and I indicate actual harm that did not rise to immediate jeopardy. J, K and L represent immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.
Consequently, a nursing home with 20 D-level deficiencies should not automatically be considered more problematic than a facility with fewer deficiencies that includes a J- or K-level finding. The nature and seriousness of the deficiencies matter at least as much as the raw number.
What the records do show is that several nursing homes in Northampton and Lehigh counties have experienced recurring regulatory problems since 2024. Gracedale, Bethlehem South and Phoebe Allentown have each had recent deficiencies classified at the immediate-jeopardy level.
The good news is that Gracedale is making strides to improve. Just last week, Northampton County Council voted to raise the wages for nurse supervisors to a level that is competitive and should attract professionals. Executive Tara Zrinski has stated this is only the beginning of changes to compensation. In six visits from the state Department of Health since May, no deficiencies have been found. Gracedale Oversight Committee has been established, although it has yet to meet.
Question: The 27 nurse supervisor positions receiving the increase in pay, are they going to new employees who are qualified and were attracted to the pay? Or are the positions going to agency nursing supervisors who will now be county employees or county nursing supervisors getting pay raises? Did council ask this at the personnel committee meeting or council meeting? If hiriing the agency nurse supervisors as county employees, this does not correct the problem. The problems occurred under the current supervisors watch and new qualified staff is needed attracted by new pay. Example, didn't the report say that nursing supervisors were seen sleeping, wearing crocs, etc....No amount of money will correct that. If it wasnt a supervor, where was the supervisor to correct the employee? Sleeping in any job is not accetable, agency or county. How was the number 27 derived from? Did council ask this? What was the attachment on this issue the council clerk forgot to attach to agenda? Or was she told to forget it? Are county nurse supervisors part of union? If so, what is their take on new qualified employees coming in? Hopefully the county is just not increasing the pay of the supervisors already there and making agency supervors now county employees.This will not correct the problems at Gracedale.
ReplyDelete"Question: The 27 nurse supervisor positions receiving the increase in pay, are they going to new employees who are qualified and were attracted to the pay? Or are the positions going to agency nursing supervisors who will now be county employees or county nursing supervisors getting pay raises? Did council ask this at the personnel committee meeting or council meeting?"
DeleteYes. I asked how many supervising nurses are county employees, and I was told the number is 2. Those 2 will be upgraded. The other positions will be posted for new hires. Agency nurses can apply to them, as can anyone else. There is no guarantee that any agency nurse will get one of those positions.
Council doesn't get a say in the hiring of career service employees, so we just have to hope that the management will hire the best candidates. And I hope that the more competitive pay will allow them to hire better candidates.
"What was the attachment on this issue the council clerk forgot to attach to agenda? Or was she told to forget it?"
Not sure what this in reference to. I checked the supporting documents on the website and everything appears to be in order.
"Are county nurse supervisors part of union? If so, what is their take on new qualified employees coming in?"
The supervisors are not part of the union. We asked about the union at Personnel and were told the union is supportive of these raises.
Great objective local comparison and research of homes. If only the executive had done what she gets paid to do, some of this may have been avoided. Well done BO.
ReplyDeleteThis report shows that Gracedale has been neglected in the past. What happened during those years? It's simple. County Executives needed funds to operate the government so what do they do? They balance their budgets by taking funds from those who are unable to fight for themselves. Our elderly. Unfortunately, McClure became County Executive and he didn't care about anyone but himself. The proof is in the pudding. Zarinski inherited a mess. Instead of dealing with these problems by investing a few dollars to resolve these issues, McClure cut taxes so he would look good when he ran again for public office. Shame on him and the Commissioners who supported these budgets. They're all to blame. No one wants to work for Northampton County anymore. Why? Wages suck is the primary reason.
ReplyDeleteYou will have no where to go when you need care and it'll be your own fault. You have no money. You also have no soul.
ReplyDeleteTZ doesn't stack up. Neither do most members of county counsel. They both play their political fiddles as Gracedale and NORECO burn
ReplyDeleteWhere’s Court Administrator Germaine Green, and why is Judge Dally not addressing his absence. I guess Domestic Violence can be covered up in Northampton County.
ReplyDeleteThe DOH was in 2 weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteTara didn’t mention that last week, did she? Wonder how it went?
DeleteYour hatred for Gracedale is pathological.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, Gracedale Administrator Michelle Morton came to NorCo from Phoebe. At last week's County Council meeting, Zrinski stated that she visited that home to pick up a few pointers. Why she'd visit a home with a K-level deficiency is beyond me.
ReplyDeleteI suspect ChatGPT told her to. She doesn't possess many original thoughts.
Worst in the valley.
ReplyDeleteWhen did all these problems begin at Gracedale? Go back in time and find if any of the leaders of the "good Times at Gracedale" are still around and talk with them. They may have some of the answers to your problems. You can cross out Stoffa, Brown and McClure. Talk with the staff.
ReplyDeleteWhen McClure ended the contract with Premier management. That also ended the collaboration with their consultants, billing, nursing, RNACS…. The census doesn’t warrant the staffing levels.
DeleteThe DOH website offers only a limited snapshot of nursing homes. In contrast, the CMS Nursing Home Compare site not only provides star ratings but also breaks down important details like care quality metrics and staffing ratings. CMS gathers comprehensive data on every aspect of care through integrated systems, including records of every shift worked by nursing home staff. Meanwhile, the DOH site focuses solely on surveys.
ReplyDeleteContinuously criticizing Gracedale may not be very productive, as surveys show that no nursing home is perfect. After all, this is one of the most heavily regulated industries. It’s also worth noting that regulations have become much stricter recently, and all nursing homes are feeling that increased pressure.
In particular the local doh field office has been under new management over the last year and a half and is systematically giving out much harsher surveys in the region it covers from the Delaware river to Hershey. It’s not just Gracedale that is feeling the pressure. That of course does not support your weekly Gracedale bashing.
I have often linked to CMS, which provides an even more negative view of Gracedale. That is where it gets its one star rating, a red flag for abuse and a listing of monetary penalties. So frankly, you have no idea what you're talking about. And I am not bashing Gracedale but am portraying it accurately. https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/details/nursing-home/395476?city=Nazareth&state=PA&zipcode=18064
ReplyDeleteReporting without giving the full perspective is incomplete. I challenge you to use the pa doh site and find a single jeopardy level deficiency in the LV field office prior to 2025. You won’t find one looking back a number of years. Is that because the homes suddenly suck and give poor care? The regulatory body is completely different. They want to eliminate a large portion of the industry because they cannot pay for it.
DeleteYou seem to think it's a bad thing that the state DOH is paying a bit more attention to nursing homes than it did before. I find that attitude troubling. If DOH is paying more attention, good. We have an increasingly older population, and I am happy that at least someone is looking out for them. You apparently have a different mindset. Too bad.
DeleteTARA....it is unfair to blame you for the mess at Gracedale. Most of these deficiencies occurred long before you became Executive. The bulk of them came within the last ten years. Guess who the Executive was?
ReplyDeletePlease Tara go away- you were on Council, Controller, and now you were miraculously elected Executive!
DeleteBullshit. She was there the entire time. She knew about the financials as controller, she knew about salary discrepancy and workers leaving. Read the public council meeting notes from 5 years ago up to now…..she was there.
DeleteAfter almost nine years of heading the department that oversees Gracedale, why does Sue Wandalowski continue to get a free pass on all this?
ReplyDelete"Why she'd visit a home with a K-level deficiency is beyond me."
ReplyDeleteSame reason she took a trip to Philadelphia to campaign for a candidate during the workweek when she was masquerading as controller. There's never a bad time to campaign.
Surveyors used to use common sense in the survey process. Then CMS made a new survey by computer process that basically forces additional deficiencies and duplicate deficiencies for the same infraction. Any survey can walk in and find deficiencies but some field offices were reasonable and supportive of the homes. Some surveyors just feel they justify their job by the number of deficiencies they give out as CMS is watching and has always pushed for more deficiencies no matter how small. Fines by CMS became a bigger deal in the last ten years. Shapiro by the way was all in pushing DOH to fine alleging bad care in the homes. They also push now for past noncompliance issues that used to never be a deficiency if the situation had been handled according to the regulations. Now they sight past non-compliance which I frankly think is insane. So indeed the process has changed. Field offices throughout the state handke things differently as some of it based on the people doing the survey. Good surveyors want to be fair and help the home succeed. Unfortunately CMS and some surveyors have no clue what actually working in a nursing home is like. Local field office management has changed and I am sure the local facilities feel that change. For years they had the best supervisor in the state that worked hard to help facilities succeed
ReplyDeleteBecause she did whatever McClure told her to do. She doesn't know enough about nursing home regs to be able to run one. No one in this administration has any leadership qualifications. Just there to fill a position. They don’t know what lower level career service staff are supposed to be doing.
ReplyDelete