Report Reveals Widespread Neglect and Abuse in Michigan Nursing Homes

The plea was desperate: Help!

Lorena Brown gasped for air on September 12, 2022, turning blue at the SKLD Muskegon nursing home. Her roommate called for assistance from a nurse, only to be met with a dismissive response: “Mind your own business.”

In a harrowing act of desperation, the roommate used a washcloth to scoop vomit from the 68-year-old’s mouth, pleading for help once more. Tragically, no assistance arrived, and Brown died, as detailed in an inspection report based on interviews with her roommates and staff.

Brown, a former foster parent and cosmetologist, is among nearly three dozen residents who have died under suspicious circumstances related to neglect or abuse in Michigan nursing homes over the past four years. This alarming statistic comes from a comprehensive review by Bridge Michigan, which examined over 3,100 state and federal inspection records and court documents.

Bridge’s investigation uncovered at least 5,915 cases of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or quality of life and care violations among a staggering 15,471 total citations. These violations ranged from incomplete paperwork to inadequate care, resulting in fines totaling $21.5 million over the past three years and a denial of 6,451 days of Medicaid reimbursements.

While many of Michigan’s 420 nursing homes provide exceptional care, the citations reveal severe staff shortages and deplorable conditions, including mold and gnats, odors of human waste, filth, rodents, flies, isolation, and inactivity that left residents staring at walls.

Advocates argue that these conditions highlight failures in Michigan’s safety net, which were tragically underscored by Brown’s death. The nursing home administrator failed to report the “sudden and unexpected death” or the “allegation of neglect” to the state. The nurse involved continued to work at the facility, only being terminated after state inspectors received a complaint and initiated an inquiry.

While other states have enacted laws to enhance care for nursing home residents, efforts to improve conditions for Michigan’s 34,000 residents have stalled. “We need to find a champion,” said Paula Cunningham, state director of AARP Michigan.

Bridge Michigan dedicated four months to scrutinizing the policies and practices of Michigan’s nursing homes, reviewing over 45,000 pages of inspection reports, submitting numerous public records requests, analyzing more than 30 death certificates, and interviewing nearly 100 family members, current and former staff, administrators, consumer advocates, researchers, policymakers, and industry representatives.

The investigation revealed several critical issues:

• Minimal Staffing Requirements: Michigan mandates only 2 hours and 15 minutes of care per day for each resident, significantly below the four hours recommended by advocates. Staffing levels vary widely across facilities.
• Insufficient Training: Michigan has some of the lowest training standards for nurse aides in the nation, requiring only about 100 hours of training. In contrast, manicurists require 400 hours, and barbers need 1,800 hours.
• Unspent Funds: Michigan has a $35 million fund aimed at improving care, but bureaucratic hurdles make it nearly impossible for administrators to access these funds.
• Lack of Transparency: When staff are cited for wrongdoing, it’s often difficult for the public to know if they are still employed at the facility, as both residents and staff are not identified in state reports.
• For-Profit Facilities: Over 75% of nursing home beds are in for-profit facilities, which have 43% more citations per bed than nonprofit and government-run homes.

Despite the clear need for reform, only one bill addressing nursing home care is currently in the Legislature. This bill would allow cameras in nursing homes upon request, but its sponsor, Sen. Jim Runestad, acknowledges it’s “dead on arrival.”

Advocates like Cunningham point to a “quagmire of lobbyists” representing the nursing home industry as a significant barrier to change. “They have an incredible power base,” Runestad noted.

The last major overhaul of nursing home regulations occurred in 2015, when lawmakers reduced mandatory annual inspections from once a year to once every three years. This change was influenced by significant donations from the Health Care Association of Michigan, which has contributed heavily to both parties.

Federal authorities have begun to crack down on egregious offenders, such as the Detroit Nursing Center, which agreed to pay $4.5 million to settle allegations of inadequate staffing that harmed residents.

In light of these findings, it is clear that while many Michigan nursing homes provide quality care, systemic issues persist that jeopardize the well-being of residents. Families deserve transparency and accountability in the care of their loved ones.

This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Topics
Michigan

The plea was desperate: Help!

Lorena Brown gasped for air on September 12, 2022, turning blue at the SKLD Muskegon nursing home. Her roommate called for assistance from a nurse, only to be met with a dismissive response: “Mind your own business.”

In a harrowing act of desperation, the roommate used a washcloth to scoop vomit from the 68-year-old’s mouth, pleading for help once more. Tragically, no assistance arrived, and Brown died, as detailed in an inspection report based on interviews with her roommates and staff.

Brown, a former foster parent and cosmetologist, is among nearly three dozen residents who have died under suspicious circumstances related to neglect or abuse in Michigan nursing homes over the past four years. This alarming statistic comes from a comprehensive review by Bridge Michigan, which examined over 3,100 state and federal inspection records and court documents.

Bridge’s investigation uncovered at least 5,915 cases of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or quality of life and care violations among a staggering 15,471 total citations. These violations ranged from incomplete paperwork to inadequate care, resulting in fines totaling $21.5 million over the past three years and a denial of 6,451 days of Medicaid reimbursements.

While many of Michigan’s 420 nursing homes provide exceptional care, the citations reveal severe staff shortages and deplorable conditions, including mold and gnats, odors of human waste, filth, rodents, flies, isolation, and inactivity that left residents staring at walls.

Advocates argue that these conditions highlight failures in Michigan’s safety net, which were tragically underscored by Brown’s death. The nursing home administrator failed to report the “sudden and unexpected death” or the “allegation of neglect” to the state. The nurse involved continued to work at the facility, only being terminated after state inspectors received a complaint and initiated an inquiry.

While other states have enacted laws to enhance care for nursing home residents, efforts to improve conditions for Michigan’s 34,000 residents have stalled. “We need to find a champion,” said Paula Cunningham, state director of AARP Michigan.

Bridge Michigan dedicated four months to scrutinizing the policies and practices of Michigan’s nursing homes, reviewing over 45,000 pages of inspection reports, submitting numerous public records requests, analyzing more than 30 death certificates, and interviewing nearly 100 family members, current and former staff, administrators, consumer advocates, researchers, policymakers, and industry representatives.

The investigation revealed several critical issues:

• Minimal Staffing Requirements: Michigan mandates only 2 hours and 15 minutes of care per day for each resident, significantly below the four hours recommended by advocates. Staffing levels vary widely across facilities.
• Insufficient Training: Michigan has some of the lowest training standards for nurse aides in the nation, requiring only about 100 hours of training. In contrast, manicurists require 400 hours, and barbers need 1,800 hours.
• Unspent Funds: Michigan has a $35 million fund aimed at improving care, but bureaucratic hurdles make it nearly impossible for administrators to access these funds.
• Lack of Transparency: When staff are cited for wrongdoing, it’s often difficult for the public to know if they are still employed at the facility, as both residents and staff are not identified in state reports.
• For-Profit Facilities: Over 75% of nursing home beds are in for-profit facilities, which have 43% more citations per bed than nonprofit and government-run homes.

Despite the clear need for reform, only one bill addressing nursing home care is currently in the Legislature. This bill would allow cameras in nursing homes upon request, but its sponsor, Sen. Jim Runestad, acknowledges it’s “dead on arrival.”

Advocates like Cunningham point to a “quagmire of lobbyists” representing the nursing home industry as a significant barrier to change. “They have an incredible power base,” Runestad noted.

The last major overhaul of nursing home regulations occurred in 2015, when lawmakers reduced mandatory annual inspections from once a year to once every three years. This change was influenced by significant donations from the Health Care Association of Michigan, which has contributed heavily to both parties.

Federal authorities have begun to crack down on egregious offenders, such as the Detroit Nursing Center, which agreed to pay $4.5 million to settle allegations of inadequate staffing that harmed residents.

In light of these findings, it is clear that while many Michigan nursing homes provide quality care, systemic issues persist that jeopardize the well-being of residents. Families deserve transparency and accountability in the care of their loved ones.

This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Topics
Michigan