Indiana ›Columbia City

Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility

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640 W Ellsworth St, Columbia City, IN 46725 (opens Google Maps) · Whitley County · (260) 248-8101· 84 certified beds · avg 41 residents/day · certified since Jan 3, 1974 · Medicare and Medicaid certified

Certified for both programmes. Certification means the facility can bill Medicaid — it does not mean a Medicaid-funded bed is free right now, so ask directly. Who pays for nursing home care →

Part of chain: INFINITY HEALTHCARE CONSULTING (69 facilities, chain avg rating 2.0★)

2/5
Health inspection rating (on-site)
inspected Dec 12, 2025
2
Serious findings on record
most recent Feb 22, 2024
$60,590
Fines, last 3 years
2.77
Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)

What health inspectors found (on-site government inspections — the most independent evidence available)

New to these records? How to read an inspection report →

Health inspection rating: ★★☆☆☆2/5 · CMS overall rating: 3/5 · how star ratings work →

The health inspection star above is graded on a curve within each state — a set share of each state's facilities gets each star level — so a facility can have few citations and still rate 2–3 stars if others in its state did even better. The overall rating combines that inspection score with staffing and quality measures from resident assessments and claims.

Most serious findings (actual harm or immediate jeopardy)

▲ Immediate jeopardy, isolated · Feb 22, 2024 · F-0684 · triggered by a complaint

The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.

Why it matters: Care that strays from doctor's orders or ignores the resident's wishes can lead to declining health and avoidable harm.

Severity (J): Immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety was cited. The scope was isolated: limited residents, staff, or locations were affected. Scope describes the extent of the deficiency, not whether it happened on previous inspections.

Corrected: Feb 24, 2024 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

▲ Immediate jeopardy, isolated · Feb 22, 2024 · F-0760 · triggered by a complaint

The facility did not keep residents free from significant medication errors — such as giving the wrong drug, the wrong dose, or missing a critical medication.

Why it matters: A serious medication error can cause real harm, hospitalization, or worse.

Severity (J): Immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety was cited. The scope was isolated: limited residents, staff, or locations were affected. Scope describes the extent of the deficiency, not whether it happened on previous inspections.

Corrected: Feb 24, 2024 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

Inspection findings in the public record

Showing the latest 3 of 17 inspection findings. Open the full record below to read every finding.

  1. F · Potential for more than minimal harm, widespread

    The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards. F-0812

  2. E · Potential for more than minimal harm, pattern

    The facility did not treat residents with dignity and respect, or did not honor their rights to make their own decisions and communicate freely. This is one of the most fundamental resident rights. F-0550

  3. D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated

    The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals. F-0684

View all 17 inspection findingsShow only the latest 3 findings

CMS publishes roughly the last three inspection cycles plus recent complaint investigations. Older surveys drop out of the record as new ones are completed — that window is CMS's, not ours. Within it, every citation CMS publishes for this facility is listed here: none excluded.

DateSeverityWhat the facility was cited for
Dec 12, 2025F · Potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadThe facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards. · F-0812
Dec 12, 2025E · Potential for more than minimal harm, patternThe facility did not treat residents with dignity and respect, or did not honor their rights to make their own decisions and communicate freely. This is one of the most fundamental resident rights. · F-0550
Dec 12, 2025D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals. · F-0684
Dec 12, 2025D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not provide safe and appropriate respiratory care — such as oxygen, breathing treatments, or care for residents on breathing equipment — for residents who needed it. · F-0695
Dec 12, 2025D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not label drugs according to professional standards or did not store them in locked compartments, with controlled drugs (medications with a high risk of misuse) kept under a separate lock. · F-0761
Oct 21, 2024F · Potential for more than minimal harm, widespreadThe facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards. · F-0812
Oct 21, 2024E · Potential for more than minimal harm, patternThe facility did not provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment, including safe support for residents' daily living needs. · F-0584
Oct 21, 2024E · Potential for more than minimal harm, patternThe facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide. · F-0880
Oct 21, 2024D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own. · F-0677
Oct 21, 2024D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not label drugs according to professional standards or did not store them in locked compartments, with controlled drugs (medications with a high risk of misuse) kept under a separate lock. · F-0761
Feb 22, 2024▲ J · Immediate jeopardy, isolatedThe facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals. · from a complaint · F-0684
Feb 22, 2024▲ J · Immediate jeopardy, isolatedThe facility did not keep residents free from significant medication errors — such as giving the wrong drug, the wrong dose, or missing a critical medication. · from a complaint · F-0760
Sep 29, 2023E · Potential for more than minimal harm, patternThe facility did not honor residents' right to form and take part in resident or family groups, such as a resident council. · F-0565
Sep 29, 2023E · Potential for more than minimal harm, patternThe facility did not have enough nursing staff each day to meet every resident's needs, or did not have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift. Adequate staffing is one of the strongest predictors of good care. · F-0725
Sep 29, 2023E · Potential for more than minimal harm, patternThe facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide. · F-0880
Sep 29, 2023D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not treat residents with dignity and respect, or did not honor their rights to make their own decisions and communicate freely. This is one of the most fundamental resident rights. · F-0550
Sep 29, 2023D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedThe facility did not keep residents' personal and medical information private and confidential. · F-0583

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections stayed about the same across the last two inspection cycles (5 → 5).

Citations by recorded inspection yearPublished citation counts, not a quality score · Source: CMS, 2026-08-01
All citationsSerious citations (G–L)
2023
All citations: 5
Serious citations (G–L): 0
2024
All citations: 7
Serious citations (G–L): 2
2025
All citations: 5
Serious citations (G–L): 0

All bars start at zero. Exact values and supporting details remain below.

YearCitationsSerious (G–L)Worst severity that year
202350E
202472J ▲
202550F

Counts reflect the current CMS public record (~3 inspection cycles plus complaint investigations); years with no surveys show no row. Inspection frequency varies, so compare severity as well as counts.

Fines and enforcement (last 3 years)

How to file a complaint about care →

1 fine totaling $60,590.

Every penalty CMS publishes for this facility in the 3-year window is listed —none excluded. The count and the dollar total come from two different CMS datasets and agree for this facility. Penalties older than the window are dropped by CMS before publication, not by us.

DateTypeAmount / length
Feb 22, 2024Fine$60,590

Nurse staffing (from payroll records, adjusted for how much care residents need)

What these staffing numbers mean →

Nurse time, in contextAdjusted hours per resident per day · Source: CMS, 2026-08-01
This facilityIndiana averageU.S. average
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)
This facility: 2.77
Indiana average: 3.42
U.S. average: 3.95
Registered Nurse hours
This facility: 1.04
Indiana average: 0.62
U.S. average: 0.69
Weekend total nurse staffing
This facility: 2.45
Indiana average: 3.01
U.S. average: 3.50

All bars start at zero. Exact values and supporting details remain below.

MeasureThis facilityIndiana avgU.S. avgWhere it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)2.773.423.95bottom 14% in Indiana; bottom 8% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours1.040.620.69top 6% in Indiana; top 14% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing2.453.013.50bottom 14% in Indiana; bottom 8% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)0.910.470.48top 4% in Indiana; top 8% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)56.345.945.8bottom 20% in Indiana; bottom 22% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)12.540.442.9top 7% in Indiana; top 6% in the U.S.

Hours are per resident per day for the most recent quarter of payroll data in this CMS release (2026-08-01) — the same quarter for every facility — case-mix adjusted by CMS so facilities caring for sicker residents can be compared fairly (same basis as the CMS staffing star). "Top X%" means better than most facilities: more staffing hours, or lower turnover. Raw (unadjusted) reported hours: total 3.09, RN 1.16, weekend 2.73.Comparing with Medicare Care Compare? Care Compare shows the raw figure (3.09 here, displayed there as hours and minutes), not the adjusted one above. Both are correct; they answer different questions. Staffing rating: 3/5.

Quality measures: assessments & claims

Note: CMS combines facility-reported resident assessments (MDS) with claims-based measures. These are different sources from on-site inspection findings. Read the measures alongside inspection and staffing records; a high QM rating does not establish that a home is safe.

Quality measures rating: 5/5 · long-stay residents: 5/5 · short-stay residents: —/5

Costs & payment

Price evidence · separate from quality

No verified facility-specific private-pay price is available in our data for Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility. CMS inspection and staffing records do not tell us what this home will charge you.

Calculate a stay from a quote you receive

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Understand who pays for care · How we handle price evidence · Report an incorrect price

Who owns this facility

How to read ownership records →

Ownership records as published by CMS on 2026-08-01. CMS records when an owner joined but not when they left. Listed here and no longer involved? Tell us →

For profit - Corporation

Owner / managerTypeRoleStakeSince
Johnson Memorial HospitalOrganization5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest100%03/01/2013
Baker, StephenIndividualContracted Managing EmployeeNOT APPLICABLE03/01/2013
Berkhouse, StevenIndividualCorporate DirectorNOT APPLICABLE10/18/2021
Berkhouse, StevenIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE10/18/2021
Decola, RobertIndividualW-2 Managing EmployeeNOT APPLICABLE02/16/2019
Dunkle, DavidIndividualCorporate DirectorNOT APPLICABLE03/01/2019
Dunkle, DavidIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE06/01/2019
Dunkle, DavidIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE03/01/2019
The Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility LLCOrganizationOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE11/01/2022

All 9 owning or managing parties CMS has on file are shown — none excluded.

Other facilities in the same chain

CMS lists this facility under the chain Infinity Healthcare Consulting — 69 facilities in the current records. Chain membership says who operates these homes. It says nothing about how any individual one of them was inspected; each has its own record.

Listed by state, then facility name — not a ranking. Showing 8 of the 68 others, continuing from this facility's own place in that list.

Questions to ask on your visit

Full visit checklist →

Print visit checklist

Generated from this facility's actual citation record — bring them to a tour and ask the administrator directly.

  • "How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
  • "What systems do you use to prevent medication errors, and what happens when one occurs?"
  • "What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
  • "Can you give me examples of how your staff protect residents' dignity in everyday care, like bathing and dressing?"
  • "How many residents here use oxygen or breathing equipment, and who checks that equipment each shift?"
  • "Can you show me how medications are stored and secured on the units, including controlled drugs?"
  • "Can we tour the resident rooms, bathrooms, and common areas today, including areas not on the usual tour route?"
  • "Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"

Also worth asking anywhere

  • "Your weekend nurse staffing is reported below the Indiana midpoint — how does the weekend schedule differ from a weekday?"
  • "Can I see the plan of correction for the findings in your most recent state inspection?"
  • "CMS reports 56% total nursing staff turnover here — who on the care team has been with you longest?"
  • "Can I visit again unannounced, at a mealtime or on a weekend?"

Nearby facilities (12 closest of 23 within 20 miles)

FacilityDistanceCityOverallInspectionFlags
Miller's at Oak Pointe2.1 miColumbia City, IN★★★☆☆3/5
Majestic Care of West Allen10.0 miFort Wayne, IN★★★★☆3/5
Sage Bluff Health and Rehab Center15.6 miFort Wayne, IN★★★☆☆4/5
Coventry Meadows15.6 miFort Wayne, IN★★★★★5/5
Majestic Care of Jefferson Pointe16.1 miFort Wayne, IN★☆☆☆☆1/5
Timbercrest Church of the Brethren Home16.4 miNorth Manchester, IN★★★★☆3/5
Grace Village Health Care Facility16.4 miWinona Lake, IN★★★★★5/5
Heritage Pointe of Huntington17.3 miHuntington, IN★★☆☆☆2/5abuse
Peabody Retirement Community17.6 miNorth Manchester, IN★★★☆☆2/5
Kingston Health Center of Fort Wayne18.1 miFort Wayne, IN★★★☆☆2/5
Mason Health Care Center18.2 miWarsaw, IN★☆☆☆☆1/5
Englewood Health & Rehabilitation Center18.7 miFort Wayne, IN★★★★☆4/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Columbia City →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 155150.

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