DELMAR GARDENS SOUTH
Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.
Delmar Gardens South has a Trust Grade of B+, which means it is above average and recommended for potential residents. It ranks #14 out of 479 nursing homes in Missouri, placing it in the top half of facilities statewide, and #4 out of 69 in St. Louis County, indicating only three local options are better. The facility's performance has been stable, with the number of reported issues remaining consistent over the last two years. Staffing is rated at 4 out of 5 stars, but turnover is at 59%, which is average for Missouri, meaning some staff may not stay long-term. Notably, there have been no fines, which is a positive sign, but the facility has less RN coverage than 81% of others in the state, which can impact the level of care. However, there have been some concerning incidents. For example, one resident fell and sustained a serious spinal fracture because staff did not provide adequate supervision during toileting. Additionally, the facility has faced issues with food safety, such as failing to properly label and date food items, and has not consistently stored medications according to acceptable standards, including not properly labeling insulin pens and ensuring narcotics were securely stored. Overall, while Delmar Gardens South has some strengths, such as its strong trust grade and no fines, these recent incidents highlight areas needing improvement.
- Trust Score
- B+
- In Missouri
- #14/479
- Safety Record
- Moderate
- Inspections
- Holding Steady
- Staff Stability ⚠ Watch
- 59% turnover. Above average. Higher turnover means staff may not know residents' routines.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Missouri facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ⚠ Watch
- Each resident gets only 25 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — below average for Missouri. Fewer RN minutes means fewer trained eyes watching for problems.
- Violations ⚠ Watch
- 11 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
The Good
-
4-Star Staffing Rating · Above-average nurse staffing levels
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, fire safety.
The Bad
13pts above Missouri avg (46%)
Frequent staff changes - ask about care continuity
Part of a multi-facility chain
Ask about local staffing decisions and management
11 points above Missouri average of 48%
The Ugly 11 deficiencies on record
Sept 2024
3 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Accident Prevention
(Tag F0689)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure each resident receives adequate supervision and assistance to prevent accidents when a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0761
(Tag F0761)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to label and store medications according to acceptable st...
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MINOR
(C)
Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact
Deficiency F0577
(Tag F0577)
Minor procedural issue · This affected most or all residents
Based on observation and interview, the facility failed to post in a place readily accessible to residents, family members, legal representatives of residents and visitors the results of the most rece...
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Feb 2024
1 deficiency
1 Harm
SERIOUS
(G)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Actual Harm - a resident was hurt due to facility failures
Accident Prevention
(Tag F0689)
A resident was harmed · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to provide adequate supervision for one resident (Resident #1) who req...
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Dec 2023
1 deficiency
CONCERN
(D)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0919
(Tag F0919)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation and interview, the facility failed to follow their policy when staff failed to acknowledge audible and visu...
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Aug 2023
1 deficiency
CONCERN
(D)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Accident Prevention
(Tag F0689)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to follow their policy in regards to reporting a fall when a Nurse Aide (NA) in Training completed an inappropriate transfer and lowered the r...
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Jul 2023
1 deficiency
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Quality of Care
(Tag F0684)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interviews, record review, and facility policy review, the facility failed to monitor and manage administration of intravenous (IV) vancomycin (used to treat serious bacterial infections) for...
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Mar 2023
1 deficiency
CONCERN
(D)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Quality of Care
(Tag F0684)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure two residents (Resident #1 and #5) received car...
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Oct 2019
3 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
ADL Care
(Tag F0677)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure a resident who is unable to carry out activities of daily living received services to maintain good personal hygiene by...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Assessment Accuracy
(Tag F0641)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY**
Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility staff failed to accurately code the Minimum Data Set regarding ...
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CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Based on observation and interview, the facility failed to store food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety by failing to label and date food. In addition, the facility fai...
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Understanding Severity Codes (click to expand)
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
- "Why is there high staff turnover? How do you retain staff?"
- "Can I speak with families of current residents?"
- "What's your RN coverage like on weekends and overnight?"
Our Honest Assessment
- • Grade B+ (80/100). Above average facility, better than most options in Missouri.
- • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Missouri facilities.
- • 11 deficiencies on record, including 1 serious (caused harm) violation. Ask about corrective actions taken.
- • 59% turnover. Above average. Higher turnover means staff may not know residents' routines.
About This Facility
What is Delmar Gardens South's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns DELMAR GARDENS SOUTH an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is considered much above average nationally. Within Missouri, this rating places the facility higher than 99% of the state's 100 nursing homes. This rating reflects solid performance across the metrics CMS uses to evaluate nursing home quality.
How is Delmar Gardens South Staffed?
CMS rates DELMAR GARDENS SOUTH's staffing level at 4 out of 5 stars, which is above average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 59%, which is 13 percentage points above the Missouri average of 46%. High turnover can affect care consistency as new staff learn residents' individual needs.
What Have Inspectors Found at Delmar Gardens South?
State health inspectors documented 11 deficiencies at DELMAR GARDENS SOUTH during 2019 to 2024. These included: 1 that caused actual resident harm, 9 with potential for harm, and 1 minor or isolated issues. Deficiencies causing actual harm indicate documented cases where residents experienced negative health consequences.
Who Owns and Operates Delmar Gardens South?
DELMAR GARDENS SOUTH is owned by a for-profit company. For-profit facilities operate as businesses with obligations to shareholders or private owners. The facility is operated by DELMAR GARDENS, a chain that manages multiple nursing homes. With 184 certified beds and approximately 173 residents (about 94% occupancy), it is a mid-sized facility located in SAINT LOUIS, Missouri.
How Does Delmar Gardens South Compare to Other Missouri Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Missouri, DELMAR GARDENS SOUTH's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 2.5, staff turnover (59%) is significantly higher than the state average of 46%, and health inspection rating (5 stars) is much above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Delmar Gardens South?
Based on this facility's data, families visiting should ask: "How do you ensure continuity of care given staff turnover, and what is your staff retention strategy?" "Can I visit during a mealtime to observe dining assistance and food quality?" "How do you handle medical emergencies, and what is your hospital transfer rate?" "Can I speak with family members of current residents about their experience?" These questions are particularly relevant given the facility's high staff turnover rate.
Is Delmar Gardens South Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, DELMAR GARDENS SOUTH has a clean safety record: no substantiated abuse findings (meaning no confirmed cases of resident harm), no Immediate Jeopardy citations (the most serious violation level indicating risk of serious injury or death), and is not on the Special Focus Facility watch list (a federal program monitoring the lowest-performing 1% of nursing homes). The facility has a 5-star overall rating and ranks #1 of 100 nursing homes in Missouri. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Delmar Gardens South Stick Around?
Staff turnover at DELMAR GARDENS SOUTH is high. At 59%, the facility is 13 percentage points above the Missouri average of 46%. High turnover means new staff may not know residents' individual needs, medications, or preferences. It can also be disorienting for residents, especially those with dementia who rely on familiar faces. Families should ask: What is causing the turnover? What retention programs are in place? How do you ensure care continuity during staff transitions?
Was Delmar Gardens South Ever Fined?
DELMAR GARDENS SOUTH has no federal fines on record. CMS issues fines when nursing homes fail to meet care standards or don't correct problems found during inspections. The absence of fines suggests the facility has either maintained compliance or corrected any issues before penalties were assessed. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review recent inspection reports for the full picture.
Is Delmar Gardens South on Any Federal Watch List?
DELMAR GARDENS SOUTH is not on any federal watch list. The most significant is the Special Focus Facility (SFF) program, which identifies the bottom 1% of nursing homes nationally based on persistent, serious quality problems. Not being on this list means the facility has avoided the pattern of deficiencies that triggers enhanced federal oversight. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review the facility's inspection history directly.