The Ohio Attorney General's office is taking legal action to shut down The House of Loreto, a Canton nursing home, after the AG says state inspectors found widespread care failures that put residents in "real and present danger."
The AG's office said that in a Jan. 2 Ohio Department of Health report, The House of Loreto failed to provide fundamental care, monitor residents' medical conditions, and properly manage medications. The report said the failures placed 12 of the home's 29 residents at serious risk, with six residents already suffering actual harm.
The AG's office says state inspectors found multiple serious violations at The House of Loreto, including:
- Residents receiving blood-thinning medications were not being properly tracked
- Kidney problems went unmonitored, resulting in hospitalizations
- Poor wound care caused infections that failed to heal
- Medications were administered without proper documentation
- Narcotics were inadequately controlled
- The facility lacked essential backup medications
- There was no infection prevention specialist on staff
- The facility failed to take adequate precautions to prevent residents with dementia from wandering from the nursing home
"These residents deserve safe, competent care," Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. "When families entrust a nursing home with the care of their parents or grandparents, they should never have to fear that their loved ones are being neglected or harmed. Failing at that basic duty is unacceptable."
The AG's office says the nursing home submitted an inadequate plan to address the problems as of Jan. 8, meaning it remains out of compliance with state law, prompting Yost's office to seek a court order to close the facility and relocate residents to safer facilities.
We went to the House of Loreto, asking for comments and information about Yost filing a temporary restraining order to shut the place down. A judge wrote, “there is a real and present danger to the residents…” and the home should cooperate with transferring “all residents to other nursing homes or other appropriate care settings….”
So far, the House of Loreto has refused to talk to us.
Several News 5 reporters asked for important interviews and information all day. Finally, just before 5 p.m., the Ohio Department of Health sent us the Jan. 2 inspection report that AG Yost said is the reason for his concern. We can confirm notations of “real and present danger and actual harm…” in areas like wound care, lab testing and medication administration.
We noticed posted survey results conducted by the Department of Aging about the House of Loreto that show high scores for quality, but those surveys are from years ago.
The Long-term Care Guide for Ohio shows the last survey was done in October of 2025 with no citations listed, no substandard care and no immediate jeopardy to the residents.
The Department of Aging also sent a lengthy statement about surveys, in general, and not about House of Loreto specifically. (see statement below)
The mayor of Canton sent a statement saying in part that there’s an “expectation (residents) will receive safe and dignified care.”
"The safety and wellbeing of all Canton residents, especially our seniors, is of the utmost concern. Families place their loved ones in facilities with the expectation they will receive safe and dignified care. I have confidence in Attorney General Dave Yost and the Ohio Department of Health to act in the best interest of all residents involved."
The nursing home used to be run by nuns from the Sisters of the Congregation of the Divine Spirit, who sold it to the new owners, Hari Group, LLC, in March of last year.
The Bishop of Youngstown said in part, “…it is painful to see (the nuns’) legacy overshadowed by the serious concerns that have emerged under the new ownership….”
The judge in this case has set a hearing for all of this on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 9 a.m.
Read the full complaint below:
If you have concerns about a nursing home, we are your station. Call our News 5 Investigators tip line at 216-431-HELP (4357) or email us at InvestigatorTips@WEWS.com
Statement from the Ohio Department of Aging:
"Ohio is one of only a handful of states that invests in Resident Satisfaction and Family Satisfaction Surveys to help guide quality improvements in long-term care facilities. We contract with well-respected research entities to administer the surveys.
The Resident Satisfaction Surveys ask residents what they think about their home and the care they get there. The resident surveys are conducted through in-person interviews with a sample of residents at each facility. The Family Satisfaction Surveys ask family members or friends of Ohio long-term care facility residents what they think about their loved one’s home and the care they get there. More than 22,000 family members and friends participated in the last family survey.
The Governor’s Nursing Home Quality and Accountability Task Force recommended shifting the schedule from alternating to annual. The current survey project cycle began in July 2025 and results will be available on the Long-Term Quality Navigator [aging.ohio.gov] by summer 2026.
When we see a significant change in a facility’s scores on the Navigator, one of the first things we examine is whether there has been a change in ownership. As noted in the court order, this happened with House of Loreto in March 2025. Ownership transitions can often influence quality measures and operational practices, so it’s an important factor in our analysis.
As the chair of the Governor’s Nursing Home Quality and Accountability Task Force, I want to make it clear that the residents are always our priority. Long-term care facilities that are not meeting the standards we expect for those caring for our older loved ones will be held accountable."
~Ursel J. McElroy, Director, Ohio Department of Aging
