Careage of Whidbey, a skilled-nursing facility in Coupeville, has been closed to new patients since Dec. 17 because it had too many violations of nursing-home regulations, owner Ron Hayes said.

It could reopen as early as Feb. 12, when state inspectors are scheduled to re-survey the institution, Hayes said.

“This was a shock, and I’m very, very upset about it,” said Hayes, a Freeland resident. “I’d like to think we’re better than that, as we always have been.”

“I don’t ever want to see this happen again.”

A routine annual inspection by the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently found as many as 40 so-called deficiencies in Careage’s procedures, said Sean O’Neill, Careage’s acting director.

The most severe deficiencies dealt with the building itself — for example, leaks in the roof, he said.

None posed a threat to residents’ health or safety, he said.

Because of those deficiencies, a temporary stop placement was imposed, meaning Careage is not allowed to accept new patients, though it may continue to care for those who are already there.

Some patients were moved to make them more accessible to nurses, Hayes said.

Careage brought in outside consultants to help rectify the problems and changed some staff positions and added staff, he said.

A total of 70 patients are currently living at the 112-bed facility.

“We’re advising the state that we will have made all the changes they requested by Feb. 4,” Hayes said.