Failure to Maintain Safe Air Temperatures
Summary
The facility failed to maintain air temperatures within the required range of 68 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit in resident rooms and common areas during the winter months, affecting a resident with dementia and epilepsy, and potentially impacting all 82 residents. The Maintenance Director, responsible for monitoring and adjusting the facility's heating system, admitted to not checking air temperatures daily due to time constraints and only responding to complaints. During an environmental tour, temperatures were recorded as high as 84 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas, exceeding the facility's policy limits. The Maintenance Director revealed that the facility's thermostats were not functioning properly and were not connected to the heating sources. Despite having a policy in place, the Maintenance Director did not document actions taken for high temperatures on the air temperature logs, and there was no communication with the Administrator about the excessive temperatures. The logs showed multiple instances of temperatures exceeding the policy limits, with no corrective actions noted. The resident's family member and a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) had previously raised concerns about the excessive heat in the resident's room, but the issue was not addressed effectively. The LPN opened a window to alleviate the heat but did not use the special key to adjust the room's central air heat. The Maintenance Director was unaware of how to properly adjust the boiler temperatures and only learned about it after consulting with the previous maintenance director. The Administrator was not informed of the high temperature readings, and the facility lacked functioning thermometers in key areas, further complicating the monitoring of air temperatures.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
Trusted data from CMS and state health departments
Every citation, penalty and Plan of Correction is sourced from public CMS records (latest release July 29, 2026) and official state health department websites — never guesswork.
In your survey window? See what surveyors are citing.
The Survey-Prep Report maps your facility's risk from 12 months of CMS and state citation data — what's being cited around you and what to check first. $129 one-time.