Repetitive Meal Patterns in Facility Menu
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that the planned menu was sufficiently reviewed and updated to provide variety and avoid repetitive meal selections, as required by §483.60(c). During a Resident Council meeting, multiple residents expressed concerns about the lack of variety in the menu, noting that the same meats were served for consecutive meals. The Resident Council President mentioned that these concerns had been raised in food committee meetings with the Certified Dietary Manager but were not addressed, as the facility's menu was provided by a contracted vendor and reportedly could not be modified. A review of the Fall/Winter 2024-2025 menu revealed multiple instances of repetitive meal patterns over the 4-week cycle, with similar meats being served for consecutive meals. Interviews with the facility's contracted dietary food/menu representative and the Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that the facility's menu was repetitive and did not offer variety, leading to menu fatigue and reduced meal satisfaction among residents. The facility's failure to review and modify the planned menus resulted in repetitive meal patterns that did not meet the satisfaction of the residents.
Plan Of Correction
The facility cannot retroactively correct the menu schedule as observed during survey. Current menu will be reviewed, altered, and updated to reflect variety to assist in deterring menu fatigue and increasing menu satisfaction. Certified dietary manager, Registered Dietician and kitchen staff will be re-educated on meal rotation/variety. Audits will be completed on resident satisfaction of meal variety weekly x 4 weeks, then monthly x 2 months. Audit findings will be reviewed at monthly QAPI meeting, resident council and food committee.