Failure to Provide Meaningful Activities Resulting in Resident Isolation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide meaningful activities to promote psychosocial well-being for one resident with a history of depression and moderate cognitive impairment. The resident reported feelings of loneliness and depression after admission and stated that staff had not addressed his repeated expressions of loneliness. He attempted to participate in group activities but was unable to remain due to physical discomfort, and staff interactions were minimal, with the resident noting that staff socialized with his roommate but not with him. Observations confirmed the resident spent significant time alone in a darkened room, and he reported that his only positive social experiences occurred in the rehabilitation gym. The activity assessment for the resident did not identify any leisure interests, and the care plan noted the resident's lack of engagement in scheduled activities, with approaches limited to offering activities in his room, going outside, and providing social visits. However, the Activity Director reported only brief, infrequent one-on-one visits and did not track their frequency or duration. The facility lacked volunteers to supplement social visits, and weekend and evening activity programming was minimal or absent. The activity calendar showed a lack of variety, with few physical, outdoor, or social activities offered, and no documentation of efforts to tailor activities to the resident's interests or needs. Interviews with staff revealed that the resident's requests for regular staff visits were not consistently documented or implemented, and there was no evidence of systematic efforts to address his psychosocial needs. The facility's own policies required daily, individualized activity programming, but these were not followed, resulting in the resident experiencing social isolation, loneliness, frustration, and boredom.