Failure to Provide Assistance with Personal Hygiene for Dependent Resident
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident with severe cognitive impairment and diagnoses including dementia, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension was not provided with necessary assistance for personal hygiene, specifically shaving facial hair. The resident's care plan and assessments indicated a need for staff assistance with grooming and personal hygiene due to deficits related to dementia and physical limitations. Observations on two consecutive days revealed the resident had several half-inch long gray facial hairs on her chin, upper lip, and around her mouth. Interviews with a family member confirmed the resident's preference to be shaved when facial hair was visible. Further interviews with facility staff, including a nursing assistant and a registered nurse, confirmed that the resident required staff assistance for shaving and had not been recently assisted. The nursing assistant was unsure of the last time the resident had been shaved, and both the registered nurse and the director of nursing stated their expectation that the resident should have been shaved as soon as facial hair was present. Facility policy required that residents unable to perform activities of daily living independently receive necessary services to maintain good personal hygiene, in accordance with their care plans.