Failure to Provide Resident with Properly Fitting and Sufficient Clothing
Penalty
Summary
A resident who was cognitively intact and valued choosing her own clothing was not provided with adequate or properly fitting clothes during her stay. Despite having personal clothing available at her previous assisted living facility, staff did not make efforts to retrieve these items or ensure she had enough suitable clothing. Observations over several days showed the resident repeatedly wearing the same ill-fitting shirt, and her closet was found to be empty except for a few items, none of which fit appropriately. The resident expressed distress about her lack of appropriate clothing, becoming tearful when discussing the issue. Interviews with staff revealed that while spare clothing was available in a linen closet, it was often used for residents admitted from hospitals, and there was an expectation that social services would contact families for additional clothing when needed. However, no staff had requested the resident's clothing from her previous residence, and the clothing provided by the facility did not fit. Facility policy required residents to be groomed and dressed according to their preferences, but this was not followed in the resident's case, impacting her dignity and emotional well-being.