Failure to Ensure Activities Program Directed by Qualified Professional
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that its activities program was directed by a qualified professional as required. After the resignation of the previous full-time qualified activities director, a qualified activities director from a sister facility provided temporary coverage until early December. Following this period, the facility appointed a new activities director whose employment was contingent upon obtaining the necessary certification, but this individual had not yet begun the required training program. Oversight was provided remotely by a qualified vice president of life enrichment, but this oversight was limited in scope. The remote oversight did not include directing or delegating the completion of the activities component of the comprehensive assessment, nor did it involve contributing to or directing the contribution to individualized care plan goals and approaches for residents. As a result, the facility did not have a qualified professional actively directing the development, implementation, supervision, and ongoing evaluation of the activities program, as required by regulation.