Failure to Provide Individualized Activities for Visually Impaired Resident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide individualized activities to a resident with significant visual impairment, as required by their policy and procedure for activity programs. During observation and interviews, it was noted that the resident, who was blind in one eye and losing vision in the other, reported having nothing to do except sit in bed. The resident's care plan listed activities such as reading materials, TV, radio, and arts and crafts, but did not account for his inability to participate in these due to his blindness. Staff acknowledged that the resident could not engage in the listed activities without assistance, such as having someone read to him, but this support was not provided. Record reviews and staff interviews further revealed that the resident's preferences included listening to music, keeping up with the news, and spending time outdoors, but these interests were not addressed in the activity plan. The Social Services Director confirmed that the activities were not individualized to maximize the resident's participation. The facility's own policies require activity programs to be tailored to each resident's needs and to encourage maximum participation, but these were not followed in this case.