Failure to Provide Requested Vegan Food Option
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when the facility failed to provide food that accommodated a resident's stated dietary preferences. The resident, who was admitted following surgery, informed the Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) of her preference for a vegan diet and specifically requested tofu. Despite this request, the CDM acknowledged that tofu was not available in the facility and, although some vegan food was purchased, tofu was not obtained for the resident during her stay. The CDM admitted fault for not fulfilling the resident's preference for tofu. During a review of the resident's clinical and dietary records, facility leadership, including the Administrator, confirmed that the facility is responsible for meeting residents' dietary needs and preferences, including ordering specific requested items such as tofu. The facility's own policy states that menus should be developed to meet resident choices, including religious, cultural, and ethnic needs, while ensuring nutritional adequacy. The failure to provide the requested tofu resulted in the resident not receiving her preferred diet.