Failure to Provide Consistent Nighttime Snack Availability
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that snacks were consistently available to residents during nighttime hours, as required by policy and resident needs. Observations revealed that the west hall refrigerator only contained a few resident-labeled snack packages, with no general snacks accessible to all residents, and no dry snack storage was present on the unit. Interviews with staff confirmed that general snacks were not stored on the unit and were only available when delivered by kitchen staff. When snacks were delivered, they were distributed to residents, but leftovers were kept at the nurses' station and often ran out, leaving nothing available for residents during the night. Multiple residents reported that snacks were frequently unavailable in the evening and nighttime, with some noting that available snacks were not suitable for diabetic residents or those with dental issues. Residents also described situations where snacks were taken by a few individuals, leaving others without access. Staff interviews corroborated these accounts, indicating that when snacks ran out, there was no way to provide more, and staff were not permitted to access the kitchen to obtain additional food. The facility's policy required snacks to be offered at bedtime, but this was not consistently achieved.