Failure to Maintain Clean and Homelike Environment Due to Inadequate Housekeeping
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a clean, comfortable, and homelike environment for its residents, as evidenced by multiple observations and interviews. Several residents and family members reported that rooms and common areas, such as the chapel and hallways, were not cleaned in a timely manner. Dead insects, including spiders, were observed in resident rooms, the chapel, and around the nurses' station. One resident's family member reported seeing a spider in the dining room for about a week and noted that her mother's room also had spiders at times. Another resident stated that housekeeping rarely cleaned her room, less than twice a month, and that she had reported this to nursing staff. A third resident reported having to clean his own room due to lack of housekeeping and had filed grievances about the cleanliness of his room and bathroom, which he felt were not addressed adequately. Staff interviews revealed significant understaffing in the housekeeping department, with only one housekeeping aide responsible for cleaning all resident rooms and common areas. The aide reported being unable to complete all required cleaning tasks due to time constraints and lack of support, missing areas such as the chapel, hallways, and nurses' station. The aide also stated that he had not received proper orientation for his role and that requests for additional staff or overtime were not fulfilled until surveyors arrived. The temporary housekeeping supervisor and maintenance supervisor confirmed that the facility was short-staffed, with two full-time housekeeping positions and laundry staff unfilled, and that cleaning schedules were not being followed due to limited hours and competing priorities. Documentation review showed that grievances regarding unclean rooms and bathrooms had been submitted over the past three months, with residents expressing dissatisfaction with the cleanliness and the lack of timely response from housekeeping. The facility's policy required regular cleaning and disinfection of resident rooms and personal use items, but observations and staff statements indicated that these standards were not consistently met. The administrator acknowledged that additional housekeeping staff were only brought in from other facilities during the survey, and that insects should have been cleaned up promptly.