Failure to Deliver Resident Mail on Saturdays
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that residents received their mail on Saturdays, as required, affecting all 37 residents. During a Resident Council meeting, two residents reported that mail was not delivered to them on Saturdays, and this concern was confirmed by other residents. The mail was delivered by the post office to a locked box outside the facility, but it was not distributed to residents until Monday, as the key was secured and the receptionist position responsible for mail delivery was vacant. The business office manager confirmed that mail was only collected and distributed on Mondays, and there was no current policy addressing Saturday mail delivery. Interviews with facility staff, including the interim administrator and corporate nurse, revealed a lack of awareness regarding the requirement for Saturday mail delivery. The facility initially believed that Saturday delivery was at the discretion of the community, but confirmation from the local Post Master established that mail was indeed delivered to the facility on Saturdays. Despite this, the facility did not provide any additional information or a policy regarding Saturday mail delivery, resulting in a failure to provide residents with reasonable access to their mail.