Failure to Provide Individualized Activities and Accommodations for Sensory-Impaired Resident
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident with macular degeneration, legal blindness, and bilateral hearing deficits was not provided with meaningful or accommodating activities to maintain their highest quality of life. The resident was assessed as having intact cognition and the ability to communicate, but preferred to stay in their room due to poor vision and did not participate in group activities. The care plan indicated the resident should be offered materials such as large print, magnifiers, and audiobooks to support independent activities, but during observation, no assistive devices or adaptive materials were present in the resident's room. The resident expressed a desire to read but was unable to do so due to vision loss and reported not having any adaptive devices. Interviews with staff revealed that while the resident was initially offered audiobooks and declined, no further offers were made, and there was no documentation of 1:1 visits. The resident later stated they would like to listen to audiobooks if there was no cost, indicating a lack of ongoing assessment and accommodation of their evolving interests and needs. The facility failed to provide appropriate materials, supplies, and accommodations based on the resident's sensory requirements, resulting in the resident not receiving individualized activities as outlined in facility policy and regulatory requirements.