Failure to Provide Snacks Upon Resident Request
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide snacks when requested for multiple residents, as evidenced by observations, resident and staff interviews, and review of resident council minutes. Cognitively intact residents, as well as one resident with moderate cognitive impairment, reported that snacks were not available throughout the day and that they often felt hungry between meals. Residents stated that when they requested snacks from staff, they were told there were none available or that staff were too busy to retrieve them from the dietary department. On several occasions, residents attempted to obtain snacks themselves from the kitchen but were informed by dietary staff that no snacks were available. Observations confirmed that nourishment rooms on two different halls lacked snacks, with one room containing only a few slices of bread and a bottle of mustard, and the other having only a single container of mandarin oranges in the refrigerator. Resident council meeting minutes from three separate dates documented ongoing concerns about the lack of snack availability. Staff interviews corroborated that snacks were inconsistently provided, with evening snacks sometimes delivered but daytime snacks often unavailable. The Dietary Manager acknowledged being aware of the residents' concerns and stated that the contracted dietary company controlled the food order guide, which did not include snacks. Despite attempts to order additional items, the supply was insufficient to meet residents' needs. The Administrator was aware of the residents' concerns but was not informed that nourishment rooms were lacking snacks.