Failure to Provide Regular Showers and Grooming for Dependent Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide regular assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), specifically showers and grooming, to residents who were dependent on staff for these tasks. Multiple residents with significant cognitive and physical impairments, including diagnoses such as morbid obesity, muscle weakness, schizophrenia, hemiplegia, dementia, and renal disease, did not receive scheduled showers or bed baths as required by their care plans. Documentation revealed missed opportunities for bathing, with gaps of several days to over a week where no care or refusals were recorded, and in some cases, there was no documentation at all. Observations and interviews confirmed that residents often appeared unkempt, with oily or matted hair, unwashed skin, and in one case, visible blood on the mouth and blanket. Residents and their families reported that scheduled showers or bed baths were not consistently provided, and personal hygiene tasks such as shaving were neglected for extended periods. Staff interviews corroborated these findings, acknowledging that residents did not receive the minimum required number of showers or baths per week and that documentation was incomplete or missing for several periods. The facility's own policy required routine care, including bathing, to maintain resident dignity and quality of life, but this standard was not met. The deficiency was identified through record reviews, direct observation, and interviews with residents, family members, and staff, all of which consistently indicated a failure to provide adequate ADL support for residents who were unable to perform these tasks independently.