Failure to Accommodate Resident's Bathing Preferences
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to honor a resident's bathing preferences, specifically the preference for tub baths over showers. The resident, who had diagnoses including rheumatoid arthritis, dementia, ataxia following cerebral infarction, and aneurysm, was cognitively intact and required substantial assistance for showering. Documentation showed frequent refusals of bathing, but there was no evidence that the facility investigated the reasons for these refusals or provided a tub bath as preferred. The resident's care plan and Kardex did not reflect her preference for tub baths, and shower documentation did not indicate any attempts to accommodate this preference. Interviews with the resident, her daughter, and staff confirmed that the resident disliked showers due to water spraying in her face and had repeatedly expressed a preference for tub baths. The Director of Nursing was unaware of this preference, despite the availability of bathtubs in the facility. The resident's daughter also reported concerns about her mother's hygiene, stating she had to cut her mother's hair due to it being dirty. The facility's policy allowed for various bathing methods, but there was no evidence that the resident's preference for tub baths was accommodated.