Failure to Provide Working Telephone for Resident Communication
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide residents with a working telephone, resulting in a lack of access to communication with family members and representatives. The phone service was terminated after the facility did not pay the phone vendor, and the service was not restored. From the date of disconnection, residents were without access to a facility phone for several days until a staff member purchased a prepaid cell phone with personal funds. Multiple interviews with staff, family members, and the ombudsman confirmed ongoing difficulties in contacting the facility and residents, with reports of unanswered calls and busy signals when attempting to reach the facility number. Family members expressed frustration and concern over their inability to communicate with loved ones, and staff reported receiving personal calls from families seeking updates. Residents also reported being unable to contact their families due to the non-functioning phones. Observations by the investigator confirmed that the facility phone line remained inaccessible, consistently giving a busy signal. Review of the facility's Resident Rights policy indicated that residents are entitled to access to a telephone, which was not provided during this period.