Failure to Provide Medically Related Social Services and Resident Support
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide medically related social services necessary for residents to attain or maintain their highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being. Multiple residents reported not being able to access the social worker, not understanding the role of social services, or feeling dismissed when seeking assistance. Specific examples included residents stating they had not met the social worker, were told the social worker did not have time, or were dismissed when requesting meetings. One resident described being told by the social worker to address their needs immediately or not at all, due to the social worker's workload. These issues were corroborated during a resident council meeting, where several residents expressed dissatisfaction and emotional distress related to their interactions with social services. The facility's Director of Social Services (SSD) was responsible for meeting new admissions, conducting care conferences, and participating in clinical meetings, but acknowledged being unable to keep up with required tasks, such as revising PASRRs. The facility assessment indicated a high prevalence of residents with behavioral health disorders and a significant proportion on psychotropic medications, yet the facility did not use this data to comprehensively assess or adjust staffing and competency needs. The administrator confirmed that the current staffing was insufficient to meet resident needs, and the Regional Director of Clinical Services stated that social services were expected to document interactions, follow up on PASRR assessments, and assist with care planning, which was not consistently occurring.