Failure to Honor Resident's Right to Use Personal Possessions
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a resident was able to use a personal possession, specifically a refrigerator, in accordance with facility policy and the resident's rights. The resident, who was cognitively intact and required assistance for personal care due to multiple sclerosis and depression, purchased a refrigerator online and had it delivered to the facility. The administrator informed the resident that they could not have the refrigerator in their room, without providing a clear explanation of the facility's policy. The resident subsequently arranged for family to pick up the refrigerator, but staff were unable to locate it, and the resident was not updated about the missing property. Further review revealed that the facility policy allowed residents to have a small refrigerator (2 cubic feet or less) in their room, and this was not clearly communicated to the resident. The refrigerator purchased by the resident exceeded the size limit, but this was only clarified after the resident expressed concerns about feeling retaliated against and not being allowed to have a refrigerator at all. Observations confirmed that other residents had personal refrigerators in their rooms, and the resident in question was only able to use a much smaller refrigerator without a freezer component.