Failure to Ensure Dignified Dining Experience and Timely Response to Resident Needs
Summary
The facility failed to protect and promote a dignified dining experience and did not respond to a resident's call light in a timely manner. During a Thanksgiving meal, a resident with severe cognitive impairment entered the dining room with a soiled brief, placed it on the table, and began playing in the feces. Multiple cognitively intact residents witnessed the incident and reported that two activity aides present did not intervene. When one resident sought help from staff on another hallway, she was told it was not their problem, and only after further effort was a CNA found to assist. The incident was corroborated by resident and staff interviews, and it was unclear whose brief was involved. The event disrupted the dining experience for all present and failed to maintain the dignity of the resident involved. In the overflow dining room, all residents were observed eating lunch off serving trays, as staff did not remove the trays after serving. A nurse aide confirmed that this was a daily occurrence. Additionally, during another meal observation, some residents at a large table received their meals significantly later than others. One resident was observed crying and repeatedly asking for food, not receiving her meal until much later, while another resident questioned the delay and also received her meal late. These delays in meal service contributed to a lack of dignity and comfort for the residents involved. The facility also failed to respond promptly to a resident's call light. A resident experiencing gastrointestinal distress used her call light and waited approximately 19 minutes for assistance. The nursing assistant who responded explained that all aides were busy with care for other residents. Other residents interviewed reported that response times for assistance could be as long as 30 minutes, with one resident stating he was only able to avoid soiling his bed because he had a catheter. These findings indicate a pattern of delayed response to resident needs and a lack of timely assistance.
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