Lack of Weekend and Evening Activities for Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide an ongoing program of activities designed to meet the interests and the physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident. This deficiency was identified through observation, interviews, and record review, affecting one sampled resident and five supplemental residents. The activity calendars from December 2024 through March 2025 showed a lack of scheduled activities on Saturdays and Sundays, and minimal or unspecified activities during evenings. The calendars often listed only one-on-one visits with the activity assistant, with no group activities or specific programming for weekends and evenings. Additionally, the facility did not have a policy for activity programming. Multiple residents, both cognitively intact and severely impaired, voiced concerns during a Resident Council meeting about the lack of activities on evenings and weekends. Residents reported that the absence of activities made their days long and unengaging, particularly on weekends. Activity attendance records confirmed that these residents had no documented participation in activities on several consecutive Saturdays and Sundays. Residents also expressed specific interests, such as attending church services on Sundays and having music programs or community plays on Saturdays, which were not being met. Interviews with the Activity Director and Assistant Nursing Home Administrator revealed that there were generally no activities scheduled on Saturdays, and only occasional one-on-one or group activities on Sunday afternoons, depending on the availability of a part-time aide. The Activity Director acknowledged the lack of weekend and evening activities and indicated that music programs might resume in the future. The Assistant Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that activity staff should be offering activities during these times if residents requested them, but this was not occurring.