Failure to Maintain Resident Dignity Due to Inadequate Assistance with Clothing
Penalty
Summary
A resident with multiple medical conditions, including Parkinson's disease, peripheral autonomic neuropathy, restless leg syndrome, contractures, and polyosteoarthritis, was observed to have ill-fitting clothing that exposed his buttocks. The resident required substantial to maximal assistance with dressing and other activities of daily living, as documented in his Minimum Data Set assessment. Despite this, staff were observed walking by while the resident repeatedly attempted to adjust his loose pants to cover himself, without offering assistance. Interviews with staff confirmed awareness of the resident's need for help with dressing and the inappropriateness of his exposure. The social services designee stated that extra clothing was available for residents in need and that it was not appropriate for a resident to have exposed buttocks. The resident himself reported ongoing difficulty keeping his pants up. Facility policy requires staff to treat residents with dignity and respect and to identify and address individual needs through assessment, but this was not followed in this instance.