Failure to Meet Minimum Square Footage Requirements for Multi-Resident Rooms
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that bedrooms occupied by multiple residents met the required minimum of 80 square feet per resident. During the survey, it was observed that eight bedrooms did not comply with this standard, with room sizes ranging from 69 to 78 square feet per resident. Specific examples included rooms with two, three, or four residents where the total square footage divided by the number of occupants fell below the regulatory requirement. These findings were based on direct measurement and review of room assignments. Interviews with residents occupying these rooms revealed that they did not express concerns about the available space, and staff reported that rooms were sometimes not filled to capacity to allow for more space. The DON confirmed that rooms with waivers were managed to ensure staff had enough space to work and that residents were comfortable, with no bariatric beds placed in these rooms. Throughout the survey, there were no observed negative impacts on resident health or safety, and no complaints were received regarding room size.