Resident Rooms Below Minimum Square Footage Requirement
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide at least 80 square feet of space per resident in multiple resident bedrooms, as required by federal regulations. Specifically, 28 rooms housing three residents each were found to have only 235.7 square feet per room, resulting in approximately 78.5 square feet per resident, which is below the required minimum. This was confirmed through observation, interviews, and record review, including a waiver request letter from the Administrator acknowledging the deficiency. The rooms in question were equipped with beds, side tables, and resident care equipment, and allowed for freedom of movement and care provision, but did not meet the minimum space requirement. During the survey, no concerns were raised by residents or staff regarding the adequacy of room size, and general observations indicated that residents could move freely and that staff had sufficient space to provide care. The deficiency was identified based on the measured square footage and the number of residents per room, not on complaints or observed negative outcomes. The facility had previously submitted a written request for a continued waiver of the room size requirement.