Failure to Accommodate Resident Dietary Preferences and Requirements
Penalty
Summary
During a lunch meal observation, two residents did not receive food and beverages in accordance with their documented dietary requirements and preferences. One resident, whose meal ticket specified 8 ounces of 2% milk as a beverage, did not receive the milk with their lunch. Another resident, who had a documented dislike of corn, was served coleslaw containing corn despite this preference being noted on their meal ticket. These discrepancies were identified through direct observation, review of meal tickets, and interviews with dietary staff. Interviews with the Dietary Supervisor and Registered Dietitian confirmed that kitchen staff are expected to follow meal tickets, and that residents' food preferences and dietary requirements should be honored. Facility policies reviewed indicated that food preferences are to be adhered to within reason, and substitutes should be provided for disliked foods. The failure to follow these procedures resulted in residents not receiving meals consistent with their documented needs and preferences during the observed meal service.