Failure to Routinely Provide Nourishing Evening Snacks
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that residents were routinely provided with nourishing evening snacks, as required by regulatory guidelines. Observations and interviews revealed that several residents reported the snacks provided were not substantial or filling, and one resident was unaware that snacks could be requested after dinner. Additionally, residents did not know they could ask for more than one snack. A review of the facility's meal schedule showed there were 15 hours between dinner and breakfast, exceeding the recommended maximum of 14 hours unless a nourishing snack is provided at bedtime or a resident group agrees to the extended interval. Interviews with facility staff, including the CDM and DON, indicated a lack of awareness regarding whether snacks were routinely offered to all residents between dinner and breakfast. The CDM confirmed there was no documented resident group agreement to the current meal hours, and the DON was unaware if snacks were consistently offered during the extended overnight period. Nursing staff reported that snacks were offered if care planned or upon resident request, but not necessarily as a routine practice for all residents.