Failure to Safeguard Resident Funds and Prevent Misappropriation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to safeguard and prevent misappropriation of resident funds for two cognitively intact residents. One resident kept money in a locked bedside drawer, which was found to have its back panel partially removed, allowing access to the contents. After returning from a day out, the resident discovered that a bag containing between $200 and $300 had been ripped and most of the money was missing, with only about $25 remaining. The resident reported the incident to facility staff but requested that neither the police nor her husband be contacted. It was noted that several staff members were aware of where the resident kept her money, and the resident had previously experienced theft from her purse, leading her to secure her funds in the locked drawer. The Business Office Manager confirmed the resident's practice of keeping money in the locked drawer and that the resident's husband regularly provided her with spending money. Another resident reported that a wallet containing approximately $45, which was kept in the top drawer of the bedside drawer, had gone missing. The resident could not recall the exact timing of the loss but informed staff of the missing wallet and money. The resident's family member confirmed that money was regularly provided and kept in the wallet in the bedside drawer. Facility staff indicated that the theft of the wallet and money was believed to have occurred around the same time as the other resident's loss. The facility's policy prohibits misappropriation of resident property, defined as the wrongful use of a resident's belongings or money without consent.