Failure to Serve Hot and Palatable Food to Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that hot food was served to three residents out of three reviewed for dietary services. Observations conducted over several days revealed that meal trays were delivered to the hallway by kitchen staff, but nursing staff delayed passing the trays to residents for periods ranging from 11 to 18 minutes. The trays contained both hot and cold food items, but there was no hot plate under the ceramic plates to maintain food temperature. Multiple residents reported that their food was consistently cold, and some stated they had informed staff about this issue previously. One resident mentioned requesting staff to reheat food in a microwave, while another reported not eating meals due to the food being cold and unappetizing. Resident Council meeting minutes from two separate months documented ongoing complaints from residents about cold food. The residents involved had varying cognitive statuses, with two being cognitively intact and one having moderate cognitive impairment. The deficiency was identified through interviews, record reviews, and direct observations, all of which consistently indicated that the facility did not maintain food at a safe and appetizing temperature during meal service.