Failure to Provide Timely Meal Service to Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide meals and snacks to residents at appropriate and scheduled times, as required by federal regulations. Observations revealed that residents were left waiting in dining rooms for extended periods before receiving their meals, with some residents not receiving food trays at the scheduled meal times. Staff interviews confirmed that meal service, particularly lunch, was consistently delayed due to food being sent late from the kitchen. Multiple staff members, including CNAs and restorative aides, attributed the delays to kitchen staffing shortages following a change in the company managing kitchen duties. Residents reported that their concerns about late meals had been voiced to staff and during resident council meetings, but the issue persisted. The Dietary Director, who had recently started, acknowledged the ongoing problem of delayed meal service and stated that efforts were being made to address the staffing issues in the kitchen. The Assistant Director of Nursing and other facility leadership were aware of the residents' complaints and confirmed that the kitchen, operated by an independent vendor, was not meeting the scheduled meal times. Review of facility policy indicated that meals were to be served according to a planned schedule, but observations and interviews demonstrated that this was not being followed, affecting all 199 residents who received oral meals from the facility's kitchen.