Failure to Protect Resident Property and Prevent Misappropriation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to follow its abuse policy regarding the protection of resident property, resulting in the loss and misappropriation of personal items such as bank cards and state IDs for three residents. In one case, a resident's belongings were collected due to a bed bug issue, during which money and a state ID were found, but no bank cards. The resident's power of attorney instructed that the items be discarded, and the facility was unable to locate the state ID. Documentation also showed that the resident's purse was reported missing upon discharge, and the family could not locate it. Another resident reported missing bank cards from her room, which was communicated to her power of attorney, the administrator, and the police. One card was found in the facility laundry and returned, but two cards remained missing, with one being used for unauthorized transactions. In a third case, a resident's family discovered unauthorized ATM withdrawals totaling $3,809.50 during the resident's stay, with the resident known to keep her PIN with her debit card. The facility was unaware of the missing card until after discharge, and the family filed a police report. These incidents demonstrate the facility's failure to prevent misappropriation of resident property as required by its abuse policy.