Failure to Maintain Clean and Sanitary Common Areas
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a clean and sanitary environment in its common areas, affecting all 69 residents. Observations included dirt-stained floors in the dining room and hallways, dried brown substances dripping on walls, a dried yellow stain at the entrance to the men's restroom, and large dried red and brown stains in the group room. These conditions were confirmed by the facility administrator, who acknowledged that the floors and common areas should be cleaned daily but was unable to identify the substances causing the stains. Additionally, a resident with a BIMS score indicating cognitive intactness reported feeling that the facility was never cleaned or repaired, expressing emotional distress about the environment. Further inspection revealed a bathroom with a toilet bowl and seat covered in a dried brown substance, identified as fecal matter, and a strong odor of feces. Staff members, including an activity aide and the activity director, confirmed the presence of these stains and odors, with uncertainty about how long the stains had been present. The facility's own housekeeping policy requires a clean, odor-free, and comfortable environment, and resident rights documents mandate that the facility be safe, clean, and homelike. Despite these policies, the observed conditions demonstrated a failure to meet these standards.