Failure to Maintain Safe and Comfortable Environment Due to Excessive Heat
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a safe, comfortable, and homelike environment for five of seven residents reviewed, as evidenced by excessive heat in common areas due to a broken air conditioning unit. Resident B, who was cognitively intact and had diagnoses including hypertension, diabetes, and asthma, reported that the air conditioning in the hallway and dining room was broken, causing him to avoid these areas due to excessive heat. He stopped attending activities and sometimes avoided eating in the dining room. The Maintenance Director confirmed that the air conditioning unit serving the B hallway, kitchen, and dining room had been nonfunctional for about two months and required replacement. During this period, the facility did not have a thermometer to monitor air temperatures and relied on thermostats, which showed temperatures in the common areas ranging from 81 to 83 degrees Fahrenheit. Observations revealed that the main dining room, where multiple residents were eating, was affected by heat from the kitchen, as the door was propped open. Residents D, E, F, and G, all of whom were severely cognitively impaired, required extensive staff assistance for mobility, and had significant medical conditions, were present in the restorative dining area during these conditions. The facility's Emergency Operations Plan required monitoring and documentation of ambient air temperatures and specified actions if temperatures exceeded 81 degrees Fahrenheit, but these procedures were not followed. The deficiency was identified during a complaint investigation and related to the facility's failure to ensure a safe and comfortable environment as required.