Failure to Provide Residents with Ready Access to Personal Funds
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide residents with ready and reasonable access to their personal funds upon request. One resident reported that she was unable to access her personal funds during weekends and had to plan ahead to obtain money from the office before the weekend. She also stated that when she requested funds, she was told she had to wait for the office manager to be present. Staff interviews confirmed that there was no process in place for residents to access personal funds during non-business hours, and staff members were unaware of any method, such as a locked cash box, to provide funds outside of regular office hours. Further interviews revealed that the Business Office Manager acknowledged the absence of a current process for providing residents with access to their funds and noted that a lock box system had been discontinued about a year prior. The Director of Nursing was also unaware of any available personal funds on site for residents. Additionally, the facility lacked a policy related to personal funds, as confirmed by the Administrator. These actions and inactions resulted in residents not having reasonable access to their personal funds as required.