Failure to Provide Dignified Meal Assistance
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to provide a dignified care environment for a resident with severe cognitive impairment and multiple medical diagnoses, including aphasia, dementia, and hypertension. The resident was totally dependent on staff for all activities of daily living and required set-up assistance during meals, as documented in her care plan and assessments. Despite care plan instructions to provide supervision, cueing, and a quiet environment during mealtimes, staff were observed standing over the resident while attempting to feed her during both breakfast and lunch on separate occasions. The resident consumed only a small portion of her meal during one of these observed instances. Interviews with facility staff, including a CNA and an administrative nurse, confirmed that the expectation was for staff to sit next to residents when providing meal assistance and not to stand over them. The facility's own dementia care policy emphasized the importance of ensuring a dignified care environment. The observed actions were inconsistent with both facility policy and staff expectations, resulting in a failure to honor the resident's right to dignity during mealtimes.