Failure to Provide Scheduled Showers for Dependent Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide scheduled showers for two dependent residents who required staff assistance for activities of daily living, specifically showering. One resident, with diagnoses including depression and apraxia and who was cognitively intact, was scheduled to receive showers twice weekly but went without a shower for two weeks, receiving only bed baths during this period. Documentation and a concern form confirmed the lack of showers, and the resident reported feeling dirty as a result. Another resident, also cognitively intact and requiring staff assistance for showering, was scheduled for showers twice weekly but reported receiving bed baths instead of showers about three times a month, and on one occasion did not receive either a shower or a bed bath. This resident also expressed feeling unclean due to the substitution of bed baths for showers. Staff interviews revealed that showers were sometimes replaced with bed baths due to staffing shortages or time constraints, with staff acknowledging that resident preferences for showers were not always met. The Director of Nursing confirmed that resident preferences should be accommodated. Facility policy indicated that residents have the right to reasonable accommodation of their needs and preferences, including being treated with dignity and respect.