Failure to Honor Food Preferences and Serve Meals at Safe Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to honor a resident's food preferences and ensure meals were served at safe and appetizing temperatures. During observation, a resident reported that their meal tickets were repeatedly incorrect, resulting in not receiving double portions or cheese on their eggs as requested. The resident also stated that the food was consistently cold and unpalatable. Direct observation confirmed that the breakfast tray did not match the resident's documented preferences, and the food was not warm. Review of the meal ticket corroborated that the resident was supposed to receive double portions with cheese, which was not provided. Further observations during lunch revealed that the resident's tray again did not include the required double portions, and food temperatures were below the standards reported by the kitchen manager. The kitchen manager acknowledged issues with staff reading meal tickets correctly and noted that food items were not at the appropriate temperatures when served. The resident's medical record indicated multiple mental health diagnoses, and facility policy required that food preferences be identified and honored on tray tickets, which was not followed in this case.