Failure to Provide Timely Showers and Maintain Personal Hygiene
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide necessary services to maintain good personal hygiene for three residents who required assistance with activities of daily living, specifically bathing and showering. Observations, interviews, and record reviews revealed that these residents did not consistently receive showers as scheduled or preferred, despite facility policies requiring showers to be provided per resident request or facility schedule. For example, one resident received only one shower in June despite being eligible for five, and another received only four out of eight required showers in June. Documentation and interviews with staff and residents confirmed that showers were missed, and residents expressed discomfort and dissatisfaction with the infrequency of bathing. The affected residents had varying degrees of cognitive and physical impairment, with diagnoses including cancer, heart failure, diabetes, depression, and anxiety disorder. Care plans indicated the need for staff assistance with bathing and specified the frequency and method of bathing, such as sponge baths when showers could not be tolerated. Staff interviews revealed a lack of a designated shower aide and reliance on available aides to provide showers, which contributed to the inconsistency. Residents reported feeling unclean and uncomfortable due to missed showers, and staff acknowledged complaints and the expectation that residents should receive showers according to their preferences and care plans.