Failure to Maintain Safe and Homelike Resident Room Environment
Penalty
Summary
A resident was moved into a room that had pre-existing damage, including torn sheetrock on the walls, a damaged dresser with a broken drawer track, and a bathroom cabinet with doors that would not latch and a sunken, dirty pressboard bottom. The resident reported that staff were aware of the wall damage at the time of her move-in, and maintenance logs confirmed work orders for wall and baseboard repairs, as well as bathroom fixture repairs, but these issues remained unaddressed for an extended period. Observations confirmed the ongoing presence of these deficiencies, with the resident's dresser drawer being unstable and at risk of falling, and the bathroom cabinet being unusable and containing debris. Interviews with the resident and staff revealed that the resident had previously dropped the dresser drawer on her foot, resulting in bruising and an x-ray, and that staff were aware of the visible damage in the room. The maintenance assistant stated he was not aware of the needed repairs until recently, and the maintenance director explained that repairs had not been completed due to ongoing remodeling in other parts of the facility. The maintenance director also stated that the bathroom cabinet was not usable and that the dresser had suffered water damage from a previously running toilet. The facility's interim DON and administrator acknowledged that the repairs had been delayed for several months, with the administrator stating that six months was too long to wait for such repairs. The resident continued to use the attached bathroom daily despite the cabinet's condition. The facility failed to provide timely maintenance services to ensure a safe, clean, and homelike environment for the resident, as required.