Failure to Provide Properly Textured Pureed Foods
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that pureed food items were prepared with the appropriate texture for residents requiring a pureed diet. Specifically, two residents with significant medical needs—one with dysphagia and anorexia, and another in a persistent vegetative state due to Alzheimer's disease—were identified as receiving pureed diets. Observations revealed that a dietary aide prepared pureed pears by adding an unmeasured amount of apple juice, resulting in a product that was thin, watery, and contained chunks, rather than being smooth and homogenous as required by the facility's diet manual. Further review and interviews confirmed that the texture of the pureed pears was inappropriate for residents on a pureed diet. The dietary director acknowledged that the pears did not meet the required consistency, as they were both too thin and contained lumps. The facility's diet manual specifies that pureed foods should be smooth, cohesive, and free of lumps, but these standards were not met during the preparation and serving of the pureed pears.