Failure to Maintain Safe Temperatures and Clean Bathing Areas
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment for its residents, as evidenced by multiple deficiencies in room temperature control and the cleanliness and maintenance of bathing areas. Two residents were found to be living in rooms with air temperatures below the required 70 degrees Fahrenheit, with one resident reporting a non-functional heater and another's room measured at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The Director of Maintenance confirmed that heater coils in some rooms had been broken since November 2024, and the facility's interim solution was to keep room doors open to maintain heat, as repairs would require shutting off heat to the entire building. Additionally, the facility's two shared shower rooms were observed to be in poor condition. A resident's family member expressed concern about the persistent uncleanliness and disrepair of both shower rooms, which was corroborated by direct observations. The North shower room had a strong foul, musty odor, corroded floor bases, broken tiles, standing water with discoloration, and soiled items left on the floor. The South shower room also had a strong musty odor, broken and dirty tiles, a broken toilet, visible fecal matter, peeling paint, and dirty, peeling grip tape on grab bars. Both rooms were confirmed by staff to be the only available bathing options for residents. Staff interviews and observations with the DON further confirmed the ongoing issues, including persistent odors, broken fixtures, and inadequate cleaning, despite previous attempts to address the problems. The facility's own policy requires maintaining a safe, clean, and comfortable environment, including proper maintenance of resident care equipment and bathing areas, but these standards were not met, affecting multiple residents and potentially impacting the majority of the facility's population.