Failure to Provide Call Bell Accommodation for Resident with Physical Limitations
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to reasonably accommodate the needs of a resident with significant physical limitations by not providing an appropriate call bell system. The facility's policy requires that each resident be evaluated for unique needs and that any necessary special accommodations for the call system be identified and provided. In this case, a resident with hemiplegia, muscle wasting, and contractures in both hands was unable to use the standard push-button call bell due to these physical limitations. The resident expressed during an interview that he was unable to use the call bell and requested a touch-sensitive system. A Licensed Practical Nurse confirmed that the resident could not utilize the standard call light because of his hand contractures. It was only after the surveyor's inquiry that the facility provided a touch-sensitive call light device, which the resident was able to operate. The Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that the resident had not been provided with a compatible call system prior to the surveyor's involvement. This failure to provide a necessary accommodation was in direct violation of the facility's own policy and relevant regulatory requirements.