Failure to Provide Palatable, Attractive, and Properly Tempered Food
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that food and drink provided to residents was palatable, attractive, and served at a safe and appetizing temperature. Multiple residents with intact or moderately impaired cognition reported that their meals were consistently cold, lacked flavor, and were repetitive in nature. Specific complaints included vegetables being too salty and watery, food lacking taste, and meals being cold when served in residents' rooms. Several residents also expressed dissatisfaction with the variety and portion sizes, noting that meals often contained insufficient meat and unappealing vegetables, such as repeated servings of mixed vegetables and zucchini. Observations and interviews revealed that these issues were ongoing and had been reported by both residents and staff. Residents described the food as bland, cold, and sometimes burnt or hard. Some residents provided photographic evidence of inadequate portion sizes and poor meal composition, such as sandwiches with minimal filling and hard bread. Staff interviews corroborated these complaints, with reports of frequent negative feedback from residents regarding the taste, temperature, and portion sizes of meals. Staff also indicated that complaints were reported to the dietary department, but improvements were not observed. Review of resident council minutes over several months documented repeated concerns about cold food, lack of variety, and specific requests for preferred items like fried chicken not being met. The facility's dietary manager acknowledged hearing complaints from both staff and residents and noted that the kitchen followed corporate menus. Despite attempts to solicit resident preferences, the issues persisted, as evidenced by ongoing complaints and negative feedback during group interviews and meal observations. The facility's own policy required food to be prepared and served in a manner that preserved flavor, appearance, and proper temperature, but these standards were not consistently met.