Failure to Maintain Adequate Laundry Resources
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to ensure that necessary resources were available to meet the needs of residents, as evidenced by the ongoing issue with laundry equipment. During a tour of the laundry room, it was observed that only two out of three industrial washing machines were operational, and the third had been out of service for approximately a year. The laundry aide confirmed this, and the Housekeeping Director stated that the current administrator had only recently been made aware of the issue. Additionally, multiple boxes of linen were observed stacked on the floor in the laundry storage area, and the Housekeeping Director was not aware that staff and residents had reported insufficient linen availability on the floors. A review of maintenance documentation showed only routine maintenance had been performed on the two working washers, with no indication of repair for the inoperable machine. During a meeting with corporate and facility leadership, it was revealed that the Housekeeping Director did not feel it necessary to inform the new administrator about the laundry equipment issue, and the President of Operations was also unaware of the need for a new or repaired washing machine. Staff reported ongoing problems with timely access to linen and clothing, and the cost estimates for repair or replacement of the washing machine were discussed.