Failure to Ensure Resident Access to Personal Mail and Packages
Penalty
Summary
A resident with diagnoses including bipolar disorder and diabetes, who was assessed as cognitively intact and able to make their own decisions, did not receive multiple packages ordered from Amazon despite delivery confirmations. The resident reported missing packages to facility staff, provided proof of delivery, and attempted to resolve the issue by contacting the Activities Director and front desk, but was repeatedly told no packages had been received. Staff interviews revealed that the Activities Assistant, responsible for mail delivery, had been instructed by management to return any packages for the resident from Amazon based on direction from the resident's representative, who expressed concerns about the resident's spending habits. The Activities Director and other staff were not aware if the resident had been informed about the returned packages, and there was no confirmation that the resident had consented to this action. Further interviews confirmed that the administrator and business manager acted on the representative's instructions to withhold or return the resident's packages, assuming the representative had discussed this with the resident, but without direct confirmation. The resident later clarified that while they had given permission for their representative to discuss financial matters with the business office, they had not consented to having their mail or packages withheld. The resident directly communicated to their representative and staff that they wanted their packages and mail to be delivered, indicating a lack of communication and failure to honor the resident's rights regarding their personal mail and packages.