Failure to Provide Palatable and Properly Tempered Food to Residents
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to ensure that food and drink provided to residents were palatable, attractive, and served at safe and appetizing temperatures. Multiple residents reported that their meals were often cold, with one resident specifically stating that food was not hot enough when delivered to their room. Another resident indicated that meats, such as ham and beef, were tough to chew, and staff could only assist with cutting, not with the actual chewing. Additional residents voiced concerns about the food being lukewarm and tough, particularly after a recent change in food suppliers. One resident described the food as 'rotten' and stated that the pork chop was 'tough as a brick.' Surveyors conducted test trays in both resident rooms and the main dining room, finding that hot foods were served below the required temperature and were not palatable. For example, a Chicago Beef Sandwich was measured at 113°F and sweet potato fries at 104°F, both below the facility's policy requirement of 135°F for hot foods. Cold items were also not maintained at the correct temperature. The dietary manager acknowledged the issues with food temperature and toughness, noting the recent switch in food companies and ongoing menu adjustments. Facility policy requires hot foods to be held at 135°F or higher and cold foods at 41°F or below, but these standards were not met during the survey period.