Failure to Inform Responsible Party of Significant Events and Care Decisions
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to ensure that a resident's responsible party was fully informed about significant events and care decisions. Specifically, the responsible party was not notified by facility staff about an alleged abuse incident involving the resident, learning of the event instead from the Ombudsman. The administrator later acknowledged that the responsible party should have been informed, but stated that the incident was not reported to the family because the abuse allegation was anonymous and unsubstantiated. This lack of communication left the responsible party feeling ignored and uninformed about the resident's care. Additionally, the responsible party was not notified in advance of a dental visit for the resident, despite having previously requested that the resident not be seen by the dentist due to concerns about unnecessary use of benefits. The dental office confirmed that the resident was seen for an initial visit and x-rays, and the administrator stated that social services was responsible for notifying the responsible party but failed to do so. The facility's policy requires prompt notification of changes in a resident's condition or care to the resident's representative, which was not followed in these instances. The resident in question had diagnoses of hyperlipidemia and hypertension, and was assessed as lacking capacity to make decisions, requiring full assistance with daily activities.