Failure to Provide Adequate Hygiene and Grooming for Two Dependent Residents
Penalty
Summary
Two residents who required assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) were observed to have untrimmed, jagged fingernails with black substances underneath, dry and scaly skin on their feet, and traces of colored-liquid and old, dry food residue in their beards. These findings were confirmed during multiple observations and interviews with facility staff, including the Treatment Nurse, Assistant Director of Nursing, and Director of Nursing. Both residents had documented medical conditions—one with osteoarthritis, generalized muscle weakness, and a left below-knee amputation, and the other with Parkinson's disease and dementia—that necessitated staff assistance for ADLs, as reflected in their care plans. Despite these documented needs, the residents were not provided with adequate hygiene and grooming, as evidenced by their physical condition during the survey. Staff interviews confirmed that the residents should have been cleaned and groomed, and that the lack of hygiene could lead to discomfort, skin irritation, and affect their dignity. Facility policy required appropriate care and services for residents unable to perform ADLs independently, but this was not followed for the two residents in question.