Failure to Provide Required Feeding Assistance to Dependent Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide required feeding assistance to two dependent residents, both of whom had documented needs for one-to-one feeding support due to significant medical conditions. One resident, an elderly female with dementia, partial paralysis from a stroke, dysphagia, and other chronic conditions, had active physician orders and care plans specifying the need for one-to-one feeding assistance during all meals. Despite these orders, she was observed eating pureed food with her bare hands without any staff assistance present. The Director of Nursing confirmed that this resident required one-to-one feeding assistance to prevent aspiration or choking. Another resident, who was blind and dependent on staff for all activities of daily living, was found calling for help in her room with her breakfast tray untouched. She expressed hunger and a desire to eat, but no staff were present to assist her. The assigned CNA stated she had not yet fed the resident due to helping another staff member, and the RN confirmed the meal had not been started. The facility's mealtime schedule indicated that breakfast should have been served and assistance provided much earlier. The Director of Nursing stated that residents requiring one-to-one feeding assistance should be fed within 15 minutes of tray delivery, which did not occur in these cases.