Failure to Provide Adequate Hygiene and Grooming for Dependent Resident
Penalty
Summary
A resident with Huntington's disease and dementia, who was assessed as having severe cognitive impairment and requiring extensive assistance with activities of daily living, did not consistently receive adequate care to maintain personal hygiene and grooming. Observations over several days revealed the resident had greasy hair, unclean and jagged fingernails with dark matter underneath, food debris on clothing, and a heavily soiled wheelchair. The facility's policy required regular showers or tub baths, thorough washing, drying, and grooming, with documentation of care provided and refusals reported to supervisors. However, records indicated the resident frequently refused or did not receive scheduled showers, and instead received bed baths or partial hygiene. Staff interviews confirmed the resident's unkempt appearance, soiled clothing, and dirty wheelchair. Certified Nurse Aide staff were unsure of the resident's shower schedule and noted the resident was only washed up in the morning, while the LPN Manager stated showers were scheduled weekly and that the resident occasionally resisted care. The LPN Manager also acknowledged the resident's wheelchair was soiled and that spot cleaning should occur, with more frequent hygiene care provided as needed. Despite these requirements, the resident was repeatedly observed in an unclean state, indicating a failure to provide necessary services for activities of daily living as required.