Failure to Provide Adaptive Eating Equipment and Assistance
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide special eating equipment and utensils for a resident who required them, as well as appropriate assistance during meals. The resident, a male with diagnoses including Parkinson's Disease, muscle weakness, lack of coordination, and moderate cognitive impairment, was observed multiple times struggling to get food onto his spoon and experiencing food spillage while eating both in the dining area and in bed. Despite these difficulties, the resident was served meals on a regular plate without any adaptive devices such as a plate guard, and there was no evidence of referral to occupational or speech therapy for assessment of assistive devices. Interviews with staff confirmed that the resident needed assistance with meals and that adaptive equipment, such as a divided plate, would be beneficial. The facility's policy required that residents who could benefit from adaptive devices be provided with them, but this was not followed in the resident's case. The care plan and provider orders did not address the need for assistive devices, and staff acknowledged the risk of inadequate nutrition due to the lack of proper assistance and equipment.