Failure to Provide Palatable and Properly Tempered Meals
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide palatable, appetizing, and appropriately tempered food for residents during the noon meal on 10/28/2025. Multiple residents and a family member reported dissatisfaction with the food, describing it as cold, unappetizing, overly salty, or lacking in flavor. Observations during meal service confirmed that food items such as spaghetti and garlic bread were served cold or hard, salads were only cool, and drinks were missing from trays. Test trays prepared for surveyors also reflected these issues, with the Registered Dietitian (RD) present and agreeing that the food was not hot, bread was hard, and drinks and desserts were missing from some trays. Interviews with residents revealed consistent complaints about the quality and temperature of the food, with several stating that meals were not enjoyable and sometimes inedible. The Administrator acknowledged the absence of a dietary manager, who had recently resigned, and stated that the facility's policy requires food to be nourishing, palatable, and served at safe temperatures. The facility's own policy on food preparation and service, revised in November 2022, mandates compliance with safe food handling practices, which was not met during the observed meal service.