Failure to Assess and Provide Shaving Preferences for Dependent Resident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to assess and provide for the shaving preferences of a resident with severe cognitive impairment and multiple diagnoses, including dementia and a traumatic brain injury. The resident required substantial to maximal assistance for personal hygiene, yet his medical record did not contain documentation of his shaving preferences. The care plan, while addressing the need for assistance with ADLs due to physical and cognitive limitations, did not specify shaving preferences. Observations revealed that the resident had significant beard growth and was not offered shaving assistance during care routines. Interviews with staff indicated that shaving was typically performed only on bath days or upon resident request, and if a resident was unable to request, shaving was not routinely provided outside of scheduled bath days. A family member reported that the resident had previously shaved daily and expressed difficulty in getting staff to maintain this routine. The facility's policy required necessary services to maintain grooming based on comprehensive assessment, but there was no evidence in the medical record to support that the resident's shaving preferences were assessed or addressed.