Failure to Provide Timely Showers for Dependent Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide necessary assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), specifically timely showers, to dependent residents who were unable to perform these tasks independently. Observations, interviews, and record reviews revealed that three sampled residents did not consistently receive two showers per week as outlined in their care plans and facility policy. Documentation showed gaps in shower provision, with some residents going up to eight to ten days without a shower, despite their preferences and care plans indicating a need for two showers weekly. One resident with intact cognition, diabetes, morbid obesity, and neuropathy reported only receiving one shower per week, sometimes with intervals of eight to ten days between showers, leading to feelings of embarrassment due to poor hygiene. Another resident with mild cognitive impairment, stroke, dementia, and diabetes, who required substantial assistance, also reported only receiving one shower per week, contrary to their care plan and expressed preferences. A third resident, dependent on staff for all ADLs due to paraplegia and other medical conditions, similarly reported not receiving two showers per week and expressed discomfort and embarrassment about their hygiene. Interviews with facility staff, including CNAs, the ADON, DON, and MDS Coordinator, confirmed that residents who requested two showers per week should have received them, and that resident preferences were to be care planned. However, documentation and resident interviews indicated that this standard was not consistently met, resulting in a failure to maintain good personal hygiene for these dependent residents.