Failure to Maintain Clean, Safe, and Comfortable Environment
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified multiple failures by the facility to maintain a safe, clean, and homelike environment for residents, as evidenced by direct observations, resident and staff interviews, and review of maintenance logs and facility policy. Specific deficiencies included rooms with holes exposing drywall, exposed wires hanging from walls, and unsanitary conditions such as dried feces on floors, walls, and privacy curtains. Several rooms and common areas were found to be below the required minimum temperature, with one resident reporting it was freezing in her room despite the thermostat being set to a high temperature. Maintenance checks confirmed that the actual room temperature was significantly lower than the thermostat setting, and the furnace in that room was not operational. Additional temperature checks throughout the facility revealed that multiple areas, including resident rooms, hallways, and activity spaces, were below the facility's stated minimum temperature requirement. Staff interviews corroborated the environmental issues, with both maintenance and housekeeping supervisors acknowledging the problems. Maintenance logs showed that heating issues had been previously identified and marked as resolved, but subsequent observations indicated ongoing problems. Facility policy required a homelike environment with comfortable temperatures and cleanliness, but these standards were not met in the affected areas. The deficiency affected all ten residents reviewed for environmental conditions, with a total facility census of 108.