Failure to Serve Food at Appropriate Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide food at appropriate temperatures according to residents' preferences for three out of five sampled residents. Observations and interviews revealed that one resident reported sometimes receiving cold breakfast and having to wait 20 minutes for food in the dining room. Another resident, who was served breakfast in the dining room, later stated that his meal was lukewarm and almost cold, and that he had stopped complaining about cold food since nothing changed after previous reports. A third resident, who was eating breakfast in bed, stated her food was cold and that this was a frequent occurrence. All three residents involved had the capacity to understand and make decisions, with medical histories including hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The facility's policy required that each resident be provided with a nourishing, palatable, well-balanced diet, with food served at a safe and appetizing temperature. However, staff interviews confirmed that the expectation was not being met, as residents were being served cold or lukewarm food, contrary to facility policy and residents' preferences.