F0584

F

Failure to Maintain Required Indoor Temperatures for Resident Comfort and Safety

Chicago, Illinois Survey Completed on 01-22-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain safe and comfortable indoor temperatures in accordance with its policy requiring temperatures between 71 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Multiple residents reported feeling cold for several days, with one resident stating he had four blankets and was still cold, which the surveyor confirmed by observation. Another resident reported being cold for two days and uncomfortable, and a third resident stated the facility had been cold for a few days and that nothing was being done about it. Staff were also observed wearing winter coats and hats indoors and reported feeling cold.

On multiple dates, the Maintenance Supervisor used a handheld infrared thermometer to check temperatures in various rooms and hallways on all three floors. Recorded temperatures were consistently below the facility’s policy threshold, with readings as low as 55.4°F, 58.8°F, 59.7°F, and several readings in the low to mid-60s across different resident rooms and hallways. Even the highest observed readings in resident areas were in the upper 60s, still below the required minimum of 71°F. Plastic coverings were observed on windows and air conditioning units, and residents were observed with multiple blankets, indicating attempts to cope with the cold environment.

The Maintenance Supervisor stated he was first informed that the building was cold on a Sunday and that he initially responded by placing plastic on some resident windows but did not check temperatures at that time. He later reported that the building temperature should be at least 71°F and acknowledged it was not acceptable for residents to be cold. The DON reported first learning of the cold conditions from an LPN on a Sunday and stated she informed the Administrator and instructed staff to ensure windows were closed and to provide extra blankets, but she did not know what the building temperature should be. The Assistant Administrator reported becoming aware of the cold the following day and noted that she did not have a temperature gun initially and relied on feeling the cold in the air. The Administrator stated she was first notified of the cold conditions later and acknowledged directing maintenance to contact the service company and the DON to ensure windows were closed. A refrigeration technician stated that an additional heat source would be needed for the facility to achieve the desired 71°F temperature. The facility’s own policies state that residents have the right to a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment and that indoor temperatures are to be maintained between 71°F and 81°F, with prompt interventions when temperatures fall outside this range.