Verbal Altercation and Disrespectful Conduct by Activity Staff Toward a Resident
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to protect a resident from verbal abuse and to ensure the resident was treated with respect. During a scheduled smoke break in the courtyard, an activity assistant asked a group of residents if they wanted to listen to music. Although the majority of residents reportedly declined, the activity assistant played music anyway. The resident reported that the music selections were derogatory, inappropriate for public listening, and extremely loud, making it difficult for residents to hear one another. This led to escalating verbal exchanges between the resident and the activity assistant. According to the investigation statements, the interaction progressed into a verbal altercation involving yelling and cursing between the resident and the activity assistant until a supervisor arrived and escorted the staff member from the courtyard and out of the facility for the remainder of the day. The Recreation Program Director reported that the resident had previously complained about the music played by this same activity assistant, and that the activity assistant had also approached him about these prior conflicts. Review of the activity assistant’s employee file showed disciplinary action less than three weeks earlier for negative interactions with a resident, in which a resident was singled out and became upset. Surveyors substantiated abuse based on these findings.
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