F0679 F679: Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
D

Failure to Provide Individualized Activity Program

Northwood Rehabilitation & Health Care CenterLowell, Massachusetts Survey Completed on 08-15-2025

Summary

The facility failed to implement an activity program of choice for a resident admitted in August 2023 with Alzheimer's Disease. The resident's most recent MDS showed a BIMS score of 6, indicating severe cognitive impairment, and that the resident required supervision for self-feeding and was dependent on staff for all other self-care and mobility tasks. The resident stated that he/she did not get out of bed and did not participate in activities, and the room was observed with the television on and no activity materials present. On multiple observations, the resident remained in bed throughout the 7:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. shifts and did not participate in scheduled activities such as Morning Visits/mails, the beverage and snack cart, Morning Stretch, Task Table/Patio Time, Bean Bag Toss, and Arts and Crafts. No activity staff member was observed inviting the resident to group activities or providing individualized activities in the room. The resident's activity preferences included books, newspapers, magazines, music, groups of people, fresh air, and going outside, and the activity care plan included interventions to remind, encourage, and offer materials or individualized activities. The activity progress note stated the resident enjoyed social contact, 1:1 visits, music, watching television, and family visits, required reminders and assistance to participate in activities, and liked religious activities, music, sing-alongs, active games, outside, sensory groups, and radio/music. During interview, the Activities Director stated that residents who do not get out of bed should receive room visits, hand massages, exercises, activity materials, radio, magazines, or iPad music, and acknowledged that activity staff should have gone into the resident's room to do activities individually or leave materials.

Penalty

No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Resources

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See other F0679 citations
Failure to Provide Individualized Activities
D
F0679 F679: Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Short Summary

Failure to Provide Individualized Activities: Two residents with severe cognitive impairment and significant physical limitations had care plans calling for 1:1 in-room activities and support for emotional, intellectual, physical, and social needs, but the record showed only a few documented in-room activity entries over a 12-month period. The Activity Director and other staff could not confirm the frequency of activities provided, and the Administrator stated the documented activity frequency was not sufficient.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Provide Individualized In-Room Activities
D
F0679 F679: Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Short Summary

Failure to Provide Individualized In-Room Activities: A resident with anxiety, chronic pain, scoliosis, and end stage HF was cognitively intact and had identified music, news, and favorite activities as important, but he reported staying in bed without in-room activities and requested a word search book that he had not received. The AD log for in-room activities could not be found, and facility leadership stated the AD position was open and a qualified candidate was being sought.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Provide Ongoing Activities for Residents With Dementia
D
F0679 F679: Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Short Summary

Failure to provide ongoing activities for two residents with dementia and severe cognitive impairment. Both residents had documented preferences for music, animals, outdoor time, family visits, and other favorite activities, yet they were repeatedly observed sitting in wheelchairs at the dining table with no activity or stimulation. Staff stated the residents did not participate because of their cognition, while the Activity staff noted there were multiple activities available for residents with cognitive loss.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Provide Individualized Activity Programming
E
F0679 F679: Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Short Summary

Failure to Provide Individualized Activity Programming: Three residents with dementia or other significant cognitive impairment had documented activity preferences, but staff did not consistently provide or reapproach activities to match those interests. One resident was observed in-room for long periods without activities being offered, another had limited activity participation despite stated preferences for reading, news, and outdoor time, and a third had no evidence of activity participation and the resident representative reported no invitations to activities. COTA input confirmed the facility lacked an activity director and did not facilitate independent activities for some residents.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Provide Ongoing Activities for a Resident With Behavioral Needs
D
F0679 F679: Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Short Summary

Failure to provide ongoing activities for a resident with behavioral needs. A resident who was incapacitated, wandered the halls, and had repeated agitation and resident-to-resident incidents was not given consistent group or individual activities aligned with stated interests such as music and church. The activity log showed many missed activity days, staff said the resident did not attend group activities often, and the facility did not provide individual one-on-one activities.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Provide Individualized Activities
D
F0679 F679: Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Short Summary

Failure to provide individualized activities for a resident with severe intellectual disabilities and severe cognitive impairment. The resident’s MDS and care plan documented preferences for music, going outside, and religious activities, and that she was dependent on staff for all ADLs and needed cognitive stimulation and social interaction. However, the EMR lacked documentation of activities offered or participated in, observations showed her sitting without stimulation, and staff stated she had not received the expected 1:1 in-room activities and could not meaningfully participate in group activities.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
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