Failure to Provide Timely Facial Hair Grooming for Dependent Residents
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency in the facility’s failure to provide timely hygiene care, specifically shaving and removal of facial hair, for residents who required assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). One resident with Parkinson’s disease, right shoulder pain, impaired mobility, COPD, bipolar disorder, obesity, osteoarthritis, heart failure, seizures, and other conditions was cognitively intact and required touching assistance for personal grooming, including shaving, per the MDS and care plan. The care plan documented an actual risk for ADL decline and the need for staff assistance with hygiene. During observation, this resident was seen in a common area with multiple long, white chin hairs that were noticeable. The resident reported being unable to find tweezers and stated that staff usually shaved the chin whiskers but had not done so that day. An LPN confirmed the presence of multiple long white chin hairs and that the resident had requested their removal, which had not been done. Another resident with atrial fibrillation, hypertension, osteoarthritis, anxiety disorder, hypothyroidism, major depressive disorder, ischemic heart disease, anemia, and electrolyte imbalance had moderate cognitive impairment and required moderate assistance for showering and personal hygiene, including shaving, as documented on the MDS and care plan. The care plan indicated an ADL self-care performance deficit related to impaired mobility and required staff assistance for showering and personal hygiene, including shaving. Review of a shower sheet for this resident showed a blank space where shower documentation should have been. Observation revealed multiple black hairs on the resident’s upper and lower lips with the appearance of a mustache, and the resident stated the facial hair bothered her because it did not look good. An LPN stated that female residents’ facial hair is to be shaved on shower days and when noticeable, and that CNAs are expected to shave female residents with facial hair even if it is not their shower day. The LPN confirmed the facial hair on this resident and that the resident had asked for it to be shaved but it remained. Facility policy required that residents unable to carry out ADLs independently receive services necessary to maintain grooming and personal hygiene, including support and assistance with hygiene in accordance with the plan of care.
We Help Long-Term Care Teams Stay Survey-Ready
We process and analyze inspection reports and plan of correction using AI to extract insights and trends so providers can improve care quality and stay ahead of compliance risks.