F0921

E

Failure to Secure Exits and Maintenance Area, and to Monitor Generator and Hot Water Temperatures

Palm Springs, California Survey Completed on 02-10-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

Surveyors identified multiple failures in maintaining safe and functional environmental conditions for residents and staff. During an unannounced complaint investigation focused on the physical environment, an emergency exit door at the end of B wing was observed propped open with no staff present, and the adjacent maintenance shop door was also open and unattended. The DON confirmed that the emergency exit door, which is equipped with a wander guard and alarm, is required to remain closed with the alarm set unless someone is physically present, and that the maintenance shop door must be closed and locked when maintenance staff are not there. The DM similarly stated that both doors should remain closed and secured for resident safety and that maintenance staff should not leave these doors open when unattended.

Surveyors also found that the facility was not following its own policies for generator testing and water temperature monitoring. The DM reported he could not locate documentation verifying that the emergency generator had been tested for the past year, despite a facility policy requiring the generator to be run monthly under load for 30 minutes with documentation of the checks. The DM further stated he could not find any logs confirming that water temperatures had been checked since May 2025, even though facility policy requires weekly checks and documentation. When surveyors measured water temperatures in various locations, they found readings of 124°F at a conference room sink and 120.4°F to 122°F in several resident rooms, exceeding the facility’s stated maximum of 120°F for resident care areas and the policy requirement that hot water in resident rooms and common areas be maintained between 105°F and 120°F.