Failure to Inform Residents of Daily Menu Options
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure residents’ rights to a dignified existence and self-determination by not effectively informing them of the daily menu. During resident interviews, one resident reported that menus were not provided and that residents did not know what they were having until the food arrived; if they did not want the served meal, they had to wait to order something else. Another resident stated that there was no menu or calendar of what was being served, although alternate items would be provided if the resident did not like the meal. The resident council president confirmed that residents previously received menus but no longer did so. During a tour, the surveyor observed that the daily menu was posted at the entrance of the common dining and activity room on both floors, but multiple staff interviews confirmed that residents were not otherwise provided menus or made aware of daily meals prior to service. Two CNAs stated that residents were not given menus and only learned of the meals when they were served, with one CNA indicating they tried to look at the posted menu to inform residents if asked. The Food Service Director confirmed that residents were not distributed or made aware of the daily menu, noting only that residents received a copy of the always-available options. The Director of Recreation also confirmed that the activities department was not distributing menus to residents. These findings were reviewed with the NHA, DON, and corporate nurse during the exit conference.
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.