Failure to Provide Adequate Menu Substitutions Based on Resident Dislikes
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to implement menus that addressed residents’ dislikes, despite a substitutions policy stating that residents’ likes and dislikes will be considered when making substitutions. One resident was observed at lunch with baked fish, broccoli, hash brown casserole, and baked apples; he stated he does not like fish and used three packets of tartar sauce to mask the taste so he could eat it, reporting that if he did not eat the fish he would not get anything else. He further stated that the only substitute offered is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which he also does not like and does not consider an appropriate substitute for the main meal, and he was not offered any substitute for the baked apples he disliked and left uneaten. Another resident’s lunch tray with fish was left on the dining room table while she was absent; staff later stated she had food delivered because she does not like fish, and the resident confirmed she does not like fish and therefore ordered outside food instead of eating the facility meal. The Dietary Manager stated that the facility does not offer an anytime menu and that the only substitutes available are a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or possibly a cheese sandwich, and verified that these substitutes are not equal in nutritional value.
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