F0585

E

Inaccessible and Non-Private Grievance Boxes Limit Anonymous Resident Complaints

Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania Survey Completed on 02-13-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

The facility failed to honor residents' rights to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal by not providing accessible grievance boxes in three locations: the main lobby, and the north and south nursing units. Facility policy on grievances/complaints, reviewed on 1/16/25, allows grievances to be submitted orally or in writing and filed anonymously. During a resident group interview, residents reported they did not feel they could anonymously file grievances in the grievance boxes. They stated that some boxes were too high to reach, not designed for people in wheelchairs, and that the boxes were in view of staff, requiring them to ask staff for help, leading them to instead verbally ask staff to file grievances for them.

On observation and measurement conducted with the Nursing Home Administrator, the grievance box in the lobby was found to be mounted at 54 inches from the floor, the north nursing unit box at 53 inches, and the south nursing unit box at 57 inches, all above the ADA-recommended operable part height range of 15 to 48 inches. The lobby box was in view of the reception desk and partially blocked by a chair, the north nursing unit box was in view of the nursing station, and the south nursing unit box was blocked by a cart with a cooler and also in view of the nursing station. During an interview, the Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that the facility failed to make the grievance boxes accessible to residents, in violation of 28 PA Code: 201.18(e)(4) Management and 28 PA Code: 201.29(a)(b)(c) Resident rights.