Cold Resident Rooms and Open Windows
Summary
The facility failed to ensure resident rooms remained at safe and comfortable temperatures when multiple rooms on the 100 Hall were measured far below the stated acceptable range of 71 to 81 degrees F. During the initial tour, surveyors observed the hall felt cold and measured room temperatures ranging from 53.0 degrees F to 65.1 degrees F in rooms occupied by residents including those with and without roommates. Several windows were also found open to the outside, exposing rooms to the outdoor temperature of 46 degrees F, and the thermostat box controlling the left side of the 100 Hall was observed opened and unlocked. Resident records showed that several affected residents had significant medical and cognitive conditions. One resident shared a room with another resident and had diagnoses including Alzheimer's disease, paraplegia, and depression, with moderate cognitive impairment and substantial assistance needed for transfers. Another resident shared that room and had COPD, emphysema, depression, and Alzheimer's disease, with moderate cognitive impairment. Other affected residents included a resident with traumatic brain injury, dementia, hypertension, and depression who was severely cognitively impaired and dependent on chair-to-bed transfers, and a resident with dementia, diabetes, depression, and Alzheimer's disease who was also severely cognitively impaired. Additional residents in the affected rooms were documented as cognitively intact or moderately impaired, and one resident stated the room was cold and that a house coat was needed. Surveyor observations and interviews documented that the cold conditions persisted through repeated measurements during the day, with several rooms still below the required range later in the survey. One resident stated the room had been cold for about two weeks and that staff had been told about it, while another resident said the room was chilly that morning and put on a house coat. The Maintenance Director acknowledged responsibility for the building systems and stated he was not sure of the federal temperature regulations, while the Administrator stated she was first informed when the surveyor raised the issue. The Medical Director later acknowledged that one of the gas lines had not been fully turned on since around Christmas, and the HVAC company invoice noted a gas leak and that gas had been shut off to one of the systems.
Penalty
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