Failure to Prepare Palatable and Flavorful Meals
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure food was prepared by methods that conserved flavor and maintained palatability, attractiveness, and safe, appetizing temperatures, placing residents at risk of unplanned weight loss due to poor food intake. During an interview, one resident, who was awake and verbally responsive while lying in bed, reported keeping his own stack of food at his bedside because the food served by the facility was sometimes not edible. He stated that French fries were hard and could not be eaten, and that meat served for dinner was very tough and could not be cut with a knife. He reported having informed nursing staff and the Dietary Supervisor of these concerns. The Dietary Supervisor, who stated she was recently hired, reported she was not aware of any food concerns, while the Consultant Dietician, also recently hired, stated she was aware of complaints about food being salty and had discussed this with the former Dietary Supervisor. During a test tray observation with the Dietary Supervisor, the brussels sprouts were found to be bland, the turkey was salty, and the mashed potatoes were not creamy; the Dietary Supervisor acknowledged the brussels sprouts were bland and explained the mashed potatoes were not creamy because they were made from bagged frozen potatoes. These observations, interviews, and record reviews demonstrate that the facility did not consistently prepare food in a manner that conserved flavor and ensured palatability, contributing to resident dissatisfaction with meals and concerns about food quality.
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