F0677

D

Failure to Provide Grooming Assistance for Dependent Resident’s Facial Hair

Sterling, Illinois Survey Completed on 12-18-2025

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide adequate grooming assistance for a dependent female resident by not removing coarse facial hair from her chin. On multiple observations over two consecutive days, the resident was seen in her wheelchair, appropriately dressed and appearing clean, but with visible coarse chin hair approximately 1–2 inches in length that remained unshaved throughout the day. The resident’s Minimum Data Set (MDS) indicated she was dependent on staff for personal hygiene tasks, including shaving, and her care plan documented an ADL self-care performance deficit related to impaired balance, with restorative programming for dressing, grooming, and bed mobility. Her care plan interventions specified that she required staff assistance with bathing and showering.

Record review showed that the resident’s shower schedule was twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Sundays, with shower sheets requiring staff to indicate whether facial hair was removed. The facility-produced shower sheets for several dates over the prior three months showed that facial hair was not removed on at least two documented shower days, and there were no shower sheets provided for several other scheduled shower days immediately preceding the survey observations. Progress notes for the prior 30 days contained no documentation of the resident refusing care. The Assistant DON/Infection Preventionist stated that residents are typically groomed or shaved on shower days and that female residents should not have facial or chin hair, adding that any refusal of grooming should be charted. The facility had a policy stating it would assist residents with grooming facial hair to maintain proper hygiene, but the observed and documented care did not reflect consistent implementation of this policy for this resident.