F0550

E

Failure to Honor Resident Preferences Regarding Use of Styrofoam During Meals

East Moline, Illinois Survey Completed on 03-06-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

The facility failed to honor multiple residents' stated preferences not to be served meals using Styrofoam products, affecting 8 of 12 residents reviewed for dignity. During a lunch observation, several residents were served their meals on Styrofoam plates with Styrofoam cups and plastic utensils. One resident stated they had previously informed staff they did not like Styrofoam and preferred ceramic or regular dishes. Other residents commented that it would be nice to be served meals in regular dishes and reported that this was not the first time they had been served using Styrofoam products. Additional residents reported they had been served meals on Styrofoam in the past and expressed a preference for regular dishes.

Staff interviews confirmed that Styrofoam products were used for residents who ate in their rooms and were also used at times in the dining rooms during meals and for room trays. The Administrator, who was present in the dining room during the observed lunch, questioned why Styrofoam products were being used and stated they should not be used, indicating awareness that regular dishes were expected. The DON acknowledged that using Styrofoam during meals was a dignity issue and emphasized that the facility was the residents' home and that regular dishes should be used at mealtimes. The facility’s policy on promoting and maintaining residents’ dignity during mealtimes states that residents are to be treated with respect and dignity in a manner that maintains or enhances quality of life and recognizes residents’ individuality and rights, which was not followed when residents’ expressed preferences regarding dishware were not honored.