F0584

E

Failure to Maintain Safe, Clean Environment and Consistent Hot Water Access

Taos, New Mexico Survey Completed on 01-15-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment, including consistent access to hot water. Surveyors observed that water temperature logs in the kitchen had not been updated since 01/07/26, and the dishwashing machine water temperature was only 80 degrees with significant hard water buildup and missing temperature logs. Hot water temperatures measured in multiple resident rooms ranged from the low 70s to low 80s, below the Administrator’s stated expectation of 90–108 degrees, with only two rooms reaching 94 degrees. The Dietary Manager acknowledged falling behind on updating dishwashing temperature logs, and staff interviews confirmed ongoing issues with the boiler and hot water system.

Residents reported prolonged and recurrent problems with hot water availability, particularly at night. One resident stated he had been trying to get a shower but the water remained cold, and that the issue had been ongoing for about seven months, including during Christmas. He reported being told that staff turned the hot water off at night and that some elderly residents were not being showered for weeks because their showers were scheduled at night. Another resident reported that the lack of hot water had been occurring for about six months, that residents scheduled for night showers either did not receive showers or received cold showers, and that staff advised residents to request boiled water from the kitchen for washing up. Facility staff, including a CNA and an LPN, confirmed that residents complained about no hot water for showers and that the water system and boiler had been problematic for some time.

The facility also failed to maintain the dining room and resident rooms/restrooms in a homelike manner and in good repair. In the main dining room, surveyors observed a missing ceiling tile with exposed wiring, adjacent tiles with brown water spots, unsecured television and projector cords hanging near resident dining tables, and ceiling vents over resident tables covered with dust buildup. In resident rooms, observations included broken window blinds, a slow-draining sink, blood-like smears on a wall, missing outlet covers near beds, an exposed light bulb with missing housing near a doorway, and light fixtures filled with dead insects. Multiple resident showers were used for storage of items such as sit-to-stand lifts, bedside commodes, wheelchairs, and other random items. The Administrator acknowledged that light fixtures should not be full of dead insects, there should be no exposed bulbs or broken/missing outlet covers, vents over dining tables should be clean, and that maintenance was expected to address these issues in a timely manner.