Failure to Provide Meaningful Resident Activities
Summary
The facility failed to ensure residents were provided meaningful, life-enriching activities for 4 of 4 residents reviewed for activities. The report states that this failure placed residents at risk for boredom and a diminished quality of life. The facility policy required staff to ask residents about activity interests on admission, complete activity assessments when residents moved to LTC, and document participation, goals, interventions, quarterly preference reviews, and refusals in the record. Resident 213 had fractures and heart failure, and the MDS identified music, books/newspapers, and keeping up with the news as important. The activity care plan directed staff to monitor the resident’s ability to continue self-directed activities. During interview and observation, the resident stated they needed help reaching the remote control to turn on the TV and that no one came to assist. The resident also stated they did not have any activities to do, and the room did not have the TV on or any books or magazines available. The Activities Director stated staff should assess activity needs, incorporate interests into the care plan, and could deliver books to bedbound residents. Resident 215 had fractures, ESRD, and a neurological condition, and the MDS showed an interest in keeping up with the news. The activity care plan focused on satisfaction with activities and monitoring verbal and nonverbal cues. Assessments showed the resident enjoyed watching football and said they would be depressed unless they could watch something with comedy. During observations, the resident used a phone to keep busy and stated they needed help using the cellphone when they wanted to listen to something; there was no TV in the room, no books or magazines, and the room was dimly lit with the blinds closed. The resident later stated they wanted to watch TV. Staff stated bedbound residents should receive one-on-one activities and music, that a TV was important for independence and ownership of activities, and that all residents should have a TV, but staff were not aware this resident did not have one. Resident 217 had hearing that was minimally impaired, clear speech, cognitive impairment, and substantial/maximal assistance needs for bed mobility and transfers. The MDS identified music and keeping up with the news as favorite activities and stated it was very important for the resident to participate in favorite activities. The care plan directed staff to invite the resident to live music and take them outside for fresh air, and the initial activity assessment showed the resident preferred family time and music and needed invitations, reminders, and escorting. The resident stated they were unaware of the activities offered, felt they only stayed in bed, and wanted to go to activities. The resident later stated they were bored, and the activity calendar was observed out of reach. Records showed no activity documentation, and staff stated group activities did not occur on the unit and that documenting participation was not their practice. Resident 212 had clear speech, adequate vision with glasses, mild cognitive impairment, and was unable to transfer out of bed during the assessment look-back period due to medical conditions; the resident also required tube feeding. The MDS identified keeping up with the news, favorite activities, and going outside for fresh air as very important. The resident’s assessments identified a preference for independent activities, spending time outdoors in nature, classical and instrumental music, and a need for prompts and assistance to participate. The resident stated they had limited interaction except during care and exercise, got bored, were given a weekly activity calendar, but were never offered activities, outdoor time, or items to keep occupied in the room. Observation showed no reading materials in the room, and the CD player was out of reach with a cord too short to use from bed. Staff stated the Activity Director provided group activities on another unit, social services oversaw activities for the TCU, refusals should be documented, and activity participation might be documented in progress notes, but the record contained no notes describing participation, interest, requests, or refusals beyond the initial assessments.
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