Complaint·February 28, 2024

Interviews with staff and review of assessment records revealed that Resident 1 (R1) was present at the facility for about one month between August and September 2020, was occasionally confused and disoriented, and received medication management by the facility. Additionally, R1 required staff assistance with transportation services and scheduling medical appointments. The Department was unable to interview R1 due to R1 leaving the facility in 2020 and a lack of R1’s contact information. Additionally, the Department was unable to review a majority of records regarding R1 due to the requirement that facilities are only required to maintain records for 3 years. Interviews with staff revealed that residents would occasionally ask staff to assist with scheduling medical appointments. Staff disclosed during interviews that medication technicians and the Wellness Director were able to assist residents with arranging medical appointments and would speak to scheduling personnel with the resident present to set up appointments. Interviews with staff revealed that during 2020, many medical appointments were either canceled or rescheduled as video call appointments. Additionally, staff stated in interviews that during 2020, residents’ doctors would approve additional medication refills without seeing the resident during an appointment after speaking with facility staff to ensure that the resident had not had any changes in condition. Interviews and review of facility communications revealed that in September 2020, R1 had a medical appointment to obtain medications that had to be rescheduled due to issues with transportation. Those interviews and records did not reveal any details regarding the specific reason for the rescheduled appointment. Interviews with staff revealed that R1 would have been running low on medications by the time that R1 left the facility in September 2020, however, staff denied that R1 had missed any medications. Staff interviews stated that residents would be admitted to the facility with either a 15- or 30-day supply of medications and that facility staff had been in the process of arranging for R1’s medications to be delivered to the facility. Residents and staff stated in interviews that the facility provided transportation services to residents via a facility van for medical appointments and errands. Residents and staff stated that residents were requested to schedule any transportation services a few days in advance due to demand. Additionally, staff stated that medication technicians would assist residents with obtaining outside transportation services such as MTS, the resident’s insurance, or hospital resources when needed. Staff interviewed stated that if the transportation log did not have any openings, staff would occasionally drive residents to medical appointments when staff were able to do so. Continued on LIC9099-C page... Interviews with residents and staff did not disclose evidence of residents missing or canceling medical appointments due to transportation issues. Interviews with staff and review of communication records revealed that staff attempted to arrange transportation for R1 to attend a medical appointment but due to short notice, the facility was unable to meet the request. R1’s medical appointment was rescheduled for a later date but R1 left the facility prior to the appointment. Interviews with residents and staff present at the facility during 2020 did not reveal difficulties with residents being able to understand staff due to language barriers. Those interviews revealed that while residents did have complaints regarding understanding staff, it was due to residents’ hearing impairments or staff accents or mumbling while speaking. Interviews with staff revealed that some residents would complain that staff did not speak English even when those staff were speaking English fluently. Interviews with staff did reveal that there were staff working at the facility in 2020 who did not speak English fluently, however, other staff were able to assist with translation services and did not voice any issues with meeting resident care. Staff interviewed disclosed that any staff who did not speak English fluently were not scheduled to be left alone at the facility and were not responsible for communicating with emergency personnel. The Department has investigated the above-mentioned allegations and based on interviews and records review, the preponderance of the evidence has not been met, therefore, these allegations are deemed unsubstantiated. An exit interview was conducted with Administrator Rocio Granda, whose signature below confirms receipt of a copy of this report and the Licensee Appeal Rights (LIC9058 3/22).