Apple Valley Care Center

In the surveyor’s words

From the most serious findings on record at Apple Valley Care Center, in the surveyor’s own words.

• No harm, potential for more than minimal, widespreadF585Oct 17, 2024

  Based on interview, document review, and facility policy review, the facility failed to resolve grievances voiced by 5 (Residents #20, #36, #66, #195, and #200) of 5 residents who attended the resident council meeting. Findings included: A facility policy titled, Grievances/Complaints, Filing, revised 04/2017, revealed, Residents and their representative have the right to file grievances, either orally or in writing, to the facility staff or to the agency designated to hear grievances. The administrator and staff will make prompt efforts to resolve grievances to the satisfaction of the resident and/or representative. During the resident council meeting on 10/15/2024 at 1:32 PM, the residents in attendance stated the facility did not always follow-up on their grievances. […]

• No harm, potential for more than minimal, widespreadF812Jan 10, 2022

  Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to follow proper sanitation and food safety practices to prevent food-borne illnesses as evidenced by: 1. Six pie crusts were inside the freezer in an unsealed packaging, with no label nor dates which can result in food contamination and quality deterioration. 2. Food debris, black grime, and trash, were observed under the kitchen stove, tilting skillet, and center island that had the potential to contaminate food. 3. Food crumbs and debris were observed at the base of the cabinet attached to the kitchen stove that had the potential to contaminate food. 4. Wet pans and trays were stacked together which could promote bacterial growth. 5. […]

• No harm, potential for more than minimal, widespreadF814Jan 10, 2022

  Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to maintain the garbage storage area in a sanitary condition when one of two garbage dumpsters was overflowing with the lid open, and trash and leaves were accumulating around the garbage dumpster. This failure had the potential for harborage and feeding of pests within and around the facility. Findings: During an observation on January 5, 2022, at 8:50 AM, one of two garbage dumpsters outside the facility was observed to be overflowing with bags of trash, which caused the lid to remain open. […]

• No harm, potential for more than minimal, widespreadF868Jan 10, 2022

  Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to have all the required members (Director of Nursing, Medical Director, Administrator, and Infection Preventionist) at the monthly and quarterly Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI - meeting to identify opportunities for improvement, implement improvement plans and monitors effectiveness of interventions to improve the quality of life, care, and services to residents) meetings per facility policy and procedure, per regulatory requirements, when monthly and quarterly meetings did not have the required members documented as being present at these meetings. This failure had the potential to leave important issues unidentified for residents impacting their quality of life, care, and services. […]

• No harm, potential for more than minimal, widespreadF908Jan 10, 2022

  Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to ensure all equipment within the facility was maintained in safe operating condition when: 1. Two refrigerators within the facility's kitchen were in a non-operational state. This failure had the potential for staff to access the refrigerators and store items inside non-functional units that were no longer capable of properly cooling or holding food at safe temperature, and also attract pests. 2. There was no documented evidence the facility's industrial clothes dryer had the lint trap (a filter used to catch the lint as the air goes out when drying clothes) cleaned as specified in the facility's policy and procedure when the log used to document periodic lint trap removal, was not completed from April 22, 2021… […]