Complaint Investigation Report

To investigate the allegation LPA reviewed the facility's Emergency and Disaster plan along with the supplemental and the electrical outages plan. Interview with GM confirms the facility experienced a power outage on two occasions. One on 11/18/2023 lasting approximately an hour and a second one on 11/20/2023 lasting approximately 10 hours. The documents revealed the facility is equipped with one generator that will support emergency lighting communication and the building fire system. Facility also listed maintaining a list or residents dependent on electrical power usage for health maintenance and would have at least one flashlight or portable lighting devise in designated areas. Furthermore documents revealed staff would be required to check on residents every two hours and provide assistance and support to residents dependent on electrical power usage for health maintenance as needed. Interviews with staff and residents revealed facility made available to every resident a flashlight. LPA interview with residents dependent on oxygen and those not dependent reported the staff came into their rooms and checked on them while facility had the power outages. Facility records revealed at the time of the incident three residents were dependent on oxygen and 1 resident uses a wheelchair on the second floor. According to the GM the facility utilized the generator to charge batteries for the oxygen tanks and residents where able to switch out batteries to continue charging them. GM also stated residents could be assisted down the stairs to plug into a line that was directly plugged into the generator to continuously use oxygen devise. LPA observed one of two emergency chairs to assists residents down stairs during an emergency. According to residents and staff facility was able to obtain oxygen cylinders. LPA discussed with GM that facility should consider supplementing Emergency and Disaster Plan to include a procedure addressing residents dependent on oxygen in a disaster lasting longer then 72 hours and have residents input on such procedure. Based on record review and interviews, although the allegation may have happened or is valid, there is insufficient evidence to prove the alleged violation did or did not occur. Therefore, the allegation is UNSUBSTANTIATED at this time.

Exit interview conducted and a copy of the report was issued.