Rule 3701-17-21 | Dining and recreation rooms; utility rooms; toilet rooms.
(A) Every building occupied as a nursing home on and in continuous operation since December 22, 1964 shall have not less than one room or suitable area which shall be used for no other purposes than dining and recreation by the residents. Such room or area shall be so located and of such size as to meet the needs of the residents and shall not be used for adult day care participants or residential care facility residents unless the home meets the square footage requirements of paragraph (B) of this rule. Any building occupied as a nursing home on December 22, 1964 that is discontinued for such use, shall, if such use is resumed, comply with paragraph (C) of this rule.
(B) Every building erected or converted to use as a nursing home after and in continuous operation since December 22, 1964, and before July 17, 2002, shall have a room or suitable area which shall be used for no other purposes than dining and recreation. The dining and recreation room or area shall have a minimum total area of twenty-five square feet per resident for seventy-five per cent of the nursing home's licensed capacity. Any building licensed by the state as a nursing home on or after December 22, 1964 that is discontinued for such use, shall, if such use is resumed, comply with paragraph (C) of this rule.
Each nursing home that shares the dining and recreation room or area with participants of an adult day-care program, residents of a residential care facility, or both, shall provide an additional twenty-five square feet per participant, resident, or both, for seventy-five per cent of the total number of adult day-care program participants, the licensed capacity of the residential care facility, or both.
(C) Every building erected or converted to use as a nursing home after July 17, 2002 shall have a room or suitable area which shall be used for dining purposes and a separate room or suitable area which shall be used for recreational purposes. A nursing home may use the dining room or area for recreational purposes when the room or area is not being used for dining.
(1) Dining room or area: Twenty-five square feet per resident for the nursing home's licensed capacity.
Each nursing home that shares the dining room or area with participants of an adult day-care program, residents of a residential care facility, or both, shall provide an additional twenty-five square feet per participant, resident, or both, for the total number of adult day-care program participants, the licensed capacity of the residential care facility, or both.
(2) Recreational room or area: Twenty-five square feet per resident for seventy-five per cent of the nursing home's licensed capacity.
Each nursing home that shares the recreation room or area with participants of an adult day-care program, residents of a residential care facility, or both, shall provide an additional twenty-five square feet per participant, resident, or both, for seventy-five per cent of the total number of adult day-care program participants, the licensed capacity of the residential care facility, or both.
(D) Every nursing home shall employ methods and have adequate facilities and supplies for clean and soiled laundry in accordance with prevailing infection control practices.
(E) Bathrooms and toilet rooms shall conform to the Ohio building code.
(F) Bathrooms and all fixtures therein shall ensure resident privacy and dignity in accordance with paragraph (I) of rule 3701-17-14 of the Administrative Code.
(G) Bathrooms, toilet rooms and all the facilities therein shall, at all times, be kept in good repair, in a clean and sanitary condition, free from filth and accumulation of waste, and shall be provided with a supply of toilet tissue. Each hand washing basin shall be provided with a soap dispenser. Bathrooms and toilet rooms shall be designed or equipped to assure full visual privacy for each resident.
(H) Grab rails and other safety devices such as non-slip surfaces shall be provided and maintained in good repair.
(I) In every building or addition to a building constructed or converted to use as a nursing home on or after October 20, 2001, there shall be one room toilet room directly accessible from each resident sleeping room, except the hand washing basin may be located in either the room containing the toilet or the sleeping room. No more than two residents may share a toilet room.
(J) For purposes of this rule, "bathroom" means a room or rooms conforming to the Ohio building code containing a group of fixtures consisting of a water closet, lavatory, bathtub or shower, including or excluding a bidet, an emergency floor drain, or both.
Supplemental Information