Linda
The New Dining Practice Standards Impacting Long Term Care
Hot off the press. DHCC Connections has published an article that Linda Handy, MS, RD and I co-authored about the Pioneer Network’s New Dining Practice Standards. Enjoy! The New Dining Practice Standards Impacting Long Term Care Linda Roberts
Provider Tax and Medicaid Reimbursement for Therapeutic Diets in Illinois
In 46 states there are laws mandating health care providers such as hospitals and nursing homes pay a provider tax to assist with the care of Medicaid recipients. So as not to put an unfair burden upon the states in the care of their indigent citizens the Federal government matches Medicaid dollars generated by the [...]
Quarterly Nutrition Assessment
An administrator called me last week and asked, “What’s the purpose of the quarterly nutrition assessment? Corporate just sent me a 13-page quarterly nutrition assessment. Is that really necessary?” F276 Quarterly Review states the resident’s assessment is updated at least quarterly. Keep in mind CMS’ idea of assessment is the MDS, not the assessment piece [...]
The Myth Surrounding Food Intake Records
A battered three-ring binder located near the dining room holds a form, one for each resident. On each piece of paper is a printed grid designed for the documentation of percent food consumed at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A variation of this form can be found in almost every nursing home in the US. It [...]
Nursing Home Gardens OK
CMS recently released Guidance for Nursing Home Gardens CMS states, “residents can benefit from having a variety of fresh foods for their consumption.” The facility should follow safe food handling practices once the food is harvested and brought into the kitchen for preparation. Nursing home gardens are compliant with F371 Sanitary Conditions as long as [...]
The New Dining Practice Standards
The New Dining Practice Standards were released September 7! Pioneer Network in conjunction with CMS convened the Food & Dining Clinical Standards Task Force. The event brought together professionals from multiple clinical disciplines including ADA, AMDA, NADONA, ASHA, AOTA, etc to discuss and agree upon dining practice standards supporting person centered care and culture change values. [...]
Letting Go of Therapeutic Diets
Pioneer Network’s New Dining Practice Standards support ADA’s Position on individualizing the elder’s diet. For practitioners, it’s time to let go . . . Individualized, liberal diets are the foundation of The New Dining Practice Standards published by the Pioneer Network. And why not? Evidence based research continues to support therapeutic diets are detrimental at worst, [...]
Regulatory Compliance & Culture Change
Culture change is all about resident choice, resident individuality, and resident dignity. OBRA reforms resulting in the current set of regulations are based on resident choice, resident individuality, and resident dignity. Historically nursing homes were almshouses turned money-generating enterprises (thanks to government funding) that housed the elderly. To improve their image and attract more residents [...]
New Dining Practice Standards
Dining Practice Standards will be recognized by CMS One of the most ingenious regulations developed by CMS for nursing homes is F281 Professional Standards. The regulation basically states CMS requires clinicians (doctors, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, etc) to abide by professional standards. The regulation goes on to say CMS is not qualified to develop professional standards [...]
Garden Vegetables Not Good Enough for NH Elders
Are elders in nursing homes doomed to be without fresh picked garden produce forever? In the mid-west summer means roadside stands overflowing with sweet corn-on-the-cob, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, green beans, onions, and other fabulously fresh produce. Each bite of this tender harvest sends the taste buds into a wild frenzy. Fresh garden fare is so [...]