Since 1989, federal regulations have required that diets, including therapeutic diets, be prescribed by the attending physician in long-term care. In 2016, however, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a final rule that changed this requirement, allowing the attending physician to delegate the task of prescribing a resident’s diet to a registered …
Can Dietitians Write Diet Orders in Long-Term Care? Read More »
A pressure ulcers or injury — also known as a bedsore or decubitus ulcer — is an area of localized damage to the skin, underlying tissue, or both. Poor nutritional status can contribute to the development of a pressure injury and delay the time it takes to heal. While several nutrients and nutritional supplements have …
Care area assessments (CAAs) — several of which are nutrition-related — reflect potential areas of concern for nursing home residents. However, many registered dietitians and dietary managers may not completely understand CAAs or whether to address them in a resident’s care plan. This article provides an overview of nutrition-related CAAs, including what they are, what …
Nutrition-Related Care Area Assessments (CAAs): A Beginner’s Guide Read More »
Quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI) is federal regulation for nursing homes participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. It’s a program that focuses on improving the lives of nursing home residents through continuous attention to quality of care, quality of life, and resident choice in consideration of safety. Regulations require that a QAPI program …
QAPI: What Dietitians and Dietary Managers Need to Know Read More »
With Americans living longer than ever before, the growth in the number of older adults continues to climb. At the same time, food insecurity, physical disability, and chronic disease cripple aging adults, interfering with their ability to maintain good nutrition. Fortunately, several meal programs for seniors exist that provide a range of nutrition-related services aimed …
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) transitioned to a new payment rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) called the patient driven payment model (PDPM). Under PDPM, dietitians have a unique opportunity to identify, document, and treat key nutrition-related diagnoses for improved patient outcomes and increased financial reimbursement. This article explains what dietitians need …
Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM): What Dietitians Need to Know Read More »
Nutrition care plans provide communication for nutrition care between residents and members of the interdisciplinary team (IDT). They are a crucial component of documentation that help ensure residents maintain acceptable parameters of nutritional status. Unfortunately, many dietitians or dietary managers working in long-term care may not know how to write a strong nutrition care plan …
How to Write Nutrition Care Plans for Long-Term Care Read More »
There is a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes in older adults, especially those living in long-term care. Insulin therapy is often an important treatment strategy for managing type 2 diabetes since people with the disease can’t produce enough insulin or can’t use insulin efficiently. One form of insulin therapy called sliding scale insulin, however, …
Should Sliding Scale Insulin Be Used in Nursing Homes? Read More »
Poor appetite is a common problem in older adults, especially for those living in long-term care. It can contribute to unintentional weight loss and nutritional deficiencies, and is associated with poor health outcomes such as malnutrition. To counter the dwindling appetite of older adults, appetite stimulants are often prescribed. Little is known, however, about their …
Appetite Stimulant Drugs: Are They Safe or Effective In Older Adults? Read More »
A diabetic diet is a type of therapeutic diet that may be prescribed to an older adult upon admission to a long-term care facility or nursing home. While well-intentioned, diabetic diets may actually do more harm than good. This article explains the potential consequences of a diabetic diet for older adults living in long-term care …
Diabetic Diet: Does It Have a Place in Nursing Homes? Read More »