Creating care plans that residents understand
Gail Douglas: Diane, what do you think is the most important thing to remember before sitting down in the care plan meeting for a resident?
Diane Hall: We need to remember that it is the resident’s dining plan, not any of the healthcare professional’s dining plan. The resident will be the one experiencing the results of their informed choice about the meals and snacks that they want to eat.
GD: And that is what the new CMS rules emphasize?
DH: That’s right. It’s all about honoring individualized choices, even if those choices are risky. That’s why you need documentation tools to cover all the bases when it comes to discussing what matters most to the resident and the risk and benefits of those preferences. With that in mind, we have an entertaining video that details the steps to creating dining plans that meet CMS final rules. .
GD: Sounds good. Let me get my popcorn and we’ll get started.
GD: That was great, Diane. I also like the idea of risks and benefits sheets (for example, fluid restrictions) so the care plan team doesn’t miss anything when presenting to the resident.
DH: Yes, that’s very important.
GD: And that brings us to the next installment of this series on the changing language of healthcare which is about what “experts” have to say about the people living in long-term care communities.