04 | Preparation and Delivery of Between-Meal Snacks and Supplements An example of a violation of F809 could include the following:
During a survey, the surveyor asked a resident if she enjoyed the food that was provided at the facility. The resident stated that she does enjoy her food most of the time, but sometimes she likes to sleep in and misses out on breakfast. Breakfast is served from 7-8:30am at the facility, and sometimes the resident sleeps in until 10:00am. When this happens, she must wait until lunchtime for a meal.
Facilities must provide nourishing meals or snacks outside traditional mealtimes to comply with F809.
Per F809, each facility must provide suitable, nourishing alternative meals and snacks to residents who want to eat at non-traditional times or outside of scheduled mealtimes. If a facility does not offer meals or snacks to residents outside of normal mealtimes, they are in violation of F809. To comply with F809, dietary staff must ensure that nourishing meals or snacks are provided to residents who miss meals at traditional mealtimes.
A CDM, CFPP, as well as other members of the IDT, are responsible for making sure that residents know that alternative meals and nourishing snacks are available at any time. If the client is frequently skipping meals, the client, facility, medical care provider, and RDN and/or NDTR should collaborate to identify appropriate alternatives.
Chapter Summary
The role of meeting clients’ nutritional needs while satisfying personal menu requests and balancing the bottom line can be incredibly challenging. The CDM, CFPP, NDTR, and RDN work together as part of the IDT to ensure these needs are met. The addition of specialized nourishment or fortified foods can help decrease PEM and increase positive client outcomes. Monitoring client acceptance as well as cost of supplements while adhering to all CMS and F-Tag regulations is vital for both department and client success.