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Promising Practices

Resident Lifestyle Choices



Notice Before Room or Roommate Change

Below is the full text of the CMS Interpretive Guidelines changes for the tags related to dining.

The CMS Tag Revisions are in red italics.
 Portions of new text related to resident lifestyle choices are bookended by these symbols.

The CMS interpretive Guidelines beyond dining can be accessed at: 
June 12 2009 CMS Interpretive Guidelines.

A resident has a right to—

§483.15(e)(2) Receive notice before the resident's room or roommate in the facility is changed.

Interpretive Guidelines §483.15(e)(2)

The facility should be sensitive to the trauma a move or change of roommate causes some residents, and should attempt to be as accommodating as possible. This includes learning the resident's preferences and taking them into account when discussing changes of rooms or roommates and the timing of such changes. For a resident who is being moved at the facility's request, a staff member should explain to the resident the reason for the move and support the resident by providing the opportunity to see the new location and meet the new roommate, and to ask questions about the move. For a resident who is receiving a new roommate, a staff member should give the resident as much notice and information about the new person as possible, while maintaining confidentiality regarding medical information. The facility should support a resident whose roommate has passed away by providing a little time to adjust (a couple days if possible) before moving another person into the room, depending on the resident's level of connection to the previous roommate. The facility should provide necessary social services for a resident who is grieving over the death of a roommate. If the survey team identifies potential compliance issues related to social services, refer to §483.15(g)(1), Social Services F250.


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