Regulators see need to issue new guide for dining assistants in nursing homes

Many residents require eating assistance.

Yet despite what was seen as a big victory for providers – because they would no longer have to use higher paid nursing staff to assist with many feeding tasks -- they have been relatively slow to train or use the assistants, federal regulators say.

“We believe this is due to the limited resources currently available to educate decision-makers on designing and implementing dining assistant programs, and insufficient understanding of the advantages to the resident” and operators, report authors explain.

“Dining Assistant Programs in Nursing Homes: Guidelines for Implementation” is available through the American Health Care Association Web site here. The 138-page guide leads providers through a step-by-step process for assessing their options and resources, as well as how to set goals and implement a sustaining program.