|
Do you have a question about long term care or the role of
a dietitian in your facility? Have a question about how our
company can assist your team in providing the best care for
your residents? Please e-mail
us your questions and we will personally respond to you.
Is it required that our facility have a Certified
Dietary Manager on staff?
Current Medicare regulations for long term care do not
address the qualifications of the full time Director of Dietary
Services. It is the facility’s choice to require
the Director of Food Service to be a Certified Dietary Manager
(CDM)
It is the position of the Dietary Managers Association (DMA)
that in order to protect the daily health and nutrition of
long-term residents, it is necessary to clearly define the
qualifications of the individual who supervises the Dietetic
Service Department. A Certified Dietary Manager’s
education, training and experience assist in promoting a safe
and healthy department.
What is the process for becoming a Certified
Dietary Manager? Who is eligible to take the course?
In order to become a Certified Dietary Manager (CDM),
an individual must have a high school diploma or GED, must
have completed one hundred twenty hours (120) of approved,
course study and at least one hundred fifty (150) hours of
field work. Upon successful completion, the individual
needs to pass a nationally recognized credentialing examination
offered by the Certifying Board of Dietary Managers.
Once these requirements have been met, forty-five (45) hours
of continuing education credits per three-year period are
required to maintain certification, at least five of which
must be in sanitation and safety. Annual dues are also
required to maintain certification.
Universities, self-study courses, or on-line course work
options are available. For more information on credentialing,
please contact the Dietary Managers Association at 1-800-323-1908.
What are the responsibilities of the Consultant
Dietitian within the Food Service Department?
According to the Ohio Administrative Code 3701-17-18
K(2), Food and Nutrition: the Dietitian oversees the development
and implementation of the policies and procedures which assure
that all meals are prepared and served as ordered and that
the food service personnel maintain sanitary conditions in
procurement, storage, preparation, distribution, and serving
food.
This can be accomplished by conducting routine sanitation
audits, tray audits, meal-time observations including meal
rounds and resident and staff interviews, etc. It is
the responsibility of the Dietitian to identify strengths
and weaknesses of the department, communicate areas in need
of improvement, assist in the development of plan for improvement
and oversee progress, revise plan as needed to achieve goals.
Dietary Solutions Inc. has developed audit tools to assist
in meeting these requirements. Contact
Us for more information.
Where can I locate the Ohio Revised Uniform Food
Safety Code?
This information can be found at: http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/pubs/divs/food/curr/regulations/food-3717-ohiouniformfoodsafetycode.pdf
Why are there changes to the number of servings
of calcium sources on our menus? What are the new, calcium
requirements for the older American?
The new Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for calcium
represents a shift in emphasis. Previous Recommended
Dietary Allowances (RDAs) recommended the minimum levels of
nutrients needed to prevent deficiencies. The new DRIs
attempt to define the optimal amount of nutrients needed to
promote health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such
as osteoporosis.
The National Academy of Sciences now recommends that those
who are 51 and older should consume 1,200 milligrams of calcium
per day. The previous recommendation was 800 milligrams
each day.
This recommendation change has triggered changes in menu
planning. Some facilities have adjusted their menus
to include three, 8oz serving of milk each day to assist in
meeting the requirement for calcium consumption. Three,
8oz glasses of milk offers 900mg calcium each day. In
order to meet the goal of 1,200 milligrams each day, an additional
300mg calcium needs to be provided from other food sources
within the menu each day. Other sources of calcium include,
but are not limited to: cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, dark
green leafy vegetables, legumes, soy beverages, etc.
|
