Understanding and Coding MDS 3.0 Item F0500C: Resident Interview - Being Around Animals or Pets

MDS 3.0 Item F0500C: Resident Interview - Being Around Animals or Pets

Introduction

Purpose: Many residents in long-term care facilities find comfort and joy in being around animals or pets. MDS Item F0500C assesses whether a resident has been asked about their preference for being around animals or pets. Understanding this preference helps care teams provide personalized care, promoting emotional well-being, reducing stress, and enhancing the resident’s quality of life through animal interaction.

What is MDS Item F0500C?

Explanation: MDS Item F0500C is part of Section F: Preferences for Customary Routine and Activities. This item evaluates whether the resident was asked about their preference for being around animals or pets. Animal-assisted therapy and pet visits can offer companionship, alleviate loneliness, and provide mental stimulation for residents. By assessing the resident’s interest in animals, care teams can better tailor activities to meet their needs and preferences.

Guidelines for Conducting and Coding MDS Item F0500C

Conducting the Interview: During the interview, ask the resident about their interest in being around animals or pets. Sample questions include:

• Do you enjoy being around animals or pets?
• Would you like to have opportunities to spend time with animals, such as pet therapy or pet visits?
• What types of animals do you enjoy being around?

This interview helps care providers determine if the resident values animal interaction and whether this can be incorporated into their routine.

Interview Techniques:

• Conduct the interview in a quiet, comfortable setting where the resident feels at ease discussing their preferences.
• Use open-ended questions and give the resident time to share their thoughts on being around animals or pets.
• If the resident has communication difficulties, involve family members or caregivers who are familiar with their preferences for animal interaction.

Coding Instructions: The coding for MDS Item F0500C depends on whether the resident was asked about their preference for being around animals or pets. The coding options are:

• 0 - No: The resident was not asked about their preference for being around animals or pets or does not express a preference.
• 1 - Yes: The resident was asked about their preference and expressed a desire to be around animals or pets.

Example Scenario: If a resident indicates during the interview that they enjoy being around dogs or other pets and would like to participate in pet therapy, you would code F0500C as 1 - Yes. If the resident is not asked about their preference or does not express an interest in animals or pets, you would code 0 - No.

Best Practices for Accurate Coding

Respecting Preferences: After conducting the interview, ensure that the resident’s preference for being around animals or pets is respected. If they express a desire to interact with animals, care staff should make efforts to facilitate animal visits or involve the resident in animal-assisted therapy, if available.

Documentation: Accurately document the resident’s response, noting their preferences for being around animals, the types of animals they enjoy, and how often they would like to interact with them. If the resident cannot express their preferences, family members or caregivers may provide insight into the resident’s interest in animals.

Communication: Share the resident’s preferences with the interdisciplinary care team. If animal interaction is a part of the resident’s routine, ensure that opportunities for pet therapy or animal visits are coordinated to meet the resident’s needs and enhance their emotional well-being.

Training: Provide staff with training on the benefits of animal-assisted therapy and how to incorporate animal interaction into a resident’s care plan. Staff should be mindful of any potential allergies or fears related to animals while respecting residents’ preferences.

Conclusion

Summary: MDS Item F0500C is essential for assessing whether residents have the opportunity to be around animals or pets, which can provide emotional support and joy. Conducting this interview and accurately coding the item helps ensure that residents’ preferences are respected, contributing to their overall well-being and satisfaction with care in long-term care settings.

Click here to see a detailed Step-by-Step on how to complete this item set.

Reference

This guide is based on the CMS's Long-Term Care Facility Resident Assessment Instrument 3.0 User’s Manual, Version 1.19.1, October 2024, Page F-3.

Disclaimer

Please note that the information provided in this guide for MDS 3.0 Item F0500C: "Resident Interview - Being Around Animals or Pets" was originally based on the CMS's Long-Term Care Facility Resident Assessment Instrument 3.0 User’s Manual, Version 1.19.1, October 2024. Every effort will be made to update it to the most current version. The MDS 3.0 Manual is typically updated every October. If there are no changes to the Item Set, there will be no changes to this guide.

This guidance is intended to assist healthcare professionals, particularly new nurses or MDS coordinators, in understanding and applying the correct coding procedures for this item within MDS 3.0. Additionally, this guide refrains from handling personal patient data and does not provide medical or legal advice.