Understanding and coding MDS 3.0 Item F0500F: Resident Interview - Doing Favorite Activities

MDS 3.0 Item F0500F: Resident Interview - Doing Favorite Activities

Introduction

Purpose: Engaging in favorite activities is essential for maintaining a resident’s sense of identity, fulfillment, and well-being in long-term care settings. MDS Item F0500F assesses whether a resident has been asked about their favorite activities and preferences for engaging in them. Understanding and accommodating these preferences helps create a person-centered care environment that improves the resident’s overall satisfaction and quality of life.

What is MDS Item F0500F?

Explanation: MDS Item F0500F is part of Section F: Preferences for Customary Routine and Activities. This item evaluates whether the resident was asked about their favorite activities and whether they are given the opportunity to participate in them. Favorite activities can range from hobbies like knitting, gardening, or painting to attending social events or engaging in religious services. Allowing residents to continue enjoying their favorite pastimes is key to preserving their sense of independence and emotional well-being.

Guidelines for Conducting and Coding MDS Item F0500F

Conducting the Interview: During the interview, ask the resident about their favorite activities and whether they would like to participate in them regularly. Sample questions include:

• What are your favorite activities or hobbies?
• How often would you like to participate in these activities?
• Are there any new activities you would like to try?

This interview helps care providers determine the resident’s interests and how much involvement they want in their preferred activities.

Interview Techniques:

• Conduct the interview in a comfortable, private setting to encourage open communication.
• Use open-ended questions and give the resident time to describe their favorite activities.
• If the resident has communication challenges, involve family members or caregivers who may be familiar with the resident’s interests.

Coding Instructions: The coding for MDS Item F0500F depends on whether the resident was asked about their favorite activities. The coding options are:

• 0 - No: The resident was not asked about their favorite activities or does not express a preference for engaging in them.
• 1 - Yes: The resident was asked about their favorite activities and expressed a desire to participate in them.

Example Scenario: If a resident mentions during the interview that they enjoy knitting and attending church services and want to continue doing these activities, you would code F0500F as 1 - Yes. If the resident is not asked about their preferences or does not express an interest in favorite activities, you would code 0 - No.

Best Practices for Accurate Coding

Respecting Preferences: After conducting the interview, ensure that the resident’s favorite activities are incorporated into their care plan. If they express a desire to participate in specific activities, staff should help make those opportunities available and facilitate the resident’s engagement.

Documentation: Document the resident’s responses, including details about their favorite activities, how often they wish to participate, and any new interests they express. If the resident cannot express their preferences, family members or caregivers may provide insight.

Communication: Share the resident’s preferences with the care team to ensure that opportunities for engaging in favorite activities are part of the resident’s routine.

Training: Provide staff with training on how to support residents in engaging with their favorite activities, especially if those activities require adaptation to fit the resident’s physical or cognitive abilities.

Conclusion

Summary: MDS Item F0500F is essential for assessing whether residents are able to engage in their favorite activities, which can provide joy, fulfillment, and emotional well-being. Conducting this interview and accurately coding the item helps ensure that residents’ preferences are respected, contributing to their overall satisfaction 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 F0500F: "Resident Interview - Doing Favorite Activities" 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.