Alabama Administrative Code › Title 420 - ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF HEALTH › Chapter 420-5-10 - NURSING FACILITIES › Section 420-5-10-.08 - Quality Of Life

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1)
			 Quality of Life. A facility must care for its residents in a manner and in an
			 environment that promotes maintenance or enhancement of each resident's quality
			 of life.
(a) Dignity. The facility must
			 promote care for residents in a manner and in an environment that maintains or
			 enhances each resident's dignity and respect in full recognition of his or her
			 individuality.
(b)
			 Self-determination and participation. The resident has the right to
1. Choose activities, schedules, and health
			 care consistent with his or her interests, assessments, and plans of
			 care;
2. Interact with members of
			 the community both inside and outside the facility; and
3. Make choices about aspects of his or her
			 life in the facility that are significant to the resident.
(c) Participation in resident and family
			 groups.
1. A resident has the right to
			 organize and participate in resident groups in the facility;
2. A resident's family has the right to meet
			 in the facility with the families of other residents in the facility;
3. The facility must provide a resident or
			 family group, if one exists, with private space;
4. Staff or visitors may attend meetings at
			 the group's invitation;
5. The
			 facility must provide a designated staff person responsible for providing
			 assistance and responding to written requests that result from group
			 meetings;
6. When a resident or
			 family group exists, the facility must listen to the views and act upon the
			 grievances and recommendations of residents and families concerning proposed
			 policy and operational decisions affecting resident care and life in the
			 facility.
(d)
			 Participation in other activities. A resident has the right to participate in
			 social, religious, and community activities that do not interfere with the
			 rights of other residents in the facility.
(e) Accommodation of needs. A resident has
			 the right to-
1. Reside and receive services
			 in the facility with reasonable accommodations of individual needs and
			 preferences, except when the health or safety of the individual or other
			 residents would be endangered; and
2. Receive notice before the resident's room
			 or roommate in the facility is changed.
(f) Activities.
1. The facility must provide for an ongoing
			 program of activities designed to meet, in accordance with the comprehensive
			 assessment, the interests and the physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being
			 of each resident.
2. The activities
			 program must be directed by a qualified professional who-
(i) Is a qualified therapeutic recreation
			 specialist or an activities professional who--
(I) Is registered by the Alabama Department
			 of Public Health; and
(II) Is
			 eligible for certification as a therapeutic recreation specialist or as an
			 activities professional by a recognized accrediting body on or after October 1,
			 1990; or
(III) Has 2 years of
			 experience in a social or recreational program within the last 5 years, 1 of
			 which was full-time in a resident activities program in a health care setting;
			 or
(IV) Is a qualified occupational
			 therapist or occupational therapy assistant; or
(V) Has completed a training course approved
			 by the State.
(g) The program coordinator, if not
			 qualified, must function under the supervision of a consultant to assure the
			 Activity Program meets needs of residents until the coordinator is qualified.
1. Activities shall be planned at least one
			 month in advance.
2. An activity
			 calendar(s) shall be prominently displayed.
(i) If a pet therapy program is implemented,
			 the following guidelines must be met:
(I)
			 Pets chosen shall be free of contagious disease or sickness (diarrhea,
			 ringworm, etc.). This includes pets residing at the facility.
(II) Pets shall be inoculated or vaccinated
			 as required by law, with written verification of current inoculations for pets
			 residing in facilities must be on file at the facility.
3. Participation records shall be
			 maintained to reflect that activities have been conducted on a group and
			 individual basis and by whom.
4.
			 Participation records for bed-bound/bed-to-chair residents shall reflect the
			 activities conducted, the response to those activities and who offered
			 activities.
(h) Social
			 Services.
1. The facility must provide
			 medically-related social services to attain or maintain the highest practicable
			 physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident.
2. A facility with more than 120 beds must
			 employ a qualified social worker on a full-time basis.
3. Qualifications of a social worker. A
			 qualified social worker is an individual with--
(i) A Baccalaureate Degree or Masters Degree
			 and is eligible for Licensure and has successfully made application for
			 Licensure or is licensed in accordance with the
Code of Ala.
			 1975
; and
(ii) One
			 year of supervised social work experience in a health care setting working
			 directly with individuals.
(i) Environment. The facility must provide--
1. A safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike
			 environment, allowing the resident to use his or her personal belongings to the
			 extent possible;
2. Housekeeping
			 and maintenance services necessary to maintain a sanitary, orderly, and
			 comfortable interior;
3. Clean bed
			 and bath linens that are in good condition;
4. Private closet space in each resident
			 room;
5. Adequate and comfortable
			 lighting levels in all areas;
6.
			 Comfortable and safe temperature levels maintained at a range of 71-81° F;
			 and
7. For the maintenance of
			 comfortable sound levels.
(j) Facilities
1. Social Service personnel must be located
			 in an area of the facility which:
(i) is
			 easily accessible to residents, families, and staff,
(ii) is identified as the Social Service
			 Office/Department and;
(iii)
			 insures privacy for interviews.
Author:
Patricia E. Ivie