CMS Manual System - Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals

If a facility changes its policy to prohibit smoking, it must allow current residents who
smoke to continue smoking in an area that maintains the quality of life for these residents.
Weather permitting, this may be an outside area. Residents admitted after the facility
changes its policy must be informed of this policy at admission. (See §483.10(b)(1)).
Procedures: §483.15(b)
During resident and family interviews, determine if the resident is able to exercise her/his
choices regarding personal activities, including whether the facility provides assistance as
needed to the resident to be able to engage in their preferred activities on a routine basis.
During resident and family interviews, determine what time the resident awakens and
goes to sleep, and whether this is the resident‘s preferred time. Also determine whether
the facility is honoring the resident‘s preferences regarding the timing (morning,
afternoon, evening and how many times a week) for bathing and also the method
(shower, bath, in-bed bathing). Obtain further information as necessary from
observations and staff interviews. If the resident is unaware of the right to make such
choices, determine whether the facility has actively sought information from the resident
and/or family (for a resident unable to express choices) regarding preferences and
whether these choices have been made known to caregivers.
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§483.15(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 form group meetings;
SEE INTEPRETIVE GUIDANCE FOR §483.15(c) AT TAG F244