S.C. Code Regs. § § 61-17.1400.1404

Current through Register Vol. 48, 12, December 27, 2024

Section 61-17.1400.1404 - Meals and Services (II)

A. All facilities shall provide meal services to meet the daily nutritional needs of the residents in accordance with the dietary reference intakes (DRIs) of the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences.

B. The dining area shall provide a comfortable and relaxed environment. Table service shall be planned in an attractive and colorful manner for each meal.

C. A minimum of three (3) nutritionally-adequate meals in each twenty-four-hour (24-hour) period shall be provided for each resident unless otherwise directed by the resident's physician or other legally authorized healthcare provider. Residents shall be allowed to choose between a variety of foods offered. Personal preferences as to the times residents receive their meals may be honored. This may include offering smaller, more frequent meals, or snacks, or postponing meals to honor a resident's request, for example, to sleep or not to eat. The condition of the resident shall dictate the manner in which meal service is adjusted to suit personal preferences. Meal service systems, for example, four-meal plans and/or buffet dining, may be offered in order to facilitate the resident receiving a variety of foods.

D. Not more than fourteen (14) hours shall elapse between the scheduled serving of the evening meal and breakfast the following day.

EXCEPTION: There may be up to sixteen (16) hours between the scheduled serving of the evening meal and breakfast the following day if approved by the resident's attending physician and the resident, and if a nourishing snack is provided after the evening meal.

E. Food shall be cut, chopped, ground or blended to meet individual needs.

F. The same menu items shall not be repetitively served during each seven (7) day period except to honor specific, individual resident requests. Substitutes of similar nutritive value shall be offered to residents who refuse food served.

G. Food and snacks shall be available and offered between meals at no additional cost to the residents. Individual resident food and snack preferences shall be honored when reasonable.

S.C. Code Regs. § 61-17.1400.1404

Replaced and amended by State Register Volume 40, Issue No. 03, eff. 3/25/2016.