Encore Keynote – September 2023

The Final MDS 3.0 Item Sets are here, outlining the changes coming to us in October of this year. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Final MDS 3.0 Item Sets (v)1.18.11 to their MDS RAI Manual webpage. The site also lists any substantive changes or corrections since the final versions were first posted on 4/3/23.

CMS has also posted the Final MDS 3.0 Manual, dated 8/22/23 on the site, as well as an available download of a document listing all the changes from the MDS 3.0 RAI Manual (v)1.18.11 draft version to the final version.

The Manual, Item Sets, and references are available in the Downloads section of the MDS RAI Manual webpage at:

Do you know the difference between traumatic and pathological fractures?

It’s important for care coordination, documentation and reimbursement! 

Click here to view additional information on fractures and what you need to know to follow up!

Although we would like to think that all of us have the same opportunities for health and wellness as we age, unfortunately, that is not the case. Healthy aging can be impacted by a number of things, such as the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). What are the Social Determinants of Health? These are the conditions found within the environments where people are born, live, work, play, and age. Each of these conditions affects individuals’ health, physical functioning, quality of life, outcomes, and risks associated with health and wellness.

1. Economic Stability: There are 1 in 10 people living in poverty within the United States, which impacts their ability to afford things like healthy foods, health care, and housing.

2. Education Access and Quality: According to research, those with higher levels of education are more likely to be healthier and live longer.

3. Health Care Access and Quality: Research tells us about 1 in 10 people in the United States do not have health insurance. Additionally, healthcare services are sometimes not obtained because of living too far away from the health providers. When individuals lack health insurance or live a distance from care providers, they are less likely to have a primary care provider, do not receive routine health screenings or services, and do not obtain the medications they need.

4. Neighborhood and Built Environment: The neighborhoods individuals live in have a major impact on their health and well-being. Living in neighborhoods with high rates of violence, unsafe air or water, and other health and safety risks will reduce the health and wellness of those residing in these types of communities.

5. Social and Community Context: The relationships and interactions that individuals have with friends, family, and community members can make an impact on their health and well-being.

During the month of September as we are celebrating Healthy Aging Month, be sure to take a moment to consider the residents receiving therapy and being discharged back to their homes and communities. It is possible many of them are experiencing things such as the inability to purchase healthy foods, go to doctor appointments, receive routine care, are unable to visit friends and spend time with family due to a lack of transportation, or live in an unsafe or unhealthy environment.

Therapists have the unique opportunity to educate individuals on strategies and techniques to help them regain, not only physical and cognitive abilities, but also to help them adopt a healthier lifestyle and age a little more gracefully than perhaps they would have otherwise.