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This study assessed the utility of the 57-indicator Food and Nutrition Care Indicators Checklist for assessing food and nutrition services in assisted-living facilities for older adults among registered dietitians (RDs). They were members of two American Dietetic Association practice groups focusing on aging and long-term care and were also employed in assisted-living facilities. The 1,281 respondents rated the importance of each checklist item and provided their views on the role of assisted-living facilities and their level of agreement with statements regarding the importance of residents' autonomy for making food choices and their ability to make wise dietary choices. Registered dietitians practicing in assisted-living facilities considered all of the domains on food and nutrition quality indicators on the Food and Nutrition Care Indicators Checklist to be highly important (92% of dining room environment items, 83% of foodservice operations, 92% of general nutrition, and 89% of therapeutic nutrition items). They preferred a service style that included both health and amenities, as did national health and aging experts. Registered dietitians should work with other professionals to further validate the checklist, promote its use, and establish optimal service models for food and nutrition services in assisted-living facilities for older adults.

Abstract: The opinions of both national aging and health experts and practicing registered dietitians (RDs) were surveyed on which key quality indicators from the Food And Nutrition Care Indicators checklist should be regulated in assisted-living facilities (ALFs) for older adults. The extent to which the practices on which the indicators were based should be regulated, and which were in fact included in the current regulations of the 50 states was also studied. One hundred fifty-three national aging and health experts were surveyed in 2005 and 882 practicing RDs who were members of two American Dietetic Association dietetic practice groups employed in ALFs were surveyed in 2006. Both the experts and the RDs believed that the need for regulations in ALF food and nutrition services was vital for about a third of the indicators, (eg, 18 items on the 57 item checklist), particularly those involving facilities and staffing. For seven out of the 18 indicators, there was substantial consensus between experts and RDs. Only three of the seven indicators were addressed by regulations in more than half of the states. Consensus exists among experts and RDs that a small but significant number of food and nutrition service indicators need to be regulated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]