Which item assesses grooming ability in patients?

• A. M1100 Describes patient's living situation.
• B. M1800 Assesses grooming ability in patients.
• C. M1840 Assesses toilet transferring capability.
• D. D0700 Assesses social isolation in patients.

Answer: (B)

Grooming ability is a self-care function that reflects a patient’s capacity to perform personal grooming tasks independently. The item dedicated to grooming asks whether the patient can handle activities like brushing teeth, combing hair, shaving, and similar tasks, and whether they can do so without help, with setup or cueing, or with hands-on assistance. This measure directly informs how much assistance or supervision the patient needs to maintain personal hygiene and appearance, guiding care planning and potential referrals for rehabilitative services. The other items address different areas—living situation, toilet transferring, and social isolation—so they don’t assess grooming.