When a Resident Loses Weight,
“Add a Supplement”
Shouldn’t Be the
Only Plan

Significant weight loss in long-term care requires more than documenting the percentage change and automatically adding a supplement.

The dietitian must determine whether the weight is accurate, identify the most likely contributing factors, evaluate whether current interventions are actually being implemented, and select strategies that address the resident’s specific needs, preferences, and barriers.

The R.I.S.E. Method™ gives you a repeatable process for doing exactly that—without starting from scratch every time a resident appears on the weight-loss report.

A Clear Process for Every Weight Loss Investigation

  • R — Recognize

    Confirm the weight change, verify accuracy, determine significance, and identify concerns requiring immediate attention.

  • I — Investigate

    Review intake, weight history, diagnoses, medications, function, hydration, preferences, implementation barriers, and other resident-specific contributors.

  • S — Strategize

    Select individualized interventions that directly address the findings—not generic recommendations copied from one resident
    to the next.

  • E — Evaluate

    Track implementation, acceptance, tolerance, weight trends, and outcomes so the plan can be continued, modified, or replaced.

Built to Help You
Work More Confidently
and Document More Clearly

  • Conduct a more complete investigation.
    Move beyond isolated meal percentages and generic supplement orders by systematically reviewing the factors that may be contributing to the resident’s weight change.

  • Connect interventions to the identified cause.
    Choose resident-centered strategies based on actual findings, preferences, risks, goals, and barriers.

  • Strengthen your documentation.
    Clearly show what you reviewed, what you concluded, why you selected the interventions, who was notified, and how follow-up will occur.

  • Improve survey readiness.
    Create a consistent process that helps demonstrate timely assessment, individualized planning, interdisciplinary communication, and ongoing evaluation.

Created Specifically for Long-Term Care Dietitians

The R.I.S.E. Method™ is designed for:

Consultant and facility-based long-term care dietitians.

Dietitians who want a more consistent weight-loss investigation process.

Dietitians strengthening documentation and survey readiness.

Dietitians training new team members or standardizing practices across multiple facilities.

Dietitians who are tired of recreating worksheets, review processes, and note language for every case.

More Than a Generic Weight Loss Checklist

The R.I.S.E. Method™ was developed from the perspective of both a long-term care dietitian and former state surveyor. It is designed to help you connect the entire clinical story:

What changed → why it may have changed → what the team is doing → whether it is working

Instead of handing you a few blank forms, the system walks you through the reasoning, documentation, communication, and follow-up needed to support individualized resident care.

Created by Stefanie Wilkerson, RDN, LD

Stefanie Wilkerson is a Registered and Licensed dietitian with more than 25 years of long-term care experience, including experience as a State surveyor, LTC consultant, and educator. She created the R.I.S.E. Method™ to give long-term care dietitians a practical, repeatable way to investigate significant weight loss, strengthen documentation, and approach survey-sensitive concerns with greater clarity and confidence.

FAQ

  • Is this a course?

    No. The R.I.S.E. Method™ is a downloadable weight loss investigation system and professional workbook delivered through the LTC Dietitian learning portal. Rather than video-based instruction, you’ll receive a structured, step-by-step process with worksheets, investigation tools, documentation guidance, and practical resources you can download, use immediately, and return to whenever you need them in practice.

  • Can an entire facility use one purchase?

    A single purchase is licensed to the individual buyer for use in their own professional practice, including the facilities they personally serve. The materials may not be copied, distributed, uploaded to a shared facility system, or provided to other dietitians, facilities, or users without a separate licensing agreement.

  • Does this replace clinical judgment or facility policy?

    No. The system supports the dietitian’s assessment, documentation, and follow-up process. It does not replace professional judgment, medical direction, applicable regulations, or facility policies.

  • Is this only for significant weight loss?

    No. While the R.I.S.E. Method™ is designed to help investigate clinically significant weight loss, it is equally valuable for evaluating concerning weight trends before they become significant. The same structured process helps you verify the concern, identify contributing factors, develop individualized interventions, and document your clinical reasoning—whether you're responding to a significant weight loss or proactively addressing a developing trend.

Bring the R.I.S.E. Method™
Into Your LTC Practice

Stop rebuilding your investigation process every time a resident experiences unintended weight loss.
Download the complete system and begin using the framework immediately in your long-term care practice.