M1810 — Current Ability to Dress Upper Body
Response options, how to score it, and the error that most often sends the record back. Cited to Ch. 3, Item M1810.
Response options
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | Able to get clothes out of closets and drawers, put them on and remove them from the upper body without assistance |
| 1 | Able to dress upper body without assistance if clothing is laid out or handed to the patient |
| 2 | Someone must help the patient put on upper body clothing |
| 3 | Patient depends entirely upon another person to dress the upper body |
How to score it
Observation/demonstration is the preferred method, backed by patient/caregiver interview and environmental assessment. Assess the ability to dress in whatever upper-body clothing is routinely worn, including managing zippers, buttons, and snaps if routinely used; a prosthetic, orthotic, or support device applied to the upper body (e.g., arm sling, cervical collar) counts as an upper-body dressing item. If ability varies, enter the response describing ability more than 50% of the time period under consideration.
The common error
Scoring against a hypothetical 'normal' outfit instead of the patient's actual routine clothing — CMS treats a patient's permanently modified clothing choice due to impairment as the new routine, not a deviation to penalize.
Source: OASIS-E2 Guidance Manual — Ch. 3, Item M1810. Verified 2026-04-26.
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