Standing up for long-term care residents
Many residents of nursing homes, assisted living, and residential care facilities struggle with the feeling that they have given up much of their ability to make choices for themselves and control their own lives. While some adjustment is needed when moving into a facility, residents should understand that they continue to enjoy all the rights they had before. In addition to those rights, Federal and State laws ensure these individuals also have Residents Rights. Facility staff as well as outside visitors should remember that they are in the residents’ home. Residents have the right to be involved in their care plans as well as the right to refuse treatment. In addition, residents should have a choice regarding visitors, food, and activities. It is important that family members also respect the residents’ rights and allow their loved ones to still enjoy their personal freedom as much as possible. Many of our long-term care residents may have some physical and cognitive limitations, but most of them are still capable of making many decisions for themselves and expressing their wishes and desires as well as being able to still do certain things for themselves. A phrase that sums up this idea, “allow them to do as much as they’re able, for as long as they possibly can.”
Many residents of nursing homes, assisted living and residential care facilities struggle with the feeling that they have given up much of their ability to make choices for themselves and control their own lives. While some adjustment is needed when moving into a facility, residents should understand that they continue to enjoy all the rights they had before.
In addition to those rights, federal and state laws ensure these individuals also have Residents Rights. Facility staff, as well as outside visitors, should remember that they are in the residents’ home. Residents also have the right to be involved in their care plans as well as the right to refuse treatment. In addition, residents should have a choice regarding visitors, food and activities.
It is important that family members also respect the residents’ rights and allow their loved ones to still enjoy their personal freedom as much as possible. Many of our long-term care residents may have some physical and cognitive limitations, but most of them are still capable of making many decisions for themselves and expressing their wishes and desires as well as being able to still do certain things for themselves. A phrase that sums up this idea, “allow them to do as much as they’re able, for as long as they possibly can.”
Sometimes residents in nursing homes are unsure about their rights, or even who they can address their concerns to. The Ombudsman Program is a resident advocacy agency that tries to improve the quality of life for all long-term care residents. They advocate on behalf of residents and also encourage them to advocate for themselves. They educate the community and employees of long-term care facilities, investigate complaints from residents, and visit all licensed facilities in the area. They also administer a volunteer program that trains and empowers participants to be the voice of long-term care residents that are unable or unwilling to speak for themselves.
If you are interested in joining the advocacy efforts and have a couple of hours per week to volunteer in a facility, ombudsman volunteers are always needed. Online trainings are available throughout the year.
If you have any questions regarding long-term care or would like more information regarding the volunteer program, contact your local ombudsman at the Eastern Oklahoma Development District (EODD) Area Agency on Aging: Scott Harding or Tim Nicholson, 918-682-7891.
