October 19, 2015

A Note from the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman:

Across Iowa, residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, along with family members, long-term care ombudsmen, citizen advocates, facility staff and others, will celebrate the individual rights of long-term care residents this October during Residents’ Rights Month.

The annual event is sponsored by the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (The Consumer Voice) to celebrate and focus on awareness of dignity, respect and the value of long-term care residents. This year's theme - "CARE Matters" - is designed to highlight the importance of quality care and its impact on the health, happiness and overall well-being of residents living in long-term care facilities. 

In keeping with that theme, the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman has decided to produce four short versions of The Advocate this month that focus on topics related to residents' rights that begin with the letters C, A, R and E. These special issues will be emailed each Monday in October and will hopefully provide you with an interesting discussion topic for your weekly staff meeting, spark an idea for a Residents' Rights Month activity or just make you stop and reflect for a moment on the crucial role you play in enhancing the quality of life for all the residents you serve.

Enjoy! 

Deanna Clingan-Fischer, JD

"R" is for Rights

Many people incorrectly believe that when an individual moves into a long-term care facility, his or her autonomy and ability to exercise freedom of choice are somehow diminished. That is one reason why advocates across the country celebrate Residents' Rights Month each October.

By increasing public awareness of the fact that long-term care residents and tenants maintain the same rights as an individual in the larger community and that those rights are protected by federal and state law, we can begin to change the common perception that moving into a facility negatively impacts a person's ability to make choices about his or her daily life.

Among other things, residents' and tenants' rights include:

• The right to be fully informed;
• The right to complain without fear of retaliation;
• The right to participate in one's own care;
• The right to privacy and confidentiality;
• The right to dignity, respect and freedom;
• The right to visits; and
• The right to make independent choices. 

Fact sheets and brochures about residents' rights and tenants' rights are available to download from the Resource Library on the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman website. For more information, contact your Local Long-Term Care Ombudsman at (866) 236-1430.