October 23, 2017

A note from the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman:

As we wrap up Residents' Rights Month, it's important to remember that the rights long-term care residents and tenants have are established and protected by the law, which may or may not align with a facility's preferred policy. 

For example, an important choice that all individuals have when entering a long-term care facility is which pharmacy will provide his/her medications. All too often, staff are instructed to tell residents that medications will be delivered from “X” pharmacy: end of story. But Chapter 58 of the Iowa Administrative Code mandates this discussion to be conducted in a manner that allows residents and their decision makers to have a choice between pharmacy providers, stating that "each resident shall be permitted free choice of a physician and a pharmacy, if accessible." This is backed up by federal law, which allows residents to exercise their right to self-determination.

A facility may prefer to use a selected pharmacy because it is able and willing to package and deliver medications in a manner that works with the facility's drug distribution system, but that does not negate the resident's right to choose a pharmacy. Therefore, a facility would do better to identify several pharmacies with compatible systems and offer residents a choice of those in order to ensure that a pharmacy choice is made available. 

Moving into a facility can be difficult, but allowing residents to make as many choices as possible will add to their quality of life and autonomy, in addition to respecting their rights and helping them maintain a sense of control.

Cindy Pederson, JD

Food & fellowship: incorporating choice into resident dining

Food is one of the few things in our culture that captivates and connects us with one another, and dining with others is an activity that almost everyone enjoys. The experience of sharing a good conversation over a good meal can be especially meaningful to long-term care residents, whose social interaction may be limited due to mobility issues or other factors.

In order to make meal time more stimulating and encourage residents to engage, The Consumer Voice has published an activity sheet designed to help staff, residents and family members to understand that the preparation and serving of food is a metaphor for community, connection and being valued. By asking the right questions, staff can stimulate conversations regarding food and residents' personal preferences any time of the year.