October is Residents’ Rights Month and that means our efforts for advocacy and raising awareness of the core issues increases. To help with this effort and bolster their Residents’ Rights Month event, The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (Consumer Voice) has released resources. Among these resources are advocacy tips for residents and their caregivers. 

Importance of Advocacy

We’ve said it before: knowledge is power. And it will always be true. The more you know, the better you can not only advocate for yourself but step in when a loved one needs you to speak on their behalf. Advocacy not only ensures your rights are upheld, but it also ensures violators are held responsible, policy changes, and lives are saved. 

For more resources, visit the Consumer Voice website and learn more about solving problems in nursing homes, communication tips, and a list of residents’ rights.

5 Advocacy Rips for Residents and Caregivers

Though nursing home abuse and neglect may never completely be solved, these tips will help  lessen the numbers and keep more residents safe.

Pay Attention

This seems like a simple tip, but it can literally save lives. When visiting a nursing home or care facility, or even as a resident, pay attention to your surroundings. Note hygiene, mood, energy level, weight gain or loss, and frequency of care for you, your loved one, and others. When visiting loved ones, note how long it takes staff to respond, what the room conditions are, and whether or not policies are adhered to.

Report Concerns

Don’t be afraid to speak up. If you see something, report it. Even if it’s just to administration, make sure there is record of the instance and an attempt to correct it. If the offence is more serious, report it to the proper authorities, the ombudsman, and administration. For lesser issues, talk to staff, make sure it is mentioned in care meetings, and follow up as needed.

Document

It may feel petty, but take note of everything. Get a notebook and document care conditions, anything promised in care meetings, and any complaints you might have made. Keep a record of you or your loved one’s daily schedule, things that are missed or unnecessarily delayed, and any other issues. This documentation can be key to fixing the problem and holding people accountable.

Know Your Staff

More than anything, get to know the staff. Be familiar with them, know them by name, and regularly converse with them. This friendly rapport can make a huge difference in not only the community but staff satisfaction. If they get to know you and you get to know them, you can more easily work together to achieve superior care and you know better who is responsible for what care, policy implementation, and complaint submissions.

Family Council

Family councils are keys to good, quality resident care. These advocacy groups organize from facility to facility, bonding over a shared desire to ensure their loved ones have dignity, safety, and fun as they age. These groups are also a united front against policy violations, coming together as a group to address large-scale issues with the facility.

If you or a loved one have been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, call Gharibian Law (866-583-1965) today for a FREE consultation and the best legal representation.