Advocating for nursing home residents and older Americans at risk of abuse has never been easier. There are plenty of opportunities available. Some key advocacy initiatives are underway with the support of The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care. Today, we’d like to highlight some of those advocacy opportunities and some of the recent work of the Consumer Voice.
Safe Staffing Virtual Rally
We’ve discussed in detail the staffing issue within nursing homes and the many ways it negatively affects residents. This issue has been a primary focus for the Consumer Voice and other organizations who have rallied together to host a Virtual Rally. Together with the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO), COnsumer Voice is hoping to raise more awareness of problems facing staff.
It is no secret that some of the staffing issues nursing homes experience stem from poor treatment of the staff, long hours, understaffing, inadequate pay, and much more. Improving the work environment for staff is just one way to encourage more consistent staffing and therefore better care for residents.
Inadequate Staffing Podcast
In order to address the problems and enact real change, it’s important to talk to the people directly involved. Current staff members are the best people to talk to when it comes to the needs of nursing home staff. And residents are the best source of information when it comes to what is needed most to improve care. The Consumer Voice podcast, the Pursuing Quality Long-Term Care Podcast, recently sat down with both residents and staff to get their perspective.
Support for Transparency
“Consumer Voice strongly supports the creation of regulations requiring increased transparency of nursing home ownership.”
Transparency across the board is key to better care. When nursing homes feel they can get away with anything and are not held accountable, or if they can hide under layers of bureaucracy, then the quality of care suffers. The Consumer Voice has written to CMS in support of transparent nursing home ownership.
Show Your Support
At the end of the day, advocacy starts with each and every one of us. We must persist in our fight for better elder care in America. By attending rallies, sharing information, voicing our opinion to our representatives, and speaking out on behalf of loved ones, we are making small differences that might just save lives. If you like the work that Consumer Voice is doing, consider donating, and if you want to be a voice for the voiceless, consider volunteering, becoming an ombudsman, or continuing to share information with family and friends.
If you or a loved one have been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, call Gharibian Law (877-460-1187) today for a FREE consultation and the best legal representation.
