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Your Rights
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Find Ombudsman Program in your State
plus read the list of things the program is there to help you with.
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These Fact Sheets from the National Ombusdman Program include information on
issues affecting residents such as resident rights, malnutrition, the use of restraints, and changing the culture of nursing
homes. Plus there is a link to ADVOCACY TIPS and FAMILY COUNCILS
| When you move into a nursing home, you
do not lose any rights granted to you as a citizen of the United States. You are still protected by the Constitution and the
Bill of Rights. You continue to have the right to (see page)
Family Councils(Who/What You Can Do) -A family council - or Relatives and Friends Council-is a group of committed
families and friends working together to improve the quality of life of nursing home residents. Many voices are stronger than
one. An effective way to bring about positive change in a nursing home is to join with others who care about individual
residents. What they do, what you can do, handling unsupportive NH administrators.
Assisted Living
Assisted Living: Costs And Contracts - A list of financial questions to ask. These checklists have been developed by The Consumer Consortium on Assisted Living (CCAL),
a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to representing the needs of consumers in assisted living facilities and educating
consumers, professionals, and the general public about assisted living issues
A checklist of personal and health care questions to ask when you and your loved one visit
an assisted living facility.
Assisted Living: Special Care Units Questions To ask - If your loved one is considering a move to assisted living, you need to find out
about any special care services offered by the facility. This section is directed to family members or other interested persons,
because it would be unusual for the person who needs a special care unit to be asking these questions. These questions should
be asked in addition to previous questions.
Nursing Homes
Guilt - "In my Family We Care for our Own" Confronting Guilt over Placing Relatives
in Nursing Homes-A tradition of "In my family we care for our own" developed before modern medical advances enabled very sick
elderly to live much longer lives.
Medicare-Alternatives To Nursing Home Care - Nursing Homes serve as permanent
residences for people who are too frail or sick to live at home or as a temporary facility during a recovering period. However,
many people need a nursing home level of care but would prefer to remain in their own home with the help of their family and
friends, community services, and professional care agencies. The Medicare program offers limited access to two unique programs
for certain beneficiaries who need a comprehensive medical and social service delivery system.
The purpose of this section is to provide visitors with information relating
to Medicaid and Medicare certified nursing homes throughout the United States. It includes information on payment and patient
rights, and a nursing home checklist which will help you evaluate the nursing homes that you visit. |
Providing good food that represents the tastes of the home's resident population
and meets all the nutritional requirements required by the Department of Health is a challenge. It is also one area that can
make a huge difference in the quality of life for residents. What Can You Do?
Long Term Care-The Physician's Role Physician's Guide: To learn which elements of long-term care require physician
involvement, become familiar with various care settings available for long-term care of patients, understand legal requirements
for reimbursement of various long-term care services
Many relatives call FRIA to report little or no exercise or rehabilitation. Most
of our complaints occur when residents are taken off a rehabilitation program because they have ceased to improve or can't
follow instructions due to confusion. Medicare or Medicaid will not pay for a physical or occupational therapist under these
conditions. What Can You Do?
Overmedication~Recognizing Symptoms - Sometimes drugs are prescribed for nursing
home residents to alleviate anxiety, angry behavior, screaming, delusions and paranoia. Under law, when these medications
are used when less aggressive treatment could be effective, they are considered to be "chemical restraints." According to
Department of Health regulations, all other methods of behavioral intervention must be tried to relieve the symptoms before
drugs are used. Some symptoms of overmedication; What you should do.
Physician's Guide: Physical restraint devices (belts, vests, pelvic
ties, specialized chairs, bed side rails) have been a mainstay in the care of forgetful and unsteady patients in the United
States. Physicians have used these devices almost reflexively, believing that they provided safety for patients. So, the controversy
and regulations regarding use of physical restraints may be perplexing to many physicians. Federal regulations; Safety concerns
of families; physical constraints; practical approach to restraint reduction.
If pressure sores are not treated, they can lead to infection, surgery or amputation.
Many professionals believe pressure sores are 100% preventable except in rare cases. Yet, FRIA gets many calls from relatives
who have discovered these sores. They occur even in "good" nursing homes. Ways to prevent pressure sores; What you can do.
Also see:
Evaluating the resident, your involvement in the decisions, creating a safety plan
Share information about your experience with long term care facilities by responding
this NCCNHR survey
Physician's Guide: To recognize the essential elements in the initial
evaluation of nursing home patients, identify useful assessments for determining the functional status of nursing home patients,
learn recommended preventive care measures for nursing home patients
What Families Need to Know and Do - When There are Culture and Language Concerns -
When placing a relative or friend who speaks little or no English or whose ethnic background differs from the majority of
the residents in the home you are considering, you might want to
ask. |
