Long-Term Care Residents Honored During Residents’ Rights Month, October 2021
October 1, 2021
Thank you, Governor Hogan for proclaiming October as National Long Term Care Residents’ Rights Month. This month, we honor nursing home and assisted living residents who live in long-term care facilities and continuing care retirement communities. October is a time for families, ombudsmen, citizen advocates, facility staff, and others to bring attention to and learn more about the dignity, respect, and value of each individual resident. This month is also a reminder to residents living in a long-term care facilities and continuing care retirement communities to learn how to exercise their rights.
People who live in nursing homes are protected by the 1987 federal Nursing Home Reform Law. The law requires nursing homes to care for its residents in a manner that promotes and enhances the quality of life of each resident while also ensuring dignity, choice, and self-determination. Some states include residents’ rights in state law or regulation for licensed assisted living and other board and care facilities. Regardless of the type of facility, all people who have made their homes in long-term care facilities maintain their rights as United State citizens.
To read the full proclamation, click here: Learn More
The Long-Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman are advocates for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. They work to resolve problems of individual residents and to bring about changes at the local, state, and national levels that will improve residents’ care and quality of life.
Ombudsman can be volunteers or paid employees that are independent of any conflict of interest with a long-term care facility. Services are free and confidential.
To locate your Ombudsman, click here : Learn More
The 2021 Residents’ Rights Month theme, “Reclaiming My Rights, My Home, My Life,” acknowledges the impact of this past year on residents and highlights the need for residents’ rights to be recognized, recovered, and reasserted. It emphasizes the recognition of the long-term care facility as the residents’ home, and the importance of residents reclaiming their own lives. The theme focuses on raising awareness of federally mandated residents’ rights while also underscoring the need for dignity and self-determination of all residents.
To learn more or to discover how you can promote Residents’ Rights Month, please visit the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (Consumer Voice) for more information.
For more information click here: Website
Concerned about a loved one in assisted living or nursing home care? Do You have questions? We can Help! Reach Out to the Maryland Long Term Care Ombudsman Program
For more information click here:Website