Residents’ Rights Month

Across the country, residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities along with family members, ombudsman program representatives, citizen advocates, facility staff, and others will honor the individual rights of long-term care residents by celebrating Residents’ Rights Month. Residents’ Rights Month is an annual event held in October by the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (Consumer Voice) to celebrate and focus on awareness of dignity, respect, and the value of long-term care residents. This year’s Residents’ Rights Month theme - Amplify Our Voices - emphasizes a community of long-term care residents coming together to make their voices heard. For residents, amplifying your voice means being outspoken about your preferences and choices, and sharing who you are and your experiences. “Residents’ voices are the most important at the decision- making table. This year’s Residents’ Rights Month theme reminds residents – your story deserves to be told!” said Lori Smetanka, Executive Director of Consumer Voice.For questions about residents’ rights, contact Cherrie Nutley, Ombudsman Supervisor Western OK, 580562-5032The Nursing Home Reform Law, passed in 1987, guarantees nursing home residents their individual rights, including but not limited to individualized care, respect, dignity, the right to visitation, the right to privacy, the right to complain, and the right to make independent choices. Assisted Living Centers and Residential Care Facilities maintain their rights as U.S. Citizens. Residents’ Rights Month raises awareness about these rights and pays tribute to the unique contributions of long-term residents. The National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program has worked for nearly 50 years to promote residents’ rights daily. More than 5,900 volunteers and 1,300 paid staff are advocates for residents in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Authorized under the Older Americans Act and administered by the Administration on Aging, the program also provides information on how to find a facility, conducts community education sessions, and supports residents, their families, and the public with one-on-one consultation regarding long-term care.