Residents’ Rights Resources

October is “Residents’ Rights Month,” an annual event designated by Consumer Voice to honor residents living in all long-term care facilities. Residents’ Rights Month is an opportunity to focus on and celebrate the awareness of dignity, respect, and the rights of each resident. This year's theme Connection Matters emphasizes connections – to family, friends, and the community – as essential components of quality of life for residents. 

The months of restrictions on visitation and the inability to be together during the pandemic has emphasized the importance of connections, relationships, and the impact they have on our well-being. During this crisis, many creative ways of staying connected were shared that can be replicated and built upon in all communities. Below are resources for consumers and Ombudsman programs to use during Residents’ Rights Month.

Artwork by John Calhoun, a nursing home resident from Hanson, KY.

Residents' Rights Resources for Consumers 

These consumer resources highlight residents’ rights and empower residents to ensure they receive individualized care. During Residents’ Rights Month share these resources with residents, family members, advocates, and facility staff to focus on resident-directed care and emphasize the self-determination, choice, and quality of life of each resident. 

Staying Connected Activity Workbook
While physical distancing makes in-person activities difficult, our booklet of Enrichment Activities offers residents a variety of activities to keep them entertained and active.  This book includes puzzles, such as word searches and crosswords; space for residents to write about the connections in their lives; trivia questions, which can be done alone or with others; and more! 

Idea for Staying Connected
This webpage includes ideas for residents to stay connected to friends, family, other residents in their facility, the community, and nature. Ideas include suggestions using technology, snail mail, online media, and more. 

My Personal Directions for Quality Living Form 
This form can be used by consumers to record their personal preferences and information about themselves in case they need long-term care services in their home or in a long-term care community in the future. The information in this form may provide some help in understanding residents and help when providing their care. View an example form here. 

Residents' Rights Fact Sheet in Different Languages
This fact sheet is offered in several different languages such as: English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Russian, and Braille.

Residents' Rights Month Resources for Ombudsman Programs

We share a packet every year for Residents' Rights Month that features ready-to-use items, including promotional materials, activity ideas, training tools, and resources. Ombudsman programs can:

• share the free resources and activity ideas with residents, families, and facility staff; 
• encourage residents to participate in the Resident’s Voice Challenge; and, 
• use the outreach examples to promote Residents’ Rights Month.

Promotional Materials

• Residents' Rights Promotional PSA Video - Encourage media outlets in your area to share this PSA video throughout the month of October to promote Residents' Rights Month.
• Reasons Why Ombudsmen Should Participate
• Reasons Facilities Should Participate
• Sample Ombudsman Newsletter Article
• Sample Letter to the Editor
• Sample Press Release
• Proclamation - Governor
• Proclamation - Mayor
• Logo (Logo usage policy)
• Add the "Connection Matters" Facebook Frame to Your Profile Photo

Resources

• Communication Tips
• Reasons Residents Do Not Routinely Exercise Their Rights
• Obstacles to Implementing Residents' Rights
• How Facilities Can Promote and Implement Residents' Rights
• Nursing Home Fact Sheets:
• How to Solve Problems in a Nursing Home
• Steps for Getting Quality Care in a Nursing Home
• Assisted Living Fact Sheets:
• 6 Steps for Getting Quality Care in an Assisted Living Facility
• How to Solve Problems in an Assisted Living Facility
• Home Care Consumer Fact Sheets:
• Steps to Getting Quality Home Care from an Agency or from a Home Care Worker You Hired
• How to Address Concerns with a Home Health or Home Care Agency or with the Home Care Worker You Hired

Be sure to let NORC know how your program is celebrating Residents' Rights Month by emailing ombudcenter@theconsumervoice.org so you can be featured on our website!

For more information on Residents' Rights Month visit the NORC website.

Read archived issues of NORC Notes here. If you have a question, are not able to find a resource, or want to share training materials or program practices, please email ombudcenter@theconsumervoice.org.