October 5-11 is Long-Term Care Residents Rights Week
Today marks the beginning of Residents Rights Week. This event, which will run through October 11, is designed to raise awareness of the rights of residents of all long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, group homes, and assisted living facilities. This year's theme is "Recipe for Home: Defining and Creating Home in Long-Term Care Facilities."
There are currently more than 2.5 million residents living in long-term care facilities across the country and the annual Residents' Rights Week is designed to raise awareness of these residents and empower them to take an active role in decision making about their care.
This year's theme focuses on defining the idea of home and empowering residents to make their long-term care facilities feel more like home to them. This means forcing administrators to listen to their demands and to improve conditions for staff in order to prevent employee turnover. Improving working conditions and decreasing turnover also leads to a decrease in abuse and neglect.
Nursing home residents, staff, and family and friends wanting to recognize Residents' Rights Week can consult this list of Residents' Rights activities compiled by residents' rights expert Susan Berg. You can also go this website for more information on Residents' Rights Week.
