The Illinois Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is celebrating Residents’ Rights Month in October.
The month is dedicated to honoring the rights of residents in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, according to a community announcement.
The National Consumer Voice for Long-Term Care designates the month to highlight the importance of dignity, privacy and other basic human rights for residents.
Advocacy and support
The federal Nursing Home Reform Law, passed in 1987, guarantees nursing home residents individual rights, including individualized care, respect, dignity, visitation, privacy, the right to complain and the right to make independent choices.
This year’s theme, Stand with Me, emphasizes the importance of solidarity and support for residents who advocate for their rights.
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program helps amplify the voices and protect the rights of up to 142,000 Illinoisans residing in just under 1,600 long-term care homes, according to the announcement. The program has at least 83 paid staff and 31 volunteers who investigate residents’ complaints and concerns, empower them to self-advocate and, in some cases, liaise with facility staff to resolve complaints.
Community involvement
The program also provides older adults and their family members with information about how to find a long-term care facility, conducts community education sessions and supports residents, their families and the public with one-on-one consultations regarding long-term care. All services are provided free of charge.
“The Older Americans Act mandates the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program inform residents of their rights,” said Kelly Richards, the state long-term care ombudsman. “This is something we do all year long. However, the designation of October as Residents’ Rights Month allows us to shine a larger spotlight and highlight the rights of residents in long-term care facilities. I hope you will join me this month by taking time to reach out to someone in a long-term care facility.”
To contact an ombudsman, residents can call the statewide Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966, email Aging.SLTCOProgram@illinois.gov or reach out directly to the Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program in their area.
This story was created by reporter Abreanna Blose, ablose@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
This article originally appeared on Canton Daily Ledger: How Illinois ombudsmen work to protect nursing home residents’ rights
Reporting by Canton Daily Ledger / Canton Daily Ledger
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