If I Knew Then What I Know Now: Nursing Homes
Get in front of the learning curve on nursing homes and legal rights
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In the world of caregiving, sometimes the best way for us to be advocates is to continually share information.
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Nursing Home Problems
Today’s post is all about getting more of that information into your hands! This edition is courtesy the California-based organization Justice in Aging.
JIC’s tag line? Fighting Senior Poverty Through Law.
KIRC has met and been involved on panel discussions with several JIC staff members. I can tell you, their passion and dedication is intense. I hope you value this type of work of improving the lives of ALL INDIVIDUALS, regardless of how they look, how they worship, and who they choose to call family. If not, then KIRC may not be the best home for you.
However - if this sounds like a mission that you can get on board with, keep reading!
Justice in Aging has a revised ‘Guide Book’ on some of the most common issues and problems involving nursing homes and what steps families can take.
Here’s a snippet of the intro:
Using This Guide
Beware: these 25 problems occur across the country. They happen in cities, suburbs, and rural communities. They also happen both in “good” and “bad” nursing homes. Even the better nursing homes tend to follow standard procedures that violate federal law and harm residents.
The best way to receive high quality care is to settle for nothing else, each and every day. This guide gives you the tools to do exactly that.
This guide is an updated and expanded version of 20 Common Nursing Home Problems–and How to Resolve Them, which was written with financial support from the Commonwealth Fund. This revision, like the original edition, introduces each common problem by identifying a false statement commonly made by nursing home staff, along with a clear statement of the relevant law.
This new edition addresses additional problems, discusses issues in more detail, and includes recent revisions to federal regulations and guidance. This edition emphasizes strategies to prevent evictions, as described in the discussion of Problems #7 through #14.
Whether you are a nursing home resident, a family member, or a supportive friend, this guide gives you the tools you need to identify and then resolve the problems that residents most frequently face. Your determined advocacy can be the difference between going-through-the-motions nursing home care, and the high quality, person-centered care that residents are promised by federal law.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE PDF VERSION
Topics include an overview of problems with care, evictions, resident rights, billing issues, and medicare and medicaid related issues.
This is a long document filled with valuable information. I encourage you to read through it, download a copy, and use this as a solid reference.
Remember, when it comes to family caregiving, the more you know BEFORE you enter into a crisis situation, the better prepared you can be and the better prepared you can be to advocate for a loved one.
Caregiver Survey - What Do You Need?
A reminder: please take a few minutes to complete this caregiving survey.
As mentioned before, I have several meetings coming up with state-level advocacy organizations. My mission is to become even more of a liaison between REAL caregivers, and those crafting policy. Let me hear from you so I can WORK for you.
Remember, KIRC is a one-woman effort to raise awareness and increase education regarding family caregiving.
Please consider supporting this work with a paid subscription. KIRC will share upcoming events and Q&A’s in the coming days!
Until next time~
Julia
