Vanessa Conway (left) and Kim Palmore (right) of the Texas
Long-Term Care Ombudsman program and the Ark-Tex Council of Governments
Area Agency on Aging.
By Lance Robertson, Administrator
and Assistant Secretary for Aging, ACL
Every October, we celebrate the rights and dignity of people
who live in residential long-term care settings, including nursing homes
and assisted living facilities.
This year’s theme for Residents’ Rights Month is spot-on:
"Connection Matters.” Now more than ever, we must strengthen the
connections that bind all of us, regardless of age or ability, to each
other.
This year has been hard on everyone, but the COVID-19
pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on residents of long-term care
facilities. The statistics and stories from across the country have been
heartbreaking—especially for residents, their families and friends, and
facility staff. In addition to the direct danger posed by the virus
itself, the months of restrictions on visitation and the inability of
residents, families, and friends to be together during the coronavirus
pandemic have posed real danger. The last few months have driven home for
all of us what we already knew about social isolation and loneliness; it
increases the risk of physical and mental health decline, especially
among older adults. This makes connection of any and every kind all the
more essential.
As difficult as this year has been, we stand in awe of the
resilience of residents and families—and the people who support them.
I particularly want to recognize Long-term Care Ombudsman
(LTCO) programs across the county. These programs educate residents,
families, friends, and staff about resident rights, investigate and
resolve complaints, and raise awareness about systemic issues that affect
residents.
Ombudsmen have risen to the challenge and continued to
advocate for residents and their families, despite the many challenges –
and personal risks – they have faced. It was no surprise that as the
pandemic began, ombudsmen sprang into action to reach residents and
combat isolation, through a variety of new and creative means.
For example, staff of Alabama’s LTCO program sent cards to
residents and participated in weekly parades outside nursing homes to let
residents know they were not alone. In Pennsylvania, the program launched
a weekly statewide online gathering for families whose loved ones live in
long-term care facilities. The gatherings quickly grew in popularity and
became important ways for families to get information and to connect with
each other for support. And the Connecticut and Michigan ombudsmen
started evening Facebook Live events for residents, family, and friends
to share their experiences and troubleshoot issues.
I am so proud of them. And to the many dedicated Long-term
Care Ombudsman program staff and volunteers, thank you! It is the
privilege of a lifetime to be able to work alongside you.
I also want to recognize the perseverance of other ACL
grantees whose who have been working hard to support residents’ rights.
For example, Older Americans Act legal assistance programs in every state
have teamed with our Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs to assert
residents’ rights, especially rights around visitation, and the right to
not be involuntarily evicted and the right to return to a facility after
a hospitalization. Protection and advocacy agencies, who monitor
many long-term care settings and advocate for residents’ rights and safety,
also have been finding creative ways to continue their critical work. And
Centers for Independent Living have served as a critical resource for
residents wishing to transition back into the community.
One of the most valued rights of an American citizen is the
right to vote and a number of ACL grantees are working to ensure that
residents are able to exercise this right safely. We've compiled
some resources on voting here.
At ACL, we have been working to support our programs and
advocate on behalf of residents.
Much of this work has been done in collaboration with our
federal partners and I wanted to highlight two exciting recent developments
from my colleagues at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services:
- CMS
issued revised
visitation guidance that addresses the harmful impact of
social isolation and begins to “open up” nursing homes to outside
visitors. The guidance provides reasonable ways a nursing home can
safely facilitate in-person visitation. I am proud of the role our
State Ombudsmen played collaborating with CMS and with ACL to shape this
guidance.
- The
Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes
issued their final
report with recommendation on protecting residents.
All of these programs are rooted in the fundamental belief
that all Americans have dignity and inalienable rights, and these are not
diminished by age or disability.
I would like to end with the words of a resident. Judi J.
lives in an assisted living facility in Missouri. In her submission to the Consumer Voice Resident's Voice Challenge,
Judi shares four ways she has survived COVID-19 and stayed connected:
- My
Faith – prayers and communing with God
- Bingo
– we could not have made it without it. We perk up when (we) hear
there’s Bingo!
- Bridge,
Trivia, Mind Games – Bringing residents together, have fun and take
our mind off outside world happenings
- Community
– Current Friendships have been strengthened; new bonds have been
formed. Also the ‘community at large’ has reached out to us”
We celebrate the resilience, wisdom, and dignity of Judi and
the many other Americans living in long-term care facilities.
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