The Residents' Voice | Examples of How Ombudsman Programs Celebrate Residents' Rights Week |
Examples of How Ombudsman Programs Celebrate Residents' Rights Week Examples of How Ombudsman Programs Celebrate Residents' Rights Week
Ombudsman Program Activities for 2008 Residents' Rights Week
Ombudsman programs across the country planned Residents Rights Week celebrations! Activities ranged from luncheons to rallies to parties to educational programs. We want to take this opportunity to highlight ombudsman program activities -- both to celebrate those programs and what they're doing, as well as to give you ideas for next year!
If your ombudsman program planned a special event, wrote an article to the local newspaper, held a party, etc. let us know so we can share with your colleagues around the country! Send your information to Milissa Lake Spencer at mlakespencer@nccnhr.org.
Thanks to all the ombudsmen who have worked so hard to promote the rights of the residents they serve! Happy Residents' Rights Week!
Program Activities:
DC LTC Ombudsman Program:
The DC LTC Ombudsman Program hosted a Residents Rights Week Luncheon for area residents.
Guilford County, North Carolina Joint Advocacy Committee:
In celebration of National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Week, the Guilford County, North Carolina Joint Advocacy Committee hosted a Residents’ Rights Week Bus Tour of Guilford County Long-Term Care Facilities on Wednesday, October 8, 2008. The Guilford County Joint Advocacy Committee was formed in 2008 to advocate at the local, state, and federal levels of government for the needs of older and disabled adults and residents of long-term care facilities. The committee is made up of representatives from the Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee, Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee, and the Commission on Aging and is staffed by the Piedmont Triad Council of Governments Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.
Participants included Greensboro City Council Members, Guilford County Commissioners, and State Representatives. The participants had lunch with residents at an adult care home, where the Chairman of the Guilford County Commissioners read a Proclamation for Residents Rights Week. From there, participants toured a second adult care home, visited a nursing home and an adult day care center. The purpose is designed to highlight some of the long-term care options available to older and disabled adults in Guilford County.
Pennsylvania LTC Ombudsman Program:
The PA State LTC Ombudsman program has been very creative in ensuring our older consumers know about Resident Rights Week. More importantly, our Pennsylvania PEER Expert Residents (PEER) have been part of redesigning the national materials to state specific marketing materials. PEERs from across the Commonwealth have collaborated on a very special recipe. They offer you their recipe for HOME. Often, people are proud to share recipes – especially if the recipe creates something wonderful to make and the owner feels pride and self-esteem.Pennsylvania PEERs have created a very special recipe for you – their recipe for HOME. Our theme is throughout the presentation slides and every packet is accompanied by a wooden spoon and chef hat which is given to each resident.If you have any questions, please contact State Ombudsman Wilmarie Gonzalez at wigonzalez@state.pa.us.
South Shore Elder Services Ombudsman Program:
We are having our 11th Annual Resident Council Appreciation luncheon. Approximatley 30 to 40 residents from our covered LTC facilities attend this function.We serve them lunch and we have an educational speaker. This year we are having Paul Rollins speak on how Resident Councils can influence Culture Change. He is the Executive Director or Orchard Cove in Canton, MA, and is a big part of the Culture Change movement here in Massachusetts.
The history of this empowerment session came from a resident in one of our homes. She was the President of her Resident Council. She fought for the residents and inspired me to begin thanking Resident Councils for what they do throughout the year.
Over the years we have had guest speakers from the Department of Public Health, Legal Services, as well as the State Ombudsman. The residents enjoy the discussions and share the way they run their councils....and how they can make things better in their home. For more information, contact Patti White at pwhite@sselder.org.
Missouri LTC Ombudsman Program:
The Missouri LTC Ombudsman Program held a kick-off celebration on Monday, October 6 at the Missouri State Capitol Rotunda. The ombudsman program invited area facilities and the community to join their celebration of residents and renewed their commitment to promote residents' rights. Additionally, residents were invited to submit their recipe for what home means to themand how to create home in a long-term care facility. For more information, contact the Missouri Ombudsman Program at 800-309-3282.
Northern Kentucky Ombudsman Program:
Every year the Northern Kentucky Ombudsman program hold a resident right's lunch. Last year we had 13 facilities come and 126 people attended. The lunch is $11.00 a person staff and residents of nursing homes come and enjoy a nice lunch. We also have someone donate door prizes which are raffled off. This year we have already had a donation of Bars of soap we are going to wrap them fancy and everyone will get a bar of soap. We also have free entrainment and last year had a local T. V. personality to come and be the M.C. One facility donates balloons to decorate and another facility makes table decorations. Last year it was a Hawaii theme and we gave everyone a lea to wear and encourage them to wear a colorful outfit. They all did and we had a great time. We are still working on a theme for this year.
– Pam Pang, Burn District Ombudsman Northern Kentucky
Arkansas Advocates for Nursing Home Residents:
 On October 13, Arkansas Advocates for Nursing Home Residents (AANHR) held it's 5th Annual Residents' Rights Rally at the Capitol Rotunda, where residents attending the event were welcomed by their many advocate friends. Over 100 attendees received material pertaining to protecting the rights of nursing home residents. The program was opened with an invocation by Dr. Gerald Parker Sr., Pilgrim Progress Missionary Baptist Church, who was followed by Martha Deaver, Program Chairperson, who read the Residents' Rights proclamation which had been signed by the Governor. The Honorable Mike Beebe addressed the group and was followed by comments from numerous "friends of nursing home residents:" Jay Shue, Arkansas State Deputy Attorney General Medicaid; Kathie Gately, Arkansas State Ombudsman; Jerry Lancaster, Interim State President of AARP; and Dr. David Montague, Director of UALR Senior Justice Center. Ms. Gately provided the crowd with chocolate bars bearing the slogan "Residents' Rights, Their All Right" and pom-poms and required everyone to stand and cheer, all much to the delight of the nursing home residents. For more information, contact Martha Deaver, AANHR.
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