Knowing Your Rights: Nursing Home Residents and Their Bill of Rights

About 1.6 million American citizens live in nursing homes, and another million live in assisted living facilities. As the baby boomers age, this number will surely continue to swell. More and more of our loved ones, friends and family are checking into nursing homes. With the shocking statistics about nursing home abuse, it’s more important than ever to know the rights of nursing home residents.

When checking into a nursing home, residents will be required to sign a legible, clear list of their personal rights. Such rights include medical rights, a right to privacy, as well as financial rights.

Medical nursing home rights include being aware of medical conditions, seeing a primary physician, and accessing personal records and files. Residents should also be able to express concern about treatment and should be able to refuse experimental treatments.

Privacy rights are critical for many nursing home residents. These rights may seem basic – the ability to send and receive mail, using the telephone, sharing a room with a spouse – but they are truly the backbone of the nursing home bill of rights.

Financial rights are also very important for nursing home residents. Rights include the ability to handle money, receiving statements of funds, and being aware of what facility fees are costing them.

These rights are critical for any human being, but especially for those in the twilight years. Some patients may not be cognitively able to express their wishes, so this nursing home bill of rights is crucial. Be sure your loved ones read and sign with caution.