People who enter long-term care facilities do not leave their individual personalities or basic human rights behind; nor do they lose their need for friendliness, encouragement and respect. A long term-care facility that treats residents like people and tries to satisfy their emotional, as well as physical needs, helps sick people to get better and healthy people to stay well.

On entering a long-tern care facility, individuals should have to give up as few of their human rights as possible. They should be allowed to participate in planning their treatment, be assured of the confidentiality of their medical records and have veto power over participating in experimental research.

Residents will have freedom and privacy to attend to their personal needs. Married residents will be assured privacy during visits from spouses. If both husband and wife live in the home, they will be able to share a room unless medical reasons forbid. All residents will have freedom and opportunity to make friends and to socialize.

Residents and their relatives will be able to talk to administrators and staff about questions, problems and complaints without fear of reprisal. Administrators should be courteous and helpful and should treat residents and their requests with respect. Staff members will respond quickly to calls for assistance and treat residents with courtesy, respect and affection. A long-term care facility may meet every known standard, but if its staff treats people coldly, the residents suffer.

Residents will be allowed to manage their own financial affairs if they are able to. If they are not able to do this, they will receive a periodic accounting of their finances.

Residents will be allowed too decorate their bedrooms with personal belongings and to wear their won clothing. They will be allowed to communicate freely by letter or telephone without interference or censorship.

Those residents who wish to do their own chores should be encouraged to do so, but no one should be forced into activity. Some residents may prefer to watch rather than participate.

Visiting hours should be generous and set for the convenience of residents and visitors, not of the nursing home.

Residents should not be transferred or discharged arbitrarily and should be given reasonable advance notice of they must be moved

Many of the recommendations in this section are included in the “Residents’ Bill of Rights,” a set of rules that homes certified for Medicaid and Medicare must follow. In addition, civil rights law forbids discrimination because of race, color or national origin in all nursing homes. This law applies to referrals, admissions, accommodations, room assignments and transfers; policies regarding financial matters, care services, physical facilities and resident privileges; and the assignment of medical staff and volunteers.

When you visit a long-term care facility, ask residents for their opinions of the home and whether these recommendations and the law are observed. Ask other visitors or volunteers the same question. If you see no volunteers, ask why none work in the home. If you see no visitors, ask for the names of several residents’ families. Call or write them to find out what they think of the home.