Long-Term Care Residents Honored During Residents’ Rights Month

Long-Term Care Residents Honored During Residents’ Rights Month

My Voice, My Vote, My Right

 

Across the country, residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities along with family members, ombudsmen, citizen advocates, facility staff and others will honor the individual rights of long-term care residents by celebrating Residents’ Rights Month in October.  This month highlights the importance of listening to residents who live in our country’s nursing homes and assisted living facilities. 

 

Residents’ Rights Month is an excellent opportunity to re-affirm our collective commitment to residents’ rights and to honor long-term care residents.  We want to recognize that being a resident in a nursing home doesn’t have to mean that you can’t participate in the political process.  We hope to facilitate ways for residents to use their voice and their vote and take part in the presidential election next month.  By listening to residents’ voices, we honor their lives and experiences as well as treat them with dignity and respect.

 

This year’s theme – My Voice, My Vote, My Right, was selected to call attention to the fact that residents of long-term care facilities still have the right to vote and participate politically.  Residents in long-term care facilities have experienced many important historical and political events.  It is important that the people who live in these facilities are given the opportunity to continue to participate in the political process and that voting is made accessible to them.  Community members are encouraged to visit those they know in a long-term care facility, participate in Residents’ Rights Month events, or inquire about becoming a long-term care ombudsman.

 

You can join our team of advocates who protect the rights of people who live in long-term care facilities.  We are currently in need of volunteers in Duncan, Marlow, Chickasha, Lawton, Frederick, Anadarko, Binger, Purcell, and Blanchard.

 

Become an Ombudsman Volunteer!  There is no cost to attend the training, and certification is your bonus as a professional volunteer.  This is an opportunity for you to make a difference in the community of seniors in your home town.  For more information, contact Vonn Saltzman (salt_vo@ascog.org) or Ruben Sotelo (sote_ru@ascog.org), Ombudsman Supervisors, at 1-800-658-1466.