National Residents' Rights Month 2011

As part of Residents' Rights Month, the Consumer Voice has developed a new product - the Residents' Rights Community Outreach Kit. Each outreach kit (assembled in a Residents' Rights bag) features a items to be used for Residents' Rights advocacy including: postcards with Resident Voice artwork and quotes, buttons, stickers, wristbands and a collection of this year's Residents’ Voice entries promoting residents' rights and this year's theme. These kits are helpful awareness tools and can be used as giveaways for Residents' Rights Month luncheons, press activities, visits with residents and other activities.  Place your order today.

  Click Here to see Resident Voice entries

Click Here to see photos and video from the Arkansas Advocates for Nursing Home Reform's Residents' Rights Rally

We are pleased to announce Residents' Rights Week has been expanded to Residents' Rights Month. This gives us the entire month of October to call attention to the very important topic of residents' rights.

Residents' Rights Month is an annual event designated by the Consumer Voice and is celebrated in October to honor residents living in all long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, sub acute units, assisted living, board and care and retirement communities. It is a time for celebration and recognition offering an opportunity for every facility to focus on and celebrate awareness of dignity, respect and the value of each individual resident. The theme for Residents' Rights Month 2011 is, "Welcome Home: Creating Connections Between Residents and the Community" with the goal of educating the community about residents' rights and to increase community involvement with residents.

2011 Residents' Rights Month Packet of Materials

Each year, the Consumer Voice develops a packet to help you plan your Residents’ Rights events. The packet is completely downloadable and features ready-to-use items, including promotional materials, activities to celebrate Residents' Rights Month, training tools and resources.

Introduction & Overview

• A History of Celebrating Residents' Rights

• Letter from Consumer Voice Executive Director Sarah Wells

• Residents' Rights Month Outline and Overview

Training Materials

• Tips for Building Community Involvement in Long-Term Care Facilities

• Ombudsman Challenge: Opening the Door by Celebrating Relationships

Promotional Materials

• Residents' Right Month 2011 Flyer (8.5" x 11")

• Residents' Rights Month 2011 Flyer (11" x 14")

• Reasons Why Ombudsmen Should Participate

• Reasons Facilities Should Participate in Residents Rights’ Month

• Sample Ombudsman Newsletter Article

• Sample Letter to the Editor

• Sample Press Release

• Proclamation - Governor

• Proclamation - Mayor

• National Residents' Rights Month 2011 Logos (pdf)

• National Residents' Right Month 2011 Welcome Home Logo (jpeg)

• National Residents' Rights Month 2011 Welcome Sign Logo (jpeg)

The Resident's Voice Challenge 2011

The Resident’s Voice is an opportunity for residents from facilities across the country to share their ideas about this year’s Residents’ Rights Month theme with other residents, ombudsmen, families, community members and nursing home staff.

Residents are encouraged to think about and respond to the following questions:

1. What is your favorite memory of growing up in your community?

2. What was your favorite community event growing up?

3. What does it mean to be part of a community?

4. Why is it important to you to have community members come into your home/facility?

Residents can respond to the questions in writing (poems, stories), through art of any kind or with video’s/recordings. We will use one or two of the entries for the Residents’ Rights Month packet and community outreach kit. We encourage facilities/families to frame resident entries and hang them in residents’ rooms or other areas of the facility. 

• Resident's Voice Challenge 2011 Information Sheet

• Resident's Voice Criteria

• Photo Release Form

• Biopoem - This format can be used to collect information from residents to develop a poem about their lives.

• Resident Hero - This form can be used to collect information about residents to present in a faciltily open house or other activities. This information can be included with Resident's Voice entries posted within facilities or the community.

Resources

• Resident Rights Report Sheet for 2011

• LTCF handout

• Resident Rights 2011 training

• Residents' Rights to Access and Visitation

• Learning Circle Exercise from the California Culture Change Coalition

• Tips for Visiting Residents

• Residents' Rights Bingo Game (provided by The Legal Center)

Residents' Rights Month 2011 Advisory Board

Residents' Rights Month 2011 Events & News
Below is a listing of Residents' Rights Month events and news articles from across the country.

• Letter to the Editor by Patti Marshall and Cynthia Lincoln, Ombudsman Supervisors, COEDD—Area Agency on Aging: "Celebrate Residents' Rights Month," Shawnee News Star, September 21, 2011

• 10th Annual Residents’ Rights Rally: Tuesday, October 4, 2011, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., at Sheraton Dover - Sponsored by the Delaware State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program

• Governor Hickenlooper Declares October as Residents’ Rights Month in Colorado: "October is Residents' Rights Month," Holyoke Enterprise, September 28, 2011

• Opinion by Jan McFerron, Long-Term Care Ombudsman Director, Region 2, SEMO Area Agency on Aging: "Recognizing National Long-Term Care Residents' Rights Month," Southeast Missourian, September 28, 2011

• Letter to the Editor by Jim Crochet, Florida State Ombudsman, Miami Herald, October 5, 2011

Residents' Rights Community Outreach Kit

As part of Residents' Rights Month, the Consumer Voice has developed a new product - the Residents' Rights Community Outreach Kit. Each outreach kit (assembled in a Residents' Rights bag) features a items to be used for Residents' Rights advocacy including: postcards with Resident Voice artwork and quotes, buttons, stickers, wristbands and a collection of this year's Residents’ Voice entries promoting residents' rights and this year's theme. These kits are helpful awareness tools and can be used as giveaways for Residents' Rights Month luncheons, press activities, visits with residents and other activities. The kits are not dated to October and can be used to promote Residents' Rights year round! Place your order today.