Long-term care officials in eastern Kentucky are hosting forums to discuss residential life and rights within facilities.
Angela Zeek, long-term care ombudsman, and Health and Government Unit Manager, is working in partnership with Legal Aid of the Bluegrass to bring the events together.
Zeek said the forums will open channels of communication between those looking to begin utilizing long-term care, long-term care facilities, and current residents.
“The main event is hearing from the residents and learning from them. What they have learned, being a resident, their views of nursing facilities before they were resident, how they feel like their voice is heard now as a resident, not only in the facility but in their own community. So, I think that’s going to be really exciting,” said Zeek.
Zeek said these sorts of events are important for all involved as they give people space to ask questions and receive answers. She said in addition to residents, administrators for local long-term care facilities will be present to speak to families.
Part of the forum will cover the different ways services can be utilized.
“There are different levels of care when we talk about long-term care, so it could be assisted living where individuals are extremely independent or they are very ill and need extra assistance like they would receive in a nursing home or nursing facility. So, this forum is really for people to learn what it's like to be a resident, rights that they have,” said Zeek.
Resident rights include the right to dignity and respect, the right to privacy, to receive mail unopened, to hold meetings in private, to be free from abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation, and to receive the care they need in a timely manner.
The first forum is Tuesday, October 15, in the Carl Perkins Building in Morehead at 10 a.m. A second forum will be held at the Greenup County Extension Office on October 24.