Wednesday 19 October 2016

Residents Rights

Residents Rights

Know your rights

As with my grandparent it often happens that the elderly people do not want to go to a nursing home or a care home because they feel they may not have the freedom or the rights they enjoy at their own home or by being with their family members, neighbours or friends.

However, each and every care agency in the UK will have to abide by certain rules and provide all rights which the residents deserve.  Though, it has been reported widely in the news where this is not the case.

Following information reveals what rights the resident/service user within the nursing home or a care home possess.

The Right to Information

If it is for the first time that you are going to experience the life at a nursing home or a care home then of course, it can be very challenging.

New people, new things might confuse you.

Therefore, get to know everything about the nursing home or the care home, about facilities you might expect, the services, people and other things such as fee structure etc. This will help you get clear understanding of how the agency works, how the people are etc.

Dignity / Self-Respect / Honour

To live life with all dignity, honour, self-respect is what everyone would desire of.

There is a misconception that the life at care home can be very challenging and it will be devoid of any self-respect or dignity (this stems from the false idea that the treatment would be harsh or more like that of a service). Every resident does have the right to be treated with all dignity and respect.

If any time any resident encounters any misbehaviour from the staff or anyone around, then he/she can inform of the same at the office.

The right to be treated with dignity and self-respect is of primary importance.

Management of Belongings

The residents should have the right to manage their own belongings or should have the right entrust this to anyone they rely on.

For instance, many of the residents may want their money to be managed by one of the staff members. So, such facility should be provided for the residents.

Privacy Matters

The residents should have the right to privacy. If they want to spend their time in their room then they should be allowed to (of course, care precautions should be taken as per the care agency rules).

Their mobile phones or other things should not be checked without their permission.

Their life should not be pried into.

Medical Conditions

Most of the residents are never informed about how their medical condition is.

This information is often provided to only family members of the residents. This is certainly wrong.

If the residents want to know about their conditions, then reports should be provided as required. The users will have the right to continue or refuse to continue the treatment as required.

Creating Own Schedule

It is true that care agencies schedule their services or take care of the diet plan or provide care as per their standards but still if the residents want to create or customize their own schedule then they should have the right to do so.

The residents may want to go or may not want to go for a morning walk, may want get up at 8 or may want to sleep till 10 am etc.

The choices should be of the residents without any kind of interference.

Of course, suggestions, recommendations as per the health conditions of the residents are always welcomed.

Meeting

The residents should have the right to meet whoever they want to and whenever they want without any sort of restrictions from the agency. The agency should not stop the residents to meet anyone they wish to.

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