Letter to the Editor – “Join Us at the Table”

Dear Editor:

October is National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Month, a time to recognize the people who live in our nursing homes and other long-term care communities—and to remember something fundamental: moving into a long-term care facility does not mean giving up your voice, your choices, or your rights.

This year’s theme, “Join Us at the Table,” uses food and mealtime to remind us of the importance of choice, dignity, culture, comfort, and community. But having a place at the table means more than choosing what is on your plate. It means having a meaningful voice in the decisions that shape your life.

Residents have the right to make choices about their daily routines and care. They have the right to privacy and dignity. They have the right to participate in resident councils, raise concerns and file grievances without fear of retaliation. They have the right to manage their personal affairs, to receive visitors, to communicate privately with others, and to participate in decisions about where and how they live.

Just as importantly, residents have the right to speak privately with a Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Ombudsmen are independent resident advocates who work at the direction of the resident. We listen, investigate concerns, provide information, help resolve problems, and advocate for the rights and wishes of the people who call long-term care facilities home.

These rights matter because a nursing home is not simply a healthcare setting. It is someone’s home. The people living there remain members of our community—with histories, relationships, preferences, opinions, and the right to direct their own lives.

Prowers County is home to two nursing homes and one assisted living. The rights of the people who live in these facilities should matter to all of us. Residents should never believe that speaking up will cause trouble, that someone else automatically knows what is best for them, or that their concerns do not matter.

This Residents’ Rights Month, I encourage our community to do something simple: make room at the table. Visit someone you know in long-term care. Listen to residents. Ask what matters to them rather than assuming. Learn about residents’ rights and when a resident speaks, make sure their voice is heard because residents do not lose their rights when they enter a nursing home.

Barbara Hernandez
Certified Long-Term Care Ombudsman

8305 Surrey Ridge Ct.

Lamar,Co. 81052

719-336-4598