Placing a loved one in a nursing home or an assisted living facility is one of the most difficult decisions a family can make. Once that transition happens, many families assume the hard part is over. But concerns about care quality, how a resident is being treated, or whether needs are truly being met can arise at any time. When they do, it is important to know that you are not powerless and do not have to navigate those challenges alone. Under federal law, nursing home residents are entitled to personalized, dignified care. When those standards fall short, here are steps you can take.
1. Talk to facility staff.
Start with the staff member most directly involved in your loved one’s care. If that conversation doesn’t resolve the issue, escalate to a supervisor, department head, or the facility administrator.
2. Request a care plan meeting.
Every resident is entitled to these meetings, which bring together the resident, family members, and staff to discuss concerns and map out solutions. If the matter is urgent, you can request a special meeting rather than waiting for the next scheduled one. Facilities are required to have these meetings quarterly.
3. Use the formal grievance process.
Every nursing facility is required to have one. Ask for a copy of the policy and follow it. This puts your concerns on record and obligates the facility to respond in writing with the steps it has taken or plans to take.
4. Get involved with the resident or family council, if one exists.
These councils give residents and families a collective voice in addressing concerns directly with facility leadership.
5. Contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program at The Senior Source serves as the designated ombudsman program for Dallas County, advocating for residents in local nursing homes and assisted living facilities at no cost to residents or their families.
6. File a complaint with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
This state agency has oversight responsibility for nursing homes and assisted living facilities and the authority to investigate complaints on behalf of residents and their families. Filing anonymously is an option.
The ombudsman program can help you think through your options, suggest strategies, and connect you to helpful resources, as well as address complaints on a resident’s behalf. Our services are confidential and we must have the consent of the resident or their legally authorized representative before taking formal action. Our goal is always to empower residents and families to have a voice in their care.
Suzanna Sulfstede has served as the director of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program at The Senior Source and the managing local ombudsman for the Dallas County program for 19 years. She was previously appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry to serve on a Nursing Facility Advisory Committee. If you have questions or concerns, contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program at The Senior Source at www.theseniorsource.org or 214-823-5700.
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