To allow patients to “Die with Dignity,” and in the hands of caring, loving, competent nursing home caregivers.
Knowing elder abuse is a crime, we must collect evidence and insist this law is enforced.
We will get the clergy involved.
We will lobby for better State victims’ advocacy to ensure that action is taken immediately when there is a problem with a nursing home facility and patient care.
We will propose that there be an oversight committee made up of four to six citizens, with the power to interview all parties involved within minutes after a reported problem. These citizens would then inform the State inspectors, investigators and ombudsman of the facts for action.
To pursue grants that would provide funding for lobbying and for studies on the care patients receive in nursing homesand to gauge the success of the outreach programs. In addition, to periodically report for publication in newspapers, the nursing home ratings, problems and complaints such as those for restaurants.
To put a stop to discrimination and intimidation against Seniors by monitoring attitudes of the employees in nursing homes.
They must not be allowed to intimidate patients who fear retaliation.
To add more quality locations and better facilities to HMO’s lists of choices for elderly patients to be sent to.
To closely monitor the quality of care via cameras and trained security personnel.
To inform the public of consumer ratings and bring and keep the data up to date.
To implement and insist that there be unannounced visits by State inspectors.
To set guidelines for better, more qualified employees, with more intense training leading to better pay.
To see that nursing homes are held accountable for all phases of patients’ care.
To get our legislators to tour the facilities of our nursing homes, and conduct interviews of family members and patients in order to comprehend long ignored problems. Only this way will they be able to evaluate and introduce legislation in 2009 to ensure elderly Nevadans will be protected.
We must change the unprofessional and unethical conduct of many doctors and attorneys. The State Medical Board must do more to discipline incompetent professionals who slough-off lives of the elderly.
To empower citizens to speak up and send the message that the elderly are fed up with political complacency where the needs of vulnerable Seniors are concerned.
To negate politicians’ belief that the public doesn’t want to get involved. Lobbyists for vested interests must be challenged by lobbyists for Seniors.
To enforce the patients’ Bill of Rights.
To upgrade the quality of care in a nursing home facility to that of Hospices.
To change the “Prisoner” concept of a patient in a nursing home.
To insist on night staff competency and attentiveness via cameras that we want installed in all facilities, as well as adequate supervision.
We want to institute teleconferences with the legislative staff in Carson City. We also want to initiate public forums and debates on the problems of Senior care.
To change the billing system to eliminate charges for service and medications not applicable to patient care. There must be clear explanations for all charges.
To set goals for higher standards for nursing home administrators.
To eliminate personnel shortages, require that nursing homes maintain two to three contracts with nursing agencies.
Help evaluate salary structures, inadequate staffing and poor benefits. If no ready solutions or compliance, insist on a union.
To increase the number of voices demanding quality care in Nevada.
To ask questions of a 77.9 billion dollar a year business as to
where the money goes for so little return on care. There must be better accountability.
We must speak for Seniors who can no longer speak for themselves, but who have dedicated their lives to making this a better world. Their voices must be heard and they must be allowed to die with dignity in caring hands, and not before their time. Nor, should they have to be rescued from a nursing home sicker than when they went in.
Help us make Nevada a more Senior-friendly medically sound community for retirees.
Thanks for caring. Please join us in our fight for Patient Dignity.
And tell us your story of any experiences you may have had with nursing homes. We would like to hear good stories too, if they are out there.
Citizens for Patient Dignity
www.PatientDignity.org
