Less Serious Issues & What to Do

Certain pieces of your loved one’s clothing may be missing, your loved one may be missing certain activities he/she would like to attend, your loved one may be served food that he/she does not like.  While not seen as serious problems, these are important for quality of life for your loved one and are common in a nursing home setting.

Your first stop in addressing these issues is the nursing home unit manager and/or the nursing home’s social worker.  Communicate with them and also, as appropriate, talk with the activities director, dietician, laundry supervisor, etc.  As necessary, request a meeting if you can’t get satisfaction over the phone.

In a phone conversation and/or any meeting (and this is relevant for more serious issues as well), the personal care plan serves as a basis for looking at the issues and what your loved one wants and/or needs.  As noted in the section on Care Plans in Managing the Nursing Home Experience, the care plan can be changed, added to, subtracted from, as often as necessary to ensure your loved one gets what he/she needs.

You also may contact the LTC Ombudsman for advice, counsel and support.

Another option, assuming conversation and a meeting are not satisfactory, you may bring the issue to the nursing home’s grievance official.  There should be no discrimination or reprisal from the nursing home.

Nursing homes must:

• Establish a grievance policy and ensure the prompt resolution of all grievances

• Notify you on how to file a grievance/complaint

• Upon request, provide a copy of its grievance policy

• Ensure the prompt resolution of all grievances

→ Next: More Serious Issues & What to Do