Too often, caregivers are ill-equipped to address the needs of persons living with dementia, especially those related to behavioral health. In this episode we are sharing with you a presentation held at the 2020 Consumer Voice Virtual Conference. Listen as we explore strategies, effective treatments, and support for residents and families who often need help understanding their rights and how to get good care. The speakers of this presentation are Kelly Bagby of AARP Foundation and Sue Renz, Practice Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. To view the slides mentioned in the presentation visit theconsumervoice.org/pursingquality.

Everyone living in a long-term care facility deserves good care that meets their needs and takes into account their likes, dislikes, preferences, and goals. But what does that mean? And how do we achieve it? Today we're talking with Sonya Barsness, a Masters-prepared Gerontologist, about a philosophy that honors the needs, preferences, and goals of elders by emphasizing choice, self-determination, relationships, purposeful living and other similar values.

Even before COVID-19, families have played a key role in advocating for their loved ones in nursing homes. Many family's jobs got harder when facilities shut down visitation in March, but even as visitation slowly opens back up, many are still struggling with how best to advocate for their family members.

Something that is important to remember is that, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, residents still retain almost all the rights they’ve always had, including and importantly their right to expect and receive quality individualized care. The right to person-centered care is more important than ever right now, but for families, ensuring that their loved ones are receiving a high level of care during the pandemic, can sometimes be difficult.

In this episode we’re talking with Robyn Grant, Director of Public Policy at Consumer Voice, about how families can advocate for their loved ones and for all residents, both on the local level and nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted residents of long-term care facilities and their families. In March, the federal government and most state governments ordered long-term care facilities – nursing homes and assisted living facilities – to ban all but essential healthcare workers from entering the facility. That has meant no access to family members, friends, the long-term care Ombudsman, or anyone else. Limited in-person visits are beginning in most states, marking the first time many residents and families have seen each other in more than 6 months. As you look to understand what the impact of this lock down has meant for your loved one, listen in for suggestions of what to look for, questions to ask, and what you can do if you have concerns about your loved one’s condition.

Every resident in long-term care is entitled to quality, individualized care. But what does quality care look like? What are the warning signs of poor care? What red flags should you be looking for in a facility? And what can you do when you see them? Join us for a conversation with Eden Ruiz-Lopez, Assistant Deputy Director at the National Center on Elder Abuse, as we discuss putting a stop to poor care and how to advocate for the quality care guaranteed to all residents under federal and state law.

Many families find themselves making difficult decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these decisions involve substantially changing their own living arrangements. In some cases, financial necessity may lead adult children to consider moving back home with their aging parents. In other situations, families may be struggling to decide if they should bring their loved one home from a nursing home. In both situations, there is a lot to consider. Is your family ready to set the boundaries necessary to live together in a multigenerational setting? If you are bringing your loved one home from a nursing home, is your home equipped and are you able to provide the level of care required for your family member? Have you considered the financial implications?

Join our conversation with Julie Schoen, Co-Director at the National Center on Elder Abuse, as we examine factors and implications these decisions will have on your family and insight on how to plan for these situations, and what you should be considering as you move forward.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in families unable to visit their loved ones living in long-term care facilities. For many residents and families, particularly some living with dementia, virtual forms of communication, such as video conferencing or phone calls have not been successful. How can families successfully communicate with their loved ones with dementia from a distance? How can staff be better equipped to understand the needs of the individual to provide better care, particularly as efforts are being made to stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep residents and staff safe?

During this discussion with Kim Grier, a leading voice in the field of dementia care and managing director of Grier Dementia Training, we will address these questions and other issues for staying connected from a distance with people living with dementia in long-term care facilities.

Everyone who enters a long-term care facility deserves quality, person-centered care. Too many residents, however, are being given off-label antipsychotic drugs to control challenging behaviors or for caregiver convenience. When used this way, these drugs are chemical restraints. In this discussion with Kelly Bagby of AARP Foundation Litigation we’ll talk about why the off-label use of antipsychotic drugs is a problem, your rights around medications and caregiving, and what to do if you think your loved one is being chemically restrained.