SPECIAL CARE PLAN MEETING - FAMILY PERSPECTIVE

  

As a family member of a nursing home resident, you of course are always concerned about the well-being of your loved one.  You certainly want the best for them and it can be somewhat unnerving when you feel that they may not be receiving the care that you believe they deserve.  Many family members have asked me what they should be doing in this case.

     I have always explained that you, as a responsible party, have the right and duty to question or challenge the care being provided.  Personally, I welcomed the challenges since it gave me the opportunity to resolve problems before they got out of hand, or went to outside authorities before I had the chance to help.  

     So if you are uncomfortable with the quality or manner of care being provided, or if you don’t understand the process of care, you have the right to request a special care plan meeting with the Administrator and all of the departments (disciplines) responsible for your loved one’s care.  Care plan meetings are conducted on a regular basis (to which you should already be being invited), but you can always request a special one based upon specific concerns. 

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t be requesting a special care plan meeting for a lost pair of pants. 

What I’m talking about are concerns over the resident’s well-being, such as clinical or psychological declines or other such problems.  Just make sure that when you attend the meeting, you are well prepared with written questions and specific examples.  Oh, and try to keep the emotions out of it; losing your temper helps no one. 

Resolving such problems is a key responsibility of the nursing home’s leadership and what they get paid to do.  And in my experience, competent nursing home leaders welcome this opportunity.  But the bottom line- it’s your right.