Culture Change: Balancing Resident Rights with Resident Rights

Sometimes what one resident wants is different from what another wants and these wants conflict. For example, if residents are sharing a room, one may like it quiet while another wants to play the TV or radio loudly all day. One may like a neat and clean room while another wants it cluttered.

The first rule is safety. No resident can do anything that could cause an unsafe condition for themselves or others. No matter how much a resident on oxygen wants to smoke, he/she cannot!

The second rule is to follow all regulations. These are not just federal and state long-term care regulations, including those for life safety, but also any city or county regulations related to physical plant and safety.

Finally, sometimes it just comes down to trying to use common sense and helping the residents compromise and set boundaries. Sometimes a room change is necessary.

Resident choice does not mean that every resident gets exactly what he/she wants all the time, even though we need to try very hard to make it happen. Balance is critical.