ARIZONA NURSING HOME RESIDENT RIGHTS

The U.S. government has established a common set of guidelines regarding the rights of nursing home residents and the protections they have under the law. Nursing home officials are required to give residents and their families a copy of these rights, and they must display these rights where everyone can see them.

If you are a nursing home resident in Arizona, you may reference the Your Rights as a Nursing Home Resident provided by the Office of Long Term Care Licensure.

Per the official U.S. Government Site for Medicare, the rights include, but are not limited to:

• The right to be treated with dignity and respect.
• The right to be informed in writing about services and fees before you enter the nursing home.
• The right to manage your money or to choose someone else you trust to do this for you.
• The right to privacy, and to keep and use your personal belongings and property as long as it does not interfere with the rights, health, or safety of others.
• The right to be informed about your medical condition, medications, and to see your doctor. You also have the right to refuse medications and treatments.
• The right to have a choice over your schedule (for example, when you get up and go to sleep), your activities and other preferences that are important to you.
• The right to an environment more like a home that maximizes your comfort and provides you with assistance to be as independent as possible.
• The right to be free of any physical restraint (like side rails) or chemical restraints (like drugs) to discipline you for the staff’s convenience.

Nursing homes must also adhere to civil rights laws that prohibit them from discriminating against anyone based on the following protected classes:

• Race
• Color
• National origin
• Disability
• Age
• Sex
• Religion

Furthermore, nursing home residents have the right not to be verbally, sexually, physically or mentally abused, and they have the right to complain about any caregiver or staff member without the fear of reprisal.