Weld County celebrates long-term care residents’ rights month

Published on October 03, 2022

In honor and recognition of the hundreds of residents in both nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout Weld County, the Board of County Commissioners has proclaimed October as Weld County Long-Term Care (LTC) Residents' Rights Month.

Through the Department of Human Services Area Agency on Aging (AAA), the Weld County LTC Ombudsman Program works to promote and protect the rights of individuals living in long-term care communities. Residents who have made their home in long-term care facilities maintain their rights as U.S. citizens. Residents' Rights Month raises awareness about these rights and pays tribute to the unique contributions of long-term residents. 

"Residents' Rights have a significant impact. When residents are fully informed, treated with dignity and respect, given the right to make their own choices and communicate freely with people inside and outside of the facility, it greatly enhances their quality of life and quality of care," explained Raegan Maldonado, Weld County LTC Ombudsman Program Supervisor

This is the second year Weld LTC Ombudsman Program has teamed up with the Larimer County Ombudsman Program to coordinate an art competition for those living in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. There were over 50 submissions this year from various facilities. Winners for Weld County, Good Samaritan Society at Water Valley (pictured above), and Garden Square were presented with a plaque from Weld County Ombudsman Supervisor Raegan Maldonado and will have their community art pieces displayed in front of each long-term care facility in Weld County through the month of October with important facts on Residents' Rights.

The Nursing Home Reform Law, passed in 1987, guarantees nursing home residents their individual rights, including but not limited to individualized care, respect, dignity, the right to visitation, the right to privacy, the right to complain, and the right to make independent choices. Residents' Rights Month is an annual event held in October by the National Consumer Voice to honor and focus on awareness of dignity, respect, and the value of long-term care residents.

"Our staff at AAA, the ombudsman program specifically, does an amazing job, and having the ombudsman program is a huge asset to the community," said Commissioner Chair Scott James. "This nation would be so much wiser if we would stop and take a second to listen to those that might have some grey on top of their head, so thank you to those of you that are here today and being such a wonderful part of our society."

Learn more about AAA's services and programs by visiting www.weldaaa.org. For more information about residents' rights the LTC Ombudsman Program, contact Maldonado at (970) 400-6128 or rmaldonado@weldgov.com.