Residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities have rights. And, the State Department of Health and Senior Services is taking advantage of Residents’ Rights week to bring attention to those rights. Carol Scott, the Department’s State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, says any of the 55,000 residents of Missouri’s long-term care facilities or family members can call her office to lodge a complaint. The number to call is 800-309-3282. Scott says complaints can also be directed to volunteers from her office who visit long-term care facilities on a weekly basis. On average, the office receives between 6,000 and 7,000 complaints each year. Most complaints deal with things like denial of a favorite food or concerns about cleanliness. From time to time there are complaints about patient abuse. Those calls are referred to the Elder Abuse Hotline for investigation.
Related web sites:
Missouri’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program