How To Advocate for a Loved One in Skilled Nursing

As your loved ones age, they’re more likely to need support. Adults over 64 have a higher likelihood of being affected by chronic health conditions, which may mean they need help with medication management and other daily tasks.

Older adults also experience declining muscle strength and balance, increasing their risk of falls. Each year, 25% of adults over 64 suffer a fall, and more than a third of those who fall require medical care for their injuries.

If your older loved one is affected by illness or injury or has had surgery, they may benefit from skilled nursing care. Skilled nursing facilities customize care plans. The benefits of personalized care plans in nursing homes include expedited recovery times, with the goal of restoring independence.

Although you aren’t providing direct care, you can support your aging parent’s recovery while in care with effective advocacy. Let’s examine what that means, the role of family in Arizona skilled nursing care, and the benefits of advocating for your loved one.

Contact Haven Health.

What Does It Mean To Advocate For A Loved One In Skilled Nursing?

A nursing home advocate actively supports a person’s rights, ensures their safety and well-being, and encourages their caregivers to act in their best interests.

Skilled nursing facility residents have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. They also have the right to participate in decisions about their treatment, and they have the right to reside in a safe, clean environment. Lastly, residents also have the right to privacy and the right to manage their finances.

When you advocate for your aging loved one, you’re ensuring their rights are upheld, and their opinions and needs are respected.

Why Is Family Advocacy Important In Skilled Nursing Care?

It’s helpful to know how families can stay involved after a loved one moves into care. Although you may not be helping your loved one with activities of daily living, such as bathing, you can still have a significant impact on your family member’s mental health.

Older adults can find it very stressful to move to a care facility. Some residents even suffer from depression, anxiety, and grief. Additionally, even when receiving the best possible care in a safe environment, older adults may struggle with the temporary loss of independence and with being away from familiar places, friends, and family.

When you advocate for your loved one, you’re ensuring the following:

Your loved one knows you’re actively involved in their care.
Your loved one knows you haven’t abandoned them.
The skilled nursing care team knows things that are important to your loved ones.
The skilled nursing care team customizes your loved one’s care plan to accommodate their personal needs.

Your advocacy can also help prevent mental health challenges while your loved one receives skilled nursing care and ensures they receive customized care that will expedite their recovery.

How Can You Communicate Effectively With The Care Team?

Ideally, you will attend team meetings when your loved one begins receiving skilled nursing care. This allows you to meet the team members, so you know their names and roles. It also allows you to contribute information as they develop a care plan.

When communicating with the care team, it’s helpful to address members by name and to speak to them about matters relevant to their role. If you have to address a concern, follow the chain of command. This can prevent issues from escalating unnecessarily.

You should also take notes during meetings to retain relevant information and schedule time to follow up on your loved one’s care and progress.

Additionally, share personal details about your loved one. During meetings, you can contribute essential personal information. Perhaps your loved one chose this skilled nursing facility because it has a gardening club, and gardening brings them joy. You can share this with the team and ask them to avoid scheduling therapy sessions during gardening club time, so they don’t miss out on something they were looking forward to.

What Questions Should You Ask About Your Loved One’s Care Plan?

When discussing your loved one’s care plan, ask about the following:

How the care team manages
How the care team will communicate any concerns.
Their short-term and long-term recovery goals.
What the care team does to support residents’ emotional health.
What types of therapy your loved one will receive and how frequently they’ll have therapy sessions.

You can also ask how you can support their care plan during your visit with your loved one. For example, there may be exercises you can do to help with their recovery.

How Can You Recognize And Address Concerns Respectfully?

You can recognize concerns by noticing physical and emotional changes. Perhaps when you visit, you note your loved one is always tired. Perhaps they’re self-isolating and not participating in social opportunities. These could be signs of depression. Or you may notice they’ve lost weight. This may mean they don’t enjoy the menu.

Whatever your concern, one of the values of being a Haven Health patient is that we welcome family member participation. We encourage you to speak to a member of your loved one’s care team and describe any concerns.

Instead of assigning blame, focus on your observations and why they’re a concern. Our team will investigate and determine ways to address the issue, ensuring your loved one’s physical and emotional well-being while in our care.

Contact Haven Health.