They Really Do Care

A Long-Term Care (LTC) facility contacted the Ombudsman office because a resident was refusing to take her medications or even get out of bed. She was viewed as a difficult resident and the staff was very frustrated. The Ombudsman spoke with the resident who reported that she felt as though the staff didn't care about her. She would not take her medications or get out of bed because they were not being kind to her. Furthermore, she was bored, had no way of communicating with her family who lived miles away, and the recreational activities offered were not of interest to her. There was a huge communication gap between the facility and the resident causing the staff to assume the resident's noncompliance was simply difficult behavior.

The Ombudsman spoke further with the resident and asked if she would be willing to use a computer to keep in contact with her family. The resident was thrilled with this idea.

The Ombudsman then spoke with the Administrator and suggested the LTC facility provide the resident with a computer. The Ombudsman suggested this could motivate the resident to work with the staff and give her a sense of purpose. The Administrator agreed.

A week later the Ombudsman completed a follow-up visit with the resident. The resident is now taking medications and getting out of bed. The Ombudsman spoke with the Administrator who stated that since the staff have taught her how to use the computer, their communication has improved greatly. Furthermore, the Administrator has decided to create a computer room for other residents to learn and use.

The resident showed the Ombudsman how she can receive pictures of her family and friends. More importantly, the resident feels as though the staff really care about her and ultimately renewed her sense of purpose.

Stepping outside of the box has opened new doors in regard to the way the Administrator addresses resident complaints. This has greatly improved the quality of life for the residents. The Administrator is to be commended for his willingness to try something new. He has discovered how important it is to communicate with residents and find what their interests are. The resident is happy, and staff is happy to see this resident motivated to participate in her care.