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Resources and References
Document A Resident’s Guide to Solving Problems in the Nursing Home - Have concerns about your loved one's situation in a nursing home or other long-term care facility? Here are some suggestions that residents and families can use to address concerns, emphasizing a preventative approach. By Roy Herzbach, Director WV Long-term Care Ombudsman Program. Link to WV Senior Legal Aid's on-line newsletter for this article.  
Other Topics: Nursing homes 
Document LAWV Ombudsman Program Annual Report - FY 2007 - Annual report from the LAWV Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, summarizing the work of the Ombudsmen who assist residents of nursing homes and other long term care facilities. In pdf format. 
Other Topics: Nursing homes 
 
Legal & Advocacy Materials
Document Article - The New Assisted Living Rule: What Every Resident Should Know - A 2003 West Virginia regulation established specific standards and procedures to provide for the health, safety, and protection of the rights and dignity of people who live in assisted living residences. Learn more in this article from the WV Senior Legal Aid newsletter. 
Document Article - A Year In the Life of the Ombudsman - A review of areas of concern in long term care facilities most commonly encountered by Legal Aid of West Virginia Long Term Care Ombudsmen. By Roy Herzbach, Director WV Long-term Care Ombudsman Program.  
Document Article - Can we tell nursing home to put up rails around Mom's bed? - The use of bed rails in a nursing home is a complex issue. Sometimes rails are a "restraint." Sometimes they are used for safety or medical needs. Learn more about when and how they are permitted, in this article from the WV Senior Legal Aid newsletter. 
Document Article - Powers of Attorney: Who's In Charge - If your loved one in a nursing home has given Power of Attorney to someone, is that person the "only" person who can make any kind of decision for the resident? Learn more about the extent and limits of authority for the Power of Attorney holder. Article from the WV Senior Legal Aid newsletter. 
Document Article: No personal liability for costs of family member in nursing home - Can the nursing home require you sign an agreement to be responsible for the costs of your loved one's care, if their resources are not adequate? No, says the Ombudsman. Read more in this article from the WV Senior Legal Aid newsletter. 
Document Best Practices: "No Lift" Policy: Use of lifting devices - In order to lower the number of injuries caused by manually lifting residents, one facility has decided that non weight bearing residents would be lifted with the use of mechanical lifts. Find out more in this article. By Kirsten Nelson, LAWV Ombudsman Program  
Document Best Practices: Assessment of Agitation in Nursing Home Residents - There are seven reasons a nursing home resident might become agitated. This article discusses the possible causes of agitation and the ways to address them. By Kirsten Nelson, LAWV Ombudsman Program.  
Document Best Practices: Creative Practices in West Virginia - (1) Facility provides pamphlet with tips for understanding the elderly and for making their visits to the facility more enjoyable; (2) facility administrator's daily morning walking rounds to improve care. By Kirsten Nelson, LAWV Ombudsman Program. 
Document Best Practices: Get Alzheimer's Residents out into the Sunsh - Sunlight can help to rectify irregular sleeping patterns, combat agitation, depression, and seasonal affective disorder, and can fight osteoporosis. By Kirsten Nelson, LAWV Ombudsman Program. 
Document Best Practices: Preventing Dehydration in LTC Residents - Good practices by a nursing home to help prevent dehydration in frail residents. By Kirsten Nelson, LAWV Ombudsman Program.  
Document Nursing home resident's friend may be using her checks for himself - What should I do if I think a nursing home resident's friend is using her money for himself? By Suzanne Messenger, Esq., LAWV Ombudsman Program. 
Document WHAT ABOUT ME? The Impaired Resident’s Right to Be Heard - When a resident has a Medical Power of Attorney, or a Living Will, or a Guardian, some people then exclude the resident from the decision-making process. But if a resident “can understand the situation and express a preference" then she should be part of the decision. Learn more in this article from the WV Senior Legal Aid newsletter. By Suzanne Messenger, Esq., LAWV Ombudsman Program.  

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