Remember: you have the right to an ombudsman who can help you exercise your rights!

Your Rights as a Resident

Click through each section to learn more about your rights as a resident of a long-term care facility.

  • Choose your own doctor
  • Receive information on your care, treatment, and any changes
  • Make decisions in your care plan meeting
  • Choose or refuse treatment

  • Choose your schedule and activities
  • Receive services based on your individual needs and preferences
  • Receive notification before room change, including reason for the change
  • No verbal, sexual, physical, or mental abuse
  • No mistreatment or neglect
  • No chemical or physical restraints without a doctor’s order for a set time period to treat a medical symptom, or without the resident’s consent
  • No holding or spending of your personal money by others without your written permission
  • Obtain a financial report quarterly and on request of all your money held by the facility
  • Obtain complete informatoin about your rights and the rules related to your stay
  • View your records on request
  • Access the facility inspection report anytime
  • Your treatment, phone calls, visits, mail, resident meetings, and all records must remain private
  • Accept or deny visitors 24 hours a day
  • Refuse any request to move out unless for nonpayment or health or safety for yourself or others
  • Appeal any discharge notice, which you must receive in writing and 30 days advance
  • Receive the facility’s bed-hold policy in writing when you are hospitalized
  • Return to the first available bed if you choose to pay for a bed-hold and are eligible for payment by Medicaid or Medicare

Read our Understanding Your Rights blog post for more information and resources about resident rights.