If you and your family have made the difficult and emotional decision to place an elderly parent or loved one in a nursing home, it is important that you—and your loved one, if feasible—become familiar with Ohio’s Nursing Home Residents’ Bill of Rights (Ohio Revised Code § 3721.13). The list of Residents’ Rights sets forth certain standards and items of care owed to residents of all nursing home facilities in Ohio, which are required to post the list of rights and provide them to all of their residents.

Knowing these rights will help you to ensure that your parent or loved one receives the standard of quality care he or she is entitled to in Ohio. It is also important to note that a resident has the right to have a sponsor act on his or her behalf, to assure that the home does not deny his or her rights.

Residents’ Rights include:

• The right to be free from physical, verbal, sexual, psychological, & emotional abuse
• The right to be treated at all times with courtesy and respect, and to have full recognition of one’s dignity and individuality
• The right to a safe and clean living environment
• The right of access to a residents’ rights advocate
• The right to have all reasonable inquiries and requests responded to promptly
• The right to adequate and appropriate medical treatment and nursing care
• The right to access all information in the resident’s medical file, and the right to be informed of the resident’s medical condition, prognosis, and treatment plan
• The right to have clothing and bed sheets washed and changed as necessary to ensure proper sanitation and the comfort of the resident
• The right to privacy and confidentiality
• The right to voice grievances and recommend changes in policies and services—to the home’s staff, to employees of the department of health, or to other persons not associated with the operation of the home—free from restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal
• The right to participate in decisions that affect the resident’s life
• The right to unrestricted communication—including visitation—with the resident’s family, social workers, public officials, or with the resident’s attorney or physician
• The right to know the costs of all services offered at the home, and the right to withhold payment for any services billed but not rendered
• The right of access to opportunities to allow a resident to remain active; including educational, vocational, social, recreational, and habilitation programs
• The rights to observe religious obligations, maintain individual and cultural identity, and to participate in community groups
• The right to retain personal possessions with security
• The right to be free from all financial exploitation, and the right to manage the resident’s own financial affair

(For a full listing of Nursing Home Residents’ Rights, see Ohio Revised Code Section 3721.13)

If your loved one has suffered an injury while in the care of a nursing home, you may be right to suspect abuse or neglect. You need an attorney with years of experience handling cases against nursing homes that violate their residents’ rights. At The Robenalt Law Firm, we have that prior experience, and the sophisticated medical and nursing experts and resources necessary to fully investigate and prepare your case. We will fight for the full compensation your loved one deserves. In the process of pursuing justice for your loved one, your claim may also prevent others from being neglected and/or abused.

At The Robenalt Law Firm, we have handled cases of nursing home abuse and neglect. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 216-223-7535, ext. 1. We will provide a free consultation at any time of the day or night. We can help you determine whether your loved one might have legal recourse against a nursing facility, or its employees or medical staff.