Living In A Nursing Home: Myths and Realities

Myth: I will not be able to make my own decisions.

Reality: Nursing facility staffs strive to maximize independence and honor patient preferences. It is a patient's legal right to make choices about activities, schedules, health care and other aspects of their life. Yet it is important to recognize that the facility must ensure an environment where people can live together safely and harmoniously. Whatever an individual's physical condition, the over-riding objective for the facility is respecting an individual's rights and wishes and providing a supportive environment and quality care.

Resident councils, which are self-governing bodies in nursing facilities, provide an opportunity for patients to become actively involved in addressing their concerns to staff and to one another. When it comes to treatment decisions, some patients choose to shift decision-making responsibilities to their children or others. Patients, if they have not already done so, are encouraged to prepare an advance directive. An advance directive is a legal document designed to express an individual's wishes for treatment should he/she be unable to communicate his/her preferences.