Laws and Rights

There are several federal and state laws that govern the rights of nursing home residents. These regulations are designed to protect nursing home patients from abuse and neglect, as well as address privacy, security and participation in care concerns. Among these are the laws created by the Nursing Home Reform Act. Congress passed the Nursing Home Reform Act in 1987 following a 1986 study by the Institute of Medicine finding that nursing home residents were frequently being abused and neglected. The purpose of the Nursing Home Reform Act is to make certain that all federally-funded nursing homes provide quality care and services aimed at maintaining the physical, mental and social well-being of each resident. This act makes the care of nursing home residents a matter of federal law and ensures that any violation of the standards set forth in the guidelines is considered a federal crime. The act offers various consequences and solutions to problems or violations, requires nursing homes to provide specific services and establishes a bill of rights for residents.