March 4, 2013 - Cabarrus County

i. Since November was a presidential election, facilities were encouraged to be diligent in seeing that
residents were registered to vote and exercise this important right. Volunteers handed out pamphlets on
absentee balloting to all facilities and miniature American flags to decorate bulletin boards.
Problems Encountered by the Committees
a. Area nursing homes have had substantial turnover among administrators for the past two years.
b. The Nursing Home CAC volunteers continually hear concerns from residents about lengthy response times
to requests for assistance.
c. Many residents do not receive any visitors at all, leaving residents lonely and isolated.
d. Residents who receive Medicaid to pay for their care get only $30/month in a nursing home, and
$66/month in an adult care home. These meager funds are all residents have to pay for toiletries, a
personal telephone or television, and even medications (in adult care homes).
e. Cabarrus County has few options available for individuals who need dementia care.
f. Residents are often hesitant to invoke their rights due to concerns of retaliation.
g. Adult Care Home volunteers and regional ombudsmen were prepared to advocate for residents caught up
in the panic associated with potential designation of adult care homes housing large numbers of residents
with mental illness as an “institution of Mental Disease (IMD).” There is tremendous concern that there
are few viable options for residents with a primary mental illness diagnosis to live successfully in the
community since there are limited housing and community supports to meet these needs. While the State
is addressing this problem, residents, their families and staff have had an undue amount of stress placed
on them. This issue will be addressed further in the coming year.
Committee Involvement in Grievance Resolutions
a. Residents are often unwilling to divulge their name in the complaint resolution process. Therefore, most
“grievances” expressed by residents/family were brought to the administrators’ attention as a general
expression of dissatisfaction and followed up by the CACs during subsequent visits.
b. During 2012, the Nursing Home and Adult Care Home CACs raised concerns on behalf of residents
regarding:
• Call lights not being answered in a timely manner
• Timely repair of a broken wheelchair to ensure safety
• Replacement of a resident’s dentures
• Housekeeping issues
• Cleanliness and maintenance issues
• Taste, variety and quantity of food
• Lack of meaningful activities especially out-of-facility opportunities leading to further
resident isolation
• Theft of residents’ personal items due to lack of lockable closet or box
Strengths of the Facilities in Cabarrus County
a. Many facilities provide excellent care and residents regularly praise staff for the care they receive.
b. In 2012, many facilities continued to upgrade their buildings in keeping with an industry-wide trend to
create facilities that are more homelike.
c. Most facility administrators welcome and heed the observations and recommendations of the
Committees.
d. Facilities made concerted efforts to assist residents in exercising their right to vote.
e. Most facilities have resident councils that meet monthly to provide an opportunity for residents to
suggest changes; several have resident food councils and family councils.
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