You Have Rights!

Delaware Health and Social Services
Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities  

Care
You have the right:

	…to receive considerate, respectful, and
	    appropriate care, treatment and services.
	…to receive reasonable continuity of care.
	…to choose a personal attending physician.
	…to not be transferred or discharged out of a 
	    facility except for medical reasons, your own
	    welfare or the welfare of other residents;
	    or for non-payment of justified charges.
	    You will be given 30 days advance notice,
	    except where the situation is deemed
	    an emergency.

Dignity
You have the right:

	…to respect and privacy.
	…to be free from restraints.
	…to privacy in your room.
	…to privacy in visits by your spouse.
	…to retain and use your own clothing and 
	    personal possessions.
	…to not have to perform a service for
	    the facility.

Choice
You have the right:

	…to make choices regarding activities, schedules, 
	    health care and other aspects of your life.
	…to participate in an ongoing program 
	    of activities.
	…to participate in social, religious and 
	    community activities.






Respect
You have the right:

	…to receive from the administrator and staff
	    a timely, courteous and reasonable response to
	    requests or grievances – in writing, if 
	    requested.
	…to associate or communicate the others
	    without restriction.
	…to manage your own financial affairs.
	…to recommend changes or present grievances
	    to the facility staff, the Long Term Care
	    Ombudsman or others.
	…to be fully informed of all rights and responsibilities.
	…to be free from verbal, physical or mental
	    abuse, cruel and unusual punishment,
	    involuntary seclusion, withholding of
	    monetary allowance, withholding of food,
	    and deprivation of sleep.
	…to receive notice before your room or 
	    roommate is changed, except in emergencies,
	    and to have the facility honor requests for a
	    room or roommate whenever possible.
	…to exercise your rights as citizen of the
	    State and the United States of America.

Information
You have the right:

	…to receive, prior to or at the time of admission,
	    a written statement of the services provided.
	…to receive a written itemized statement of
	    charges and services.
	…to receive from the attending physician
	    complete and current information
	    concerning your diagnosis, treatment and
	    prognosis.
	…to inspect all records pertaining to you.
	…to have the facility place at your bedside,
	    the name, address, and phone number of the
  	    physician responsible for your care.
	…to receive, in writing, information regarding
	    any relationship the facility has with 
	    other healthcare or related institutions or
	    or service providers.
	…to examine the most recent survey of 
	    the facility.
	…to receive information from agencies acting 
	    as client advocates and be afforded the
	    opportunity to contact those agencies.
	…to request information regarding minimum
	    acceptable staffing levels as it relates to
	    your care.
	…to request the names and positions of staff
	    members providing care to you.
	…to request an organizational chart outlining
	    the facility’s chain of command for purposes
	    of making requests and asserting grievances.


If a resident is adjudicated incompetent or determined to be incompetent by his or her 
attending physician, or is unable to communicate, his or her rights shall devolve to his or 
her next of kin, guardian or representative.

Would you like a copy of the full version of these rights as they appear in Delaware 
Code?
Do you want to register a complaint?
Your Long Term Care Ombudsman can help.

Call: 1.00.223.9074


Delaware Health and Social Services
Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities  


Residents of Delaware Nursing Homes and related facilities have rights protected by 
the State of Delaware.