Your Care, Your Rights, Your Voice

In this episode Host Mairead Painter talks honestly about mental wellness, especially for those in long term care communities. She unpacks how individuals with mental health issues can address their situations, how and where to receive support, and how to decrease the stigmas attached to mental health. Mairead also talks about individuals in long term care who were at the epicenter of the pandemic and the effects of their trau...

Host Mairead Painter discusses several issues surrounding staffing challenges in long term care communities from the perspective of her role as Long Term Care Ombudsman for the state of Connecticut and on a Federal level. Not only does she answer pertinent questions, but also offers hope for making positive changes for staff members to ensure quality of care. 

Information you will learn includes;

• Challenges seen before a...

Connecticut recently passed Public Act 21-71 An Act Concerning Essential Support Persons And A State-Wide Visitation Policy For Residents Of Long-term Care Facilities which outlines resident’s need for health, safety, and well-being along with including primary and secondary essential support persons. 

In this short episode, Host Mairead Painter explains several vital points about residents' rights and how their voices and fam...

Return guest Cinnamon St. John from the Center for Medicare Advocacy joins this episode to continue the discussion on Legislative Updates. We talk through points presented in the White House Fact Sheet: Protecting Seniors by Improving Safety and Quality of Care in the Nation’s Nursing Homes released by the Biden Administration. The reforms presented are overdue in the long term care industry and we have high hopes these non-partisa...

In the second episode of Long Term Care Legislative Updates I am joined by return guest Cinnamon St. John from the Center for Medicare Advocacy to discuss the details of proposed legislation in Connecticut and on the Federal level.

We focus this episode on staffing challenges; wage disparities, pool agencies, consistency of quality care, turnover, and staff burnout. We are hoping to create transparency related to nursing home opera...

Although the Connecticut legislature is entertaining several bills related to long term care, the importance of this information is on a national level. Host Mairead Painter discusses several areas of concern and key bills, the process of how to testify remotely, how to access and track the bills, and how to share your stories for a personal impact.

It's imperative for legislators to hear from all who are concerned about quality in...

Toby Edelman and Cinnamon St. John from the Center for Medicare Advocacy return as guests in this episode to discuss the rights of residents in the long term care community. We take an in depth look at immediate concerns and issues that have come to light during the pandemic and ask, "where do we go from here?" Actions and solutions are addressed that we hope can make positive changes beneficial to everyone.

What you will hear abou...

Guests, Toby Edelman and Cinnamon St. John from the Center for Medicare Advocacy join the conversation about 2021, what went wrong, what went right, and what needs to be done for the future of the long term care community. We discuss COVID, the importance of vaccines and boosters, and the data supporting it. Also, we talk about staffing and the immediate need for essential caregivers to be a part of resident's care. Looking forward...

Lori Smetanka is the Executive Director of the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, the leading national nonprofit advocacy organization representing consumers receiving long-term care and services in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and home and community based settings.  As Executive Director, Lori oversees and contributes to the organization’s policy, advocacy, and program activities; leads the orga...

The importance of passing the Build Back Better bill through Congress is vital to the quality of care in our nation's long term care facilities. Guests, Toby Edelman and Cinnamon St. John from the Center for Medicare Advocacy join the discussion to help us understand each point of the bill and how it affects the care of our elders and people in long term care. 

Host Mairead Painter is the Long Term Care Ombudsman for the state...

Connecticut Regional Ombudsman, Lindsay Jessop, offers valuable information on care planning and how to ensure quality experiences for everyone who is entering long term care. 

What you will learn:

• What is a person-centered care plan
• Resident assessment and baseline plan
• Best practices creating short and attainable goals
• Care Plan meetings and conferences; what to expect and what is expected

Host Mairead ...

My guests Cynthia Hadden and Amy Badini, both who advocate for loved ones in long term care, will be talking about the importance of Family Councils, the purpose and benefits to families with loved ones in long term communities.

Topics we discuss:

1. What is a Statewide Family Council?

2. What will they do?

3. When will they meet?

4. How can I become a member?

5. What can I do to make my local Family C...

When is the best time to choose a nursing home? On this episode Dan Beem, CT Regional Ombudsman, joins the conversation about the best practices for choosing the right long term care facility for you or your loved one. 

What you will hear:

•  How to talk to someone who has an urgent need about the best place to go.
•  How to look for ratings and reports posted at facilities and learn how they address any issues.
...

Kelly Richards, Illinois Long Term Care Ombudsman, and Carrie Leljedal, a family member and essential caregiver, join this episode to discuss the importance of visitation and access to loved ones during a crisis like the pandemic.

Carrie recounts her personal story about the effect on her son when she was denied the daily visits he was used to for over 30 years. She also talks about the measures she took to make changes.

What you w...

Kaitlin "Katie" Cuas from Hartford Healthcare Center for Healthy Aging joins Mairead Painter for an in depth look at how to talk with your doctor. Whether a new visit or a follow up, good communication is key to quality healthcare.

In this episode we will offer tips to make your doctor’s appointment a successful one! Your voice is important. 

Topics covered in this episode:

• Preparation: First, where to begin?
• Communicat...

Join host Mairead Painter for this episode to learn about the vital role essential caregivers play in long term care. You will takeaway information from Kelly Richards, Illinois Long Term Care Ombudsman, who joins this episode with two family members who discuss their personal experiences as essential caregivers.

COVID was the perfect storm to point out needed gaps in the role of essential caregivers and it's importance to the well...

What are we doing this year for the VOICES Forum is explained in this short bonus episode with Mairead Painter.

HISTORY OF VOICES FORUM

In September of 1996, nursing home resident and activist Carol Rosenwald, with assistance from the Ombudsman Program, began organizing residents across the state to advocate for improvements in the long term care system.  Carol envisioned a time when the “VOICES” of nursing home resid...

Medicare 101 presents expert information about Medicare benefits and navigating the system from Judith Stein and Kathleen Holt from Center for Medicare Advocacy. The discussion centers around your legal rights and how best to access them when entering a skilled nursing facility, what type of Medicare plans are available and which is best for you, and how advocacy is there for everyone.

Judith Stein is the Executive Director of the ...

Mairead Painter is the Long Term Care Ombudsman for the state of Connecticut and a leader who is building strong community ties in the challenging area of long term care. She brings her expertise to address issues and solutions to Your Care-Your Rights-Your Voice podcast.

The first episode covers various aspects of long term care and how the conversation begins to bring better understanding to the needs of individuals in long term ...