Ethical Issues in Long-term Care: A Human Rights Perspective

Abstract

Nursing home residents do not relinquish human rights just because they need care. In nursing homes in the USA, federal law guarantees certain rights to residents. This article provides a broader context for understanding the federal resident rights in the USA by examining them within the context of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics. In the USA, resident, family, and staff education of resident rights is typically the social worker’s responsibility. Two challenges, both of which can lead to ethical dilemmas and human rights violations, are discussed: substance use and resident-to-resident aggressive behavior. Social workers have an important role in developing sound organizational policies which support resident rights and in educating and supporting staff, families, and residents in understanding these rights with the intention of preventing conflicts when possible and addressing conflicts when necessary. Because many long-term nursing home residents will spend their remaining months or years within the nursing home, the home becomes their world where their rights should be respected and realized.