Communicating with Facility Staff
and Administrators

Put everything in writing. Follow up with phone calls, and make a note for yourself whenever you leave a message, including with whom you left it if not on voicemail.

When you have in-person or phone conversations, make a note for yourself re: whom you spoke with, when you spoke with them, and what the outcome was. Email a confirmation to the relevant parties (eg. “I spoke with Charge Nurse Smith at 8am on 2/13, and he confirmed that my person had not had a shower since 2/5. He said he would bring this to your attention, and that my person would receive a shower after dinner tonight and every third day moving forward. Please confirm that this will be reflected in the care plan”)

When you notice a change in your person’s needs or preferences that you would like reflected in their care plan/service plan, put it in writing and specifically ask the administrator or director of nursing to put it in your person’s care plan.

Inter-staff communication is important, too: Ask administrators/director of nursing how they ensure that the staff caring for your person are aware of what is in the care plan.

Consider keeping a notebook in your person’s room so that visitors can note when they’ve been there and any observations they’ve noted.

If appropriate, put the 3-5 most important notes for your person’s care on an index card, easy to read and laminated if possible (clear packing tape works, too), and post it where staff will see it–either bedside, in the bathroom, or another prominent spot in the room. Examples of things you might include: 

• Hearing impaired: make sure I can see your mouth when you speak; 

• Music helps me feel better: say “Alexa play Bach Playlist.”; 

• I am sensitive to bright lights–please keep the overheads off.”; 

• Reminder: my meds must be crushed in ice cream;

• I have sensitive skin–please only use my special lotion

If you have POA or legal guardianship, you can ask to see the MAR (medication administration record) and TAR (treatment administration record) and compare it with your own observations.

Search online (or just ask) for corporate email addresses and escalate your concerns as necessary.

Try to remain calm and civil, but be firm and clear about your expectations for your person’s care and quality of life. Let them know that you are well aware of your and your person’s rights, and cite specific examples if those rights have been violated.

Connect with other families/care-partners as much as possible and consider forming a family council. Your voices are much stronger together than they are alone.

Contact the LTC Ombudsman Program for support or guidance. They can help you understand your rights, offer strategies, and talk to administrators either with you, on your behalf, or without any reference to you and your person.