University of Wisconsin–Madison

Tag: nursing home

Resident Voices and Choices in Person-Centered Care

Receiving care shouldn’t come at the cost of an individual’s dignity, sense of self, or autonomy—especially when the care setting is the person’s home, as in long-term care. That’s why nursing home residents, families, and others have for decades advocated for person-centered care. Person-centered care is being “responsive to individuals and their goals, values, and …

Necessary but Complicated: The Push for Nursing Home Reform

Following the tragic impact of the ongoing COVID pandemic on nursing home residents and staff, is there new momentum for reform? Some signs point to yes. In February 2022, the White House outlined actions through the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The measures would establish minimum staffing levels for nursing homes, encourage …

Connecting Through Technology During COVID-19

Nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. They are mostly older adults, often with medical conditions, who live in close quarters with many other people. To curb the impacts of the virus on this population, strict controls were implemented limiting visitors and oversight. Langlade County Healthy Aging in Rural Towns (HeART) Project member Paul …

Ombudsman Advocacy and Nurse Leadership in Long-Term Care

“An ombudsman is the voice of the people—that’s the literal translation of the word,” Kim Marheine tells some 150 undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing. Marheine oversees Wisconsin’s long-term care ombudsman program. “It’s very fulfilling work,” she says. “I’ve never worked anywhere other than long-term care. I was that 15-year-old nursing …