Why Resident Council Meetings Matter

Today’s issue might sound trivial to someone not living in an assisted living facility.

Residents were frustrated that when CNAs wear their name badges on lanyards, the badge flips over. When it flips, residents can’t see the CNA’s name. That means they either have to wait for the badge to turn back around—or ask.

Several staff members were in attendance. The administrator suggested something simple: ask the CNA their name.

The residents were firm.

“No. We don’t want to. We should know their names—but some of us have bad memories and don’t want to ask. It’s embarrassing.”

They suggested magnetic name badges, but the administrator said CNAs don’t like them because they fall off. Someone suggested writing the name on the back of the badge with a Sharpie. Administration rejected that—it would look “tacky.”

The residents kept thinking. Administration kept vetoing.

Cost.Appearance.Logistics. No. No. No.

Then one resident spoke up.

“Well,” they said, “why don’t you just print two name tags and put them back-to-back in the plastic holder? That way, whichever way the badge holder flips, we can still see the name.”

There was a pause.

The administrator and staff looked at each other.

“That’s a good idea,” they said.

And just like that, the residents identified a problem, proposed a solution, and a solution was approved.

This conversation happened during a resident council meeting.

One of the responsibilities of a long-term care ombudsman is attending resident council meetings. Resident councils are monthly gatherings in long-term care and assisted living facilities where residents meet to talk about what’s working, what isn’t, and what they want changed.

Residents choose their own council president and decide who is invited—staff, administration, or the ombudsman. Every facility handles these meetings a little differently.

As an ombudsman, these meetings take many forms.

These meetings aren’t always easy; sometimes conflicts arise. But they are essential.

Not because this was a groundbreaking change.But because it was precisely what resident councils are supposed to be.

Residents noticed something that affected their dignity. They spoke up. They stayed engaged when their ideas were dismissed. They solved the problem themselves. And the administration listened.