The Federal Nursing Home Reform Act or OBRA ’87 created a set of national minimum set of standards of care and rights for people living in certified nursing Some of the most important resident provisions include:
• Emphasis on a resident’s quality of life as well as the quality of care;
• New expectations that each resident’s ability to walk, bathe, and perform other activities of daily living will be maintained or improved absent medical reasons;
• A resident assessment process leading to development of an individualized care plan 75 hours of training and testing of paraprofessional staff;
• Rights to remain in the nursing home absent non-payment, dangerous resident behaviors, or significant changes in a resident’s medical condition;
• New opportunities for potential and current residents with mental retardation or mental illnesses for services inside and outside a nursing home;
• A right to safely maintain or bank personal funds with the nursing home; Rights to return to the nursing home after a hospital stay or an overnight visit with family and friends The right to choose a personal physician and to access medical records;
• The right to organize and participate in a resident or family council;
• The right to be free of unnecessary and inappropriate physical and chemical restraints;
• Uniform certification standards for Medicare and Medicaid homes;
• Prohibitions on turning to family members to pay for Medicare and Medicaid services;
• and new remedies to be applied to certified nursing homes that fail to meet minimum federal standards.

A rehabilitation professional who assists individuals to compensate for functional limitations as a result of an injury, illness or disability by learning skills and techniques needed to perform activities of daily living and optimize independence.

Federal legislation dating back to 1965 that established the federal Administration on Aging, funds certain aging-related services administered by state-level departments on aging and helped create a nationwide network of community-based support services for older adults. The OAA established the Area Agencies on Aging and has provisions covering senior nutrition, housing, in-home care and other services. The OAA must go through Congressional budget reauthorization to ensure funding for new and existing programs.

Trained volunteer or staff who advocates for residents' rights and quality care, educates consumers and providers, resolves residents' complaints and provides information to the public.

The maximum amount of money you will be required to pay per year for deductibles and coinsurance in addition to your regular premiums.