Resident Councils

Both nursing homes and adult homes are required by law to maintain resident councils. Resident councils should be resident-directed, and should be a resource for residents to bring up complaints or problems to the administration as a collective. Unfortunately, because of the many obstacles facing residents of nursing homes and adult homes, many resident councils are co-opted by the administration, or barely exist at all.

CIAD works with resident councils of adult homes in order to promote independence and effectiveness. Resident council organizing typically begins with informational meetings. CIAD distributes and explains the Residents’ Bill of Rights as it applies to residents’ day to day life. The group then begins brainstorming about council purposes and problems. The organizer helps to structure the council and strategize about problems and solutions. CIAD often helps residents organize and hold elections for council officers and provides assistance on the basic mechanics of running meetings, the role of the chair, and in creating an agenda for improving conditions in the home. CIAD helps with monthly meetings, and with one-to-one support of resident members and leaders.

CIAD's newest resource for adult home resident councils is our Adult Home Resident Council Toolkit.

The Toolkit comes with a video, Resident Councils: Voice of the Residents. Watch it here:

Contact us if you would like a copy.

Another council resource, CIAD's Resident Council Organizing Manual helps both nursing home and adult home residents to organize a resident council. To download the Resident Council Organizing Manual, click here. 

The EQUAL Grants Program gives real power to resident councils to decide how to spend substantial amounts of money to improve residents' lives. To download our EQUAL brochure, click here.

To download our brochure, "How To Organize a Food Committee In Your Home", click here.