What rights do nursing home residents have?

A: The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 clearly defined the rights of nursing home patients.  Elderly patients deserve the right to freedom from abuse and neglect. Specifically, this includes freedom from physical restraints, consistent invasion of privacy, medical neglect, undignified handling by a staff member, abuse of the patient's funds, unauthorized altering of a healthcare plan and discrimination or reprisal for voicing grievances.