By Samuel Motley
intern@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — After East Spencer Mayor Barbara Mallett served as a caretaker for her mom, she decided to help others, joining Rowan County’s Nursing Home Advisory Committee.

Many people end up living in an assisted living facility. By joining a committee to look after residents in assisted living or nursing homes, Mallet said she is doing her part to help others.

In Rowan County, an estimated 17 percent of the population is over 65, and there are more than 1,900 long-term beds in nursing homes.

The Nursing Home Advisory Committee is one of two long-term care committees in the county. It and the Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee work to provide a second pair of eyes and ears for local residents in assisted living facilities, said Patricia Cowan, regional ombudsman for Iredell and Rowan counties.

But their duties extend beyond basic observation, said Carol Cody, who serves on the Adult Care Home committee and has served on one or the other committee for about nine years. The committees are a voice for residents, encouraging them to speak, Cody said.

Residents may be reluctant to talk to administrators and staff members because they feel it might affect their quality of care, Mallett said. The committees’ visits help with that, offering an alternate voice, she said.

But both committees face a shortage of members. The Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee currently has only six of its 17 seats filled. The Nursing Home Advisory Committee fairs better, with 10 of its 12 seats filled. Of the roughly 70 boards in Rowan County, these two historically have been hard to fill.

Applicants must be free of conflict when applying for appointment to the committees. That includes applicants who have a financial interest in a home or committee, are an employee or board member of a nursing home facility or have an immediate family member in a home directly related to the role of the committee.

Cowan said the main factor keeping people from serving on the committees is time.

“I can have my committees full, but if they don’t come,” committees can’t fulfill their duties, she said.

Other requirements include residing in Rowan County, being able to travel to long-term care facilities, communicating effectively and serving an initial one-year team.

The committees always have room for more, Mallett said.

On a typical visit, Mallet, Cody and others ask questions about the quality of care each resident receives. This includes questions as simple but meaningful as “How do you like the food?” “How are you enjoying the facility’s entertainment?” or “How do you like it here?”

“People remember you, that you tried to help them, and they are very appreciative,” Cody said.

The advisory committees are responsible for promoting the residents’ rights spelled out under the Residents Bill of Rights. The guidelines are clear. Residents are expected to be treated with care, respect and full recognition of their dignity.

When residents are not satisfied with their experience, the committees advocate on their behalf.

This can be frustrating at times, Mallet said. Still, “changes are made as a result of what we see,” Cody said, creating a “very positive impact.”

Interested applicants should have a “passion for people, long-term care,” Cowan said.

The average commitment runs around eight hours a month, she said. Volunteers are required to participate in visits to the homes.

If you have time, Mallett said, serving can be life-changing.

Interested applicants can contact Cowan for more information at pcowan@centralina.org or 704-688-6503.

Contact newsroom intern Samuel Motley at intern@salisburypost.com