Page 111 - Spring 2021 SeniorLivingGuide

111

As they were discuss-
ing the process, Carol
made two remarks that
Kathy couldn’t forget:
Carol asserted that
if their mother had
been asked 20 years
earlier to endure such
tribulations for the
outcome of better care
for people in nursing
homes, she would have
said Yes because that’s
who she was. Carol
then asked, “But Kathy,
what do families do if
they don’t have a ‘You’
– someone who knows
the regulations and
how to navigate the
system? How do they
ever get their loved one
Our Mother’s Voice is a nonprofit the care they need?”
organization on a mission to empower Kathy pondered those two comments
advocates for quality services and on her drive home that night, and Our
supports for people in nursing homes Mother’s Voice was born.
or other long-term care settings (assist-
ed living, in-home care, memory care, Our Mother’s Voice uses the Internet
etc.). Its founders, sisters Kathy Bradley to provide information accessible
and Carol Hay, established Our Mother’s to everyone. The website
Voice in 2010 because of the challenges www.ourmothersvoice.org contains
they faced in securing appropriate care discussions of important concepts that
and services for their mother, a lifelong are included in federal regulations,
activist for social justice for groups giving examples of what those concepts
without a voice in our country, when mean in everyday lives of people in
she suddenly declined into severe long-term care. There are many links to
dementia and lost her ability to speak. additional resources. In addition, Kathy
Having just retired from providing presents both in person and online to
long-term care for 33 years, Kathy knew diverse groups, including caregivers,
the regulations and how to navigate families, civic groups, church groups,
the system to bring about the needed professionals, nursing home staff –
changes in their mother’s nursing home. “whoever will listen” – spreading her
Continued on page 19