Friday is National Caregivers Day. It’s the day of the year dedicated to showing love, respect and gratitude for the army of caregivers who devote their time taking care of loved ones, often at the expense of their own priorities and responsibilities.

Across the country and in Delaware, the population continues to age. As this occurs, family members and professionals work extremely hard to ensure individuals remain comfortable, happy and healthy, and that their needs are taken care of.

Oftentimes the care that caregivers provide goes unacknowledged.

The Delaware Nursing Home Residents Quality Assurance Commission is committed and dedicated to monitoring services and supports relating to the delivery of care in long-term care and assisted living facilities. This commission is a non-judicial agency of Delaware Courts that monitors the quality assurance system so that complaints of abuse, neglect, mistreatment, financial exploitation and other wrongdoings are responded to in a timely manner to ensure the health and safety of the residents.

If you have a loved one in a Delaware LTC facility and are concerned about the quality of care or services, information can be found at courts.delaware.gov/dnhrqac.

To contact the commission, email Margaret.e.bailey@delaware.gov or call 302-836-2133.

Additionally, the Division of Health Care Quality and Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program are resources for Delaware families or residents receiving long-term care facility services.

Division of Health Care Quality staff receive information regarding incidents and complaints pertaining to possible abuse, neglect, mistreatment and/or financial exploitation of residents in long-term care facilities. In turn, they analyze each report and determine what follow-up action is appropriate.

To report an incident in a Delaware long-term care facility, contact the 24-hour complaint and incident reporting line at 1-877-453-0012 or access the complaint form at dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dhcq/mailform.html.

Delaware’s Long Term Care Ombudsman Program advocates for residents who live in long-term care settings (including their own homes) and receive home and community-based services. For assistance, call 1-800-223-9074 or email DelawareADRC@delaware.gov.