Living In A Nursing Home
Health-Gen. § 19-344 — admission without a second signature, and private communication
In Maryland, the rights of a nursing home resident are written into a section that sets the procedures for every service a facility provides.
No second signature as a condition of admission. A facility may not require or solicit another person's signature on the admission application or contract as a condition of admission, unless the applicant has been adjudicated disabled or the applicant's physician records that the applicant cannot understand or exercise their rights. A facility may ask for a durable power of attorney, but may not require one as a condition of admission.
Private communication. A resident may associate and communicate privately and without restriction with people of their choice at any reasonable hour, has access at any reasonable time to a telephone to speak privately, and has their mail sent without delay and unopened.
Treatment and grievances. A resident participates in planning their treatment, may refuse medication or treatment, and may know the medical consequences. A resident may present any grievance to the staff, the administrator, the Department of Aging or anyone else without fear of reprisal, and a complaint may be filed with the Department of Aging or the Department, after which the Secretary of Aging investigates and reports the findings.
| The assumption | What the law actually does |
|---|---|
| The assumptionA family member has to co-sign the admission papers | What the law actually doesNot as a condition of admission, outside the cases the section lists |
| The assumptionThe home can make a power of attorney a condition of entry | What the law actually doesIt may ask for one, but may not require it |
| The assumptionStaff decide who a resident talks to | What the law actually doesPrivate communication with people of the resident's choice at any reasonable hour |
Facilities taking Medicare or Medicaid funding are subject to a further set of federal resident rights alongside these, which are not on this page. Whether conduct breaches the section is a question for a licensed Maryland attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Md. Code, Health-Gen. § 19-344 — Nursing home residents: admission, communication, treatment and grievances
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maryland attorney.