Arkansas Advocates for Nursing Home Residents

In Little Rock, Martha Deaver’s tragic experiences with two Arkansas nursing homes caused her to become an advocate for the elderly. After both her mother and mother-in-law were victims of nursing home abuse, she shared her story with a journalist, and it was later published in Ladies Home Journal.

Today, Mrs. Deaver is the president of the Arkansas Advocates for Nursing Home Residents (AANHR), an organization dedicated to protecting the elderly from abuse in nursing homes and seeking justice through prosecution of those victimizing the elderly.

For three years, she worked to supply information and data to Trudy Lieberman, the director of an organization that provides consumer reports regarding health issues. As a result, Consumer Reports released one of the most in-depth looks at America’s nursing homes to date.

Mrs. Deaver also created the AANHR’s first National Nursing Assistant Recognition Awards to recognize certified nursing assistants from across the state. In addition, she established the first program that recognizes National Resident’s Rights Week. She has chaired both events for the past five years.

Her efforts are best described by Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, who said, “She is an advocate in the best sense of the word, tirelessly supporting and defending others.”