Working with the Media

Working with the media can be one of the most effective ways to make a positive impression, to communicate ideas and information, to educate the public and to correct misconceptions.

Basic Rules to Help Prepare for Media Interviews

  • Begin preparing for an interview when a reporter calls. Just as the reporter has questions for you, you should have questions for him or her. Ask about the story, its angle, what he or she wants to include, with whom else he or she may want to talk, and what questions he or she needs answered. Schedule an interview appointment. Ask if you can call him or her back. This gives you time to prepare or time to prepare others with whom the reporter may want to talk.
  • When meeting the reporter or returning the phone call, remember that you most likely know more about the subject than the reporter does. Teach him or her, correct his or her errors and misconceptions, but do not talk down to the reporter.
  • Keep all answers brief, and do not offer more information than is requested. Do not use professional jargon. Speak in a positive tone. Always seek to work your key messages into every answer.
  • Never speak “off-the-record” and remember that the interview does not end when the camera is turned off or when the reporter stops taking notes. It does not end until the reporter and camera have departed.
  • Never use the expression “no comment” because it connotes guilt. If you do not know the answer to a question, say so and offer to get the answer. If you cannot comment for legal reasons, such as a resident’s right to privacy, state that as the reason. There is always a reason!
  • Dress conservatively. Do not wear flashy clothing or jewelry.
  • On television, ignore the cameras if the interview is with you. Maintain eye contact with the interviewer. If the interviewer is elsewhere talking to you through an earphone, then look at the camera. Talk to the camera as if it were the interviewer. Be aware of your actions and expressions.

If an interview becomes tense, stay calm. Do not lose your temper. Strive to maintain control of the interview. Do that by focusing on the key messages you want to deliver. If you are honest, natural, and sincere during the interview you will come across that way to viewers and to readers.

Talking Points for Media Contacts

A. How to Choose the Right Facility

  • Families or individuals have two primary tasks when it appears long term care may be needed in the foreseeable future:
  • Plan ahead.
  • Look carefully at quality of care and quality of life considerations at several facilities to find the one that suits the patient and family. The fact is that the vast majority of nursing facilities provide high quality services to patients.
  • Communicate with your loved one and enlist the help of eldercare professionals and physicians about health and quality of life matters. Involve the patient in the selection process.
  • Visit Facilities. While visiting facilities try to look carefully at these key considerations:
  • Proximity – visits from family and friends are important.
  • Services – those offered by the facility should match patient needs.
  • Interactions – observe staff and resident interactions. Are they positive and respectful? The social worker or admissions director should instill confidence in the facility.
  • Visit several times, if possible at various times; plus, at mealtime.
  • Ambience – does the facility suit the patient and family?
  • Be comfortable with your choice.
  • When you visit facilities, discuss financial conditions in detail with the facility administrator. He or she will be able to offer you guidance on Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance issues.
  • You will want to be sure that financial records are organized because when government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid are used, the government requires financial records going back several years.

B. Planning Ahead

  • Families and patients need to plan ahead.
  • The decision to enter a skilled nursing facility can be a difficult one, but by planning ahead, you can find the quality of care and quality of life that you desire for yourself or your loved one.
  • Visiting several different facilities that offer the specific location and services you desire will give you an overall sense of the different options that are available, and help you figure out which facility is best for your individual situation.
  • While there, you will want to find out how the facility works to ensure that the medical and social needs of the individual are met.
  • Watch how patients and caregivers interact.
  • Talk to the caregivers; many of these talented professionals are registered nurses, certified nursing assistants, and highly experienced, licensed administrators who have devoted their careers to long term care.
  • Visit during mealtimes, watch how caregivers and patients interact during this time, observe food presentation and inquire about dining rooms. Each facility has a registered dietician who you can talk to about special dietary needs.
  • Ask questions to patients and family members who can provide references.

C. Facts

  • Nearly half of Americans will need long term care at some point in their lives. (CMS 1997)
  • Every eight seconds in America, a baby boomer turns fifty. (U.S. Census 1996)
  • One in five Americans over age 50 is at high risk of needing long term care in the next 12 months. (Houston Herstek, 1995)

D. Resources

  • Visit www.LongTermCareLiving.com for free brochures: “How to Choose a Nursing Facility”, “Understanding Long Term Care Insurance”, “Having the Conversation about Long Term Care” and several others.
  • Call 1-800-628-8140 for free brochures on “How to Choose a Nursing Facility” “Understanding Long Term Care Insurance,” and “Paying for Long Term Care,” among others.
  • Visit your state association web site at http://www.ahca.org/about/pubstate.htm.