Programs - Long Term Care / Nursing Home Advocacy (LTCOP)

The word ombudsman means “One who speaks on behalf of another.” Long term staff and trained volunteers communicate regularly with long term care residents, listen to resident and family concerns, establish a relationship of trust with residents, keep all information confidential, encourage residents to speak for themselves, seek to resolve problems within the facility, and help protect residents’ rights.

The service components of the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) consist of five categories:

1. Receive, investigate and resolve complaints made by or on behalf of older Individuals who are residents of long term care facilities relating to actions, inactions, or decisions of providers or their representatives, of long term care services, or public agencies, or of social service agencies, which may adversely affect the health, safety, welfare, or rights of such residents.
    

2. Seek a regular presence in all long term care facilities in order to monitor the conditions of residents, provide information regarding the conditions of residents, provide information regarding the LTCOP, respond to requests for assistance, and insure resident access to an ombudsman.
    

3. Provide information, assistance, and community and facility staff in service educational programs regarding long term care issues and the needs and rights of long term care facility residents.
    

4. Assure that the interests of residents are represented to governmental agencies and policy-makers.
    

5. Shall support resident and family councils in long term care facilities by assisting in the development of councils and involvement of councils in LTCOP activities.

Reporters of complaints can request to be anonymous.

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