Long Term Care Ombudsman volunteers advocate for the rights, dignity, and quality of life of adults in nursing homes, residential care and assisted living facilities, and adult foster care homes.
Everything they do is free and confidential. Backed by a professional staff, they visit licensed facilities, get to know residents, investigate complaints (from residents, family, friends, facility staff, the public, anyone), watch and listen for problems and, with the resident’s approval, work to resolve them. A few examples:
•An assisted living resident with diabetes often receives her insulin medication much later than her doctor instructs, which threatens her health.
•An elderly woman is placed in memory care after a serious illness. As she recovers, her mind clears and she wishes to return home to a loved one, but her family is opposed.
•A man in an adult foster care home needs help to find a cost-effective way to get a hearing aid, but his overworked caregivers seem too busy.
•A man is back home after a stay in a residential care facility, but his final billing was in error, causing a problem with his insurance company.
•Frequent intercom calls over loudspeakers in a memory care unit startle and annoy the residents and prevent the homelike atmosphere that state rules require.
The need for volunteer Certified Ombudsman in Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook Counties is great. While there are 95 licensed care facilities serving close to 1600 residents, there are only 11 volunteers. This leaves vulnerable residents without the advocacy and protection they need.
Ombudsman volunteers receive initial training followed by regular support meetings and further training, make their own flexible schedules, and always have the professional staff to turn to. Many who volunteer are seeking ways to continue contributing to the community, often after retiring.
Others volunteer because they have family experience with inadequate care facilities, wish to honor deceased elders, desire to learn about issues affecting the elderly or simply feel they would enjoy the work.
You can make a real difference, in ways large and small. To learn more, call the LTCO program office at 800-522-2602 and/or visit www.oregon.gov/ltco.
