Office Of Ombudsman
for Long-Term Care
Enhancing the quality of life
and the quality of care for adults
receiving long-term care
1978
Congress establishes LTC
ombudsman under Title III-B
of the Older Americans Act
1989
LTC Ombudsman
program expands to
consumers of home care services
Confidentiality
 Identity
of client & related data
 Identity
of complainant & related data
Not Mandated Reporters
 Whoa!
Seriously??
 Why??
 “Sylvia,
here comes Ethel, that volunteer
from the Ombudsman Program. You can
tell her anything and she can’t tell anyone”
Who Contacts the Ombudsman?
 Family/Friends
 Consumers
 Provider/Staff
 Social
Service Staff & Others
 Unknown/unwilling to identify
Examples of complaints
 Sexual
abuse
 Sexual identity
 Care issues
 Family issues
 Visits
 Involuntary discharges
 Not knowing rights of appeal and other
information
Policies needed for
prevention of sexual violence
– centered planning (Albert Lea)
 How to interview
 Triggers for people with dementia
 Accessible, safe entry points for
 Person




Immigrants
People with disabilities
Specific cultural communities
People who are GLBT
Policies continued
 Data
collection
 Mandated Training
 Review of what goes wrong
 Dissect the incidents
 Physical spaces
 Privacy issues
 Generational issues
“Never doubt for a moment
that a small, committed, group
of citizens can change the world.
Indeed- it is the only thing that
ever has.”
Margaret Mead