Pro Seniors Inc. - Ombudsman

Ombudsman

Ombudsman Description
Resident Rights
Choosing Long Term Care
How to Volunteer
Pamphlets

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program

What is a Long-Term Care Ombudsman?
Your Long-Term Care Ombudsman is a client-directed representative who is authorized by federal and state law to assist consumers with questions and problems relating to long-term care - nursing homes, assisted living, home care, and adult care homes.

Your Long-Term Care Ombudsman helps residents to:

ask for what they want and need,
understand what to expect from their nursing home (or other care setting), and
resolve a complaint, when the resident consents to our involvment.

Your Long-Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman can help you choose a nursing home, assisted living, or adult care home that's right for you or your loved one. Our Care Options service is a useful place to start learning about long-term care.

Your LTC Ombudsman can help you understand and exercise resident rights that are protected by federal and state law.

LTC Ombudsmen respond to residents' complaints and work to resolve problems through education, negotiation, mediation, representation, referrals and participation in the legislative process. Every year, Pro Seniors' LTC Ombudsmen respond to hundreds of complaints

LTC Ombudsmen also represent the consumers' perspective in national, state and local legislative and policy arenas and through membership in various advocacy groups.

Regional LTC Ombudsmen train and support volunteer ombudsmen.

Who does the Pro Seniors' Ombudsman Program serve?
Pro Seniors' Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program serves Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, and Warren counties. To ask a long-term care question or make a complaint about long-term care in these counties, call 513-345-4160, or 1-800-488-6070. If you live outside our area, you can locate the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program serving your county in Ohio at the Ohio Association of Regional Long Term Care Ombudsmen website.

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Resident Rights

Your Long-Term Care Ombudsman can help you understand and exercise rights that are protected by federal and state law.

Nursing Home Resident's Bill of Rights
Residents have the right to:

A safe and clean living environment
Privacy
Information
Exercise Their Civil Rights
Participate In Or Refuse Treatment
Voice Grievances, Without Retaliation
Manage Personal Finances
Adequate And Appropriate Medical And Nursing Care
Be Free Of Physical And Chemical Restraints
Take Part In Community Activities
Be Treated With Courtesy And Respect
Private Visits And Unrestricted Communications
Not To Be Transferred Or Discharged From The Home
Be Free From Physical, Verbal, Mental, And Emotional Abuse.

Ohio's Department of Aging has more information about these Resident Rights on their website. (The above document is in Adobe Acrobat PDF format and will require Adobe's free Acrobat Reader software to view. Download it here.)

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Choosing Long Term Care

Care Options for Seniors
Choosing a nursing home for you or someone you love can be one of the most important - and difficult - decisions you'll ever make. Care Options can help. Our team of experienced professionals will guide you through the process step by step. We'll give you the information you need to make the best possible choice.

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How Can Volunteers Make a Difference?

Nearly 60% of people who live in nursing homes have no visitors.
There is no family or friend to reach out to help them voice their concerns. Volunteers provide a voice for nursing home residents and reduce the isolation and loneliness experienced by many residents who have no one to speak on their behalf. Volunteers also help to educate residents about their rights, empowering them to become more vocal in resolving their own complaints and concerns.

The Long-Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman Volunteer often attends resident council meetings where, once again, residents are more inclined to speak for themselves when the volunteer is present. The LTC Ombudsman Volunteer might also be involved in creating a family council or attending family council meetings where family members work together to solve common concerns. Some volunteers distribute information at health fairs, or provide presentations on our services.

The rapport that volunteers build with residents makes a difference.
We ask that volunteers make at least a one-year commitment, so that residents and volunteers can fully benefit. During this year, volunteers increase their knowledge and get to know residents and their concerns. Most of our volunteers have been active for at least two years, and some for over ten years.

What Does a LTC Ombudsman Volunteer Do?

Most of our LTC Ombudsman Volunteers do weekly visits to an assigned nursing home - getting to know residents, helping them understand and exercise their rights. Other LTC Ombudsman Volunteers may choose to distribute information or provide education to resident, family, or community groups about our services. We match each certified Volunteer Ombudsman's interests and preferences to one of the approved activities listed below.

Observe and visit with residents of nursing homes & their families
Work with residents to resolve basic concerns
Provide information to the public about the ombudsman program
or resident rights
Assist an Ombudsman to resolve a resident's problem with a nursing home
Follow up with a resident to make sure that their problem has
been resolved
Provide presentations to community groups about the services of Pro Seniors

Currently there are 70 certified LTC Ombudsmen Volunteers at Pro Seniors, and we are eager to train and support more volunteers who are interested in assisting us to better serve the estimated 19,000 residents using long-term care services in our five counties.

How Do I Become a Volunteer Ombudsman?

Pro Seniors' Long Term Care Ombudsman team trains volunteers on
long term care issues and the rights of persons who live in nursing homes. To learn more about becoming a volunteer, call 1-800-466-6070, or locally (513) 458-5521.

Volunteer Opportunities for Attorneys

If you're an attorney in Greater Cincinnati, Pro Seniors can use your
help. Volunteer at the hotline and learn more about the growing field of elder law. Interested attorneys should contact the Volunteer Coordinator at (513) 345-4160.

Other Ways to Help

Even if you can't volunteer right now or accept referrals in your legal practice right now, you can still support these free legal and long-term care ombudsman services by making a tax-deductible contribution to
Pro Seniors. When you make a contribution equal to your hourly billing rate, you're entitled to the pamphlets and all other support that referral attorneys receive.

How do I become a Volunteer Ombudsman?

Pro Seniors' Long Term Care Ombudsman team trains volunteers on long term care issues and the rights of persons who live in nursing homes. To learn more about volunteering:

Call
(800) 488-6070, or
(513) 458-5519

Or
Fill out the form below

We will call you to discuss your interest in volunteering.

Step 1:

Fill in the boxes below for each person interested in volunteering.
All fields are required.

Name

Address

City

State

Zip Code

Phone

Step 2:

Check "Yes" or "No"
to each question:

     Do you work for a
      nursing home or other
      long-term care provider?

     Yes             No

      Have you ever been
      arrested or convicted of
      anything other than a
      minor traffic violation?

     Yes             No

When are you available
for training?

Yes Weekdays No

Yes Evenings No

Step 3:

Click the button below
to submit your information . . .

. . . and return to this page.

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