Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Background and Authority
The Long-term Care Ombudsman Program is authorized by Chapter VII, Section 712 of the Older Americans’ Act of 1965, as amended and Alabama Law Act No. 85-657 to identify, investigate, and resolve complaints made by and on behalf of residents residing in long-term care facilities. These laws promote community involvement in long-term care and establish a process to resolve problems or complaints. The Alabama Department of Senior Services administers the statewide Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program through its 13 Area Agencies on Aging.
The Purpose of the Program and How It Works
Long-Term Care Ombudsmen are advocates for residents of nursing homes, board and care homes, assisted living facilities, and similar adult care facilities. The long-term care ombudsmen work to resolve problems of individual residents and to protect their rights by ensuring they receive fair treatment and quality of care. Also, they work to bring about changes at the local, state, and national levels that will improve resident’s care and quality of life.
What does the Long-Term Care Ombudsman do?
• Investigates and works to resolve problems or complaints affecting long-term care residents.
• Identifies problem areas in long-term care and advocates for change.
• Provides information about long-term care and related services.
• Ensures that residents are receiving the legal, financial, social, rehabilitative, and other services to which they are entitled.
• Acts as a mediator between residents, family members, and facility staff.
• Educates the residents, family, facility staff, and community about resident’s rights.
• Coordinates efforts with other agencies concerned with long-term care.
• Visits long-term care facilities routinely to talk to residents and monitor conditions.
• Assists with the establishment of resident and family councils at facilities.
• Represents resident’s interests before state and federal government by working to change laws, regulations, and policies that affect those who live in long-term care facilities.
What types of issues does an Ombudsman handle?
• Rights of long-term care residents.
• Care provided in long-term care facilities.
• Transfers and discharges from long-term care facilities
• Complaints may be about the facility, its employees, providers, public or private agencies, guardian, or anyone who is in a position to threaten or interfere with the rights, health, safety, or welfare of a resident.
Who Can Use the Ombudsman?
• Anyone can use the Ombudsman, including residents or employees of long-term care facilities, or their friends or families.
How do I file a concern or a complaint?
• You may file a complaint in writing, by phone, or in person by contacting the community ombudsman at your local Area Agency on Aging Office.
Do I have to give my name?
• No, however it is better if the ombudsman is able to contact you for more information. Everything is kept confidential unless the complainant or the resident gives permission.
Is there a charge for the services?
• There is no charge for services provided by the ombudsman program.
What can be investigated?
• Complaints may be about the facility, its employees, providers, public or private agencies, guardian, or anyone who is in a position to threaten or interfere with the rights, health, safety, or welfare of a resident.
Each of the 13 Area Agencies on Aging offices in Alabama contracts for ombudsman services, providing a full-time ombudsman who are trained and certified by the State Ombudsman. To contact your local ombudsman, you may call 1-800-AGE-LINE (243-5463) or visit www.AlabamaAgeline.gov.
Nursing Home Complaint Hotline: 1-800-356-9596
Assisted Living Complaint Hotline: 1-866-873-0366
Department of Human Resources of Elder Abuse Hotline: 1-800-458-7214
Links
The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term
Care
www.theconsumervoice.org/
Medicare.gov-the
Official U.S.
Government Site for Medicare
www.medicare.gov/
Administration
on Aging
www.aoa.gov/
Alabama
Department of Public Health (ADPH)
www.adph.org/
Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
https://www.cms.gov/
Alabama
Medicaid Agency
http://medicaid.alabama.gov/
Pioneer Network: Culture Change in Long-Term Care
www.pioneernetwork.net/
The
Center for Social Gerontology
www.tcsg.org/
Assisted
Living Association of Alabama
www.alaaweb.org/
Alabama
Department of Human Resources
http://dhr.alabama.gov/
Alabama Nursing Home Association
www.anha.org/
Alabama Family Trust
www.alabamafamilytrust.com/
Nurse
Aide Registry: http://ph.state.al.us/nar/foun2.asp
To Contact Your Local Area Agency On Aging, Please Call:
1-800-AGELINE (1-800-243-5463)
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