ABLE
The Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE) Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program advocates for quality care for all residents of nursing homes, adult care facilities, and consumers receiving in-home care services in 10 counties of northwest Ohio. Ombudsman services are provided at no cost to the resident or their family. The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is operated by ABLE, a non-profit regional law firm that provides high quality legal assistance in civil matters to help eligible individuals and groups achieve self reliance, equal justice, and economic opportunity.
Description:
More than 11,500 people are living in long-term care in the ten-county area of Northwest Ohio served by ABLE’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP). The LTCOP is the only agency dedicated to advocate on behalf these residents.
Ombudsmen volunteers are a vital component of a healthy long-term care environment. They extend the capacity of program staff by establishing a regular presence in long-term care facilities. As a result of their regular visits, they build a relationship of trust with the residents. Often this foundation of time, trust, and the knowledge that a volunteer is not associated with the facility is the only reason a resident will share their problems or concerns about their care, financial exploitation, or neglect and abuse. Volunteer Ombudsmen are also trained to recognize problems and effectively advocate on behalf of residents that are no longer able to communicate because of stroke, dementia or other physical or mental limitations.
In the course of their daily interaction with residents, staff and volunteer ombudsmen confirm that there is a consistent fear of retaliation by residents if they should report a perpetrator or caregiver. This fear keeps residents from asking for help for even their basic needs, e.g. food temperature, let alone asking for help after being victimized.
We believe empowering the resident to speak for themselves is the best way to address the problem. Often a volunteer ombudsman will accompany a resident while they voice their concerns about an issue. If a resident is unwilling or unable to speak for themselves, with the resident’s consent, the volunteer ombudsman will advocate for the resident. If this interaction with staff does not solve the resident’s problem, staff ombudsmen will assist.
Volunteer Ombudsmen are trained before entering a facility. They receive certification by the State of Ohio following a 12-hour initial training and a Bureau of Criminal Investigation Check. This training is designed to assist participants in becoming effective advocates for nursing home residents. Once certified, volunteers are expected to contribute a minimum of four hours each month at an assigned facility.
Approximately 9,000 individuals reside in the one hundred nursing homes located in the program’s 10 county service area, which includes Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Paulding, Sandusky, Williams, and Wood Counties.
History:
In 1978, The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program was mandated by the Older Americans Act to serve as a visible advocate for the elderly. Long-Term Care Ombudsmen advocate for residents’ rights and quality care and provide education to empower long-term care recipients. Volunteers are essential to the Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman services. They extend the capacity of the program by establishing a presence in the nursing home facilities of northwestern Ohio.
Contact person: Juanita Brittian, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: (419) 259-2880
Address:
Web Site: http://www.ablelaw.org
| Last updated on March 25, 2009 |
