Ombudsman Modifies Services
Long term care facilities have temporarily suspended visitors to protect the health of their guests. Ombudsman volunteers and team members continue to assist guests by handling complaints by phone. When long term care facilities reopen, the Ombudsman will be ready to assist individuals in-person with the same love and care as before.
You can help inspire hope for older adults in care by sending encouraging notes or cards to residents or by becoming an Ombudsman volunteer.
Volunteers for the program are trained and expected:
- To advocate for residents’ rights
- To provide community education on long-term care issues
- To provide ombudsman services to all residents of all long-term care facilities in Missouri
Ombudsman volunteers help to achieve these goals by:
- Making sure all residents are informed of their rights as established by law
- Empowering residents and helping to resolve all complaints at the facility level through the involvement of all concerned parties
- Helping residents stay fully informed of their rights such as: physician choice, freedom from abuse and restraint, access to privacy and respect, the ability to participate in activities, access to purchasing goods and services, participation in one’s care, ability to remain in care facility, and the rights to communicate freely, manage one’s own finances, and retain marital rights.
It’s never too early to start planning a work, family or church Christmas project. Each year the Long-term Care Ombudsman program receives hundreds of requests for Christmas gifts. You can adopt a single individual up to a full-nursing home. More information will be posted in November about specific needs.
