Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman - Provider Page

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Ombudsman Contacts | Ombudsman Visits | Resident Advocate Committees | Reports

About the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman

A Long-Term Care Ombudsman is an advocate for residents of nursing homes, residential care facilities, assisted living programs and elder group homes. As a result of the Older Americans Act, each state is required to have a Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. The Ombudsman's Office can investigate and resolve complaints that may affect the health, safety, welfare, or right of residents. The Older Americans mandate is that the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman provides services for people 60 and older. However, if a facility primarily serve people over the age of 60, we will assist anyone living in that building. Whether through individual contact with residents or systemic advocacy, ombudsmen make a difference in the lives of residents in long-term care facilities everyday.

A Long-Term Care Ombudsman:
- Resolves complaints made by or for residents of long-term care facilities

- Provides in-service trainings on residents' rights and other requested topics to facility staff

- Educates consumers and long-term care providers about residents' rights and good care practices

- Provides information to the public on nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and services, residents' rights, and legislative and policy issues

- Advocates for residents' rights and quality care in nursing homes, residential care facilities and assisted living programs

- Promotes the development of citizen organizations, family councils and resident councils (Trainings can be provided to these groups as requested)

- Oversees the Resident Advocate Committee program for each facility

For your convenience, you can also review or print out the Long-Term Care Ombudsman brochure. Feel free to post these brochures or hand out to residents at the facility that you work at!

NEW - September 2007: We now have a one-page handout that you can include in your admission packet. The handout offers details about resident rights and the LTC Ombudsman office.

When might facility staff contact the Ombudsman's Office?

- To talk through challenging situations

- To schedule a staff in-service about Resident Rights and other topics

- To clarify state and federal rules

Ombudsman's Office Contacts

NOTICE: To contact a local ombudsman, please call the toll free hotline number (800-532-3213) and you will be connected! See all other contact info listed below. Click here for a printable version of our map.

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Ombudsman Visits to the facility

Ombudsmen do not follow the same protocol as the Department of Inspections and Appeals. When an ombudsman enters a facility, the person in charge should be notified. The ombudsman then has free access to the facility and private access to each resident - as long as the resident is in agreement. Problems identified will be discussed with the Administrator or designee. The role of the ombudsman is to work with facility staff to make changes to improve the quality of life or quality of care for a resident or group of residents.

Resident Advocate Committees

Each facility is required to have a Resident Advocate Committee (RAC). If your facility needs additional members, needs instructions or assistance, or if you do not have a committee, please inform the Long Term Care Ombudsman's Office. We will attempt to recruit and train members. We continue to update and streamline our process so that new members are oriented to the tasks required. All training is now done by the Local Long-Term Care Ombudsmen and we currently have record numbers of volunteers attending our training.
The RAC in your facility has access to responsible party names, addresses and phone numbers. Asking for permission to release this information to the committee should be a part of your admission packet.
A new procedure manual is available for committees and is being distributed at training. All forms needed are now also included on our website on the Resident Advocate Committee page.

For your convenience, you can also review or print out the Resident Advocate Committee brochure. Please feel free to post these brochures, hand out to residents, or use these to market to new potential RAC members.

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Ombudsman Reports

The State of Iowa has come a long way with the ombudsman program in the past several years. In 1999, there was only one ombudsman. We now have the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, a Program Coordinator, 7 Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsmen, and an administrative assistant. However, we are still far below the recommendation from the Administration on Aging of 1 ombudsman for each 2000 long-term care beds. We appreciate your support as we continue to try to bring our program up to the standards mandated in the Older Americans Act.

State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Annual Report - 2007
State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Annual Report - 2006
State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Annual Report - 2005

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