Dear Laird: My mom is in a lovely assisted living community. However, it’s difficult to work effectively with the staff. There are ongoing issues that need attention, like helping her meet other residents and ensuring her laundry is done properly. Additionally, some of her belongings have gone missing. When I bring this up, the response is either a promise to address them or an explanation of staff shortages. I seem to have no power. Signed, Powerless

Dear Powerless: It appears you might benefit from the assistance of a long-term care ombudsman. This advocate, provided through the local Area Agency on Aging, offers their services at no charge.

Ombudsmen make routine visits to long-term care facilities to monitor the quality of care and advocate for those who can’t speak for themselves.

Their role is to serve the residents, not the facility, advocating for their health, safety, welfare and rights while handling issues ranging from everyday concerns, to critical issues involving abuse or neglect.

An ombudsman assists in situations where care isn’t meeting expectations and can help you find the right type of care. Here are some hypothetical scenarios to help illustrate:

Mrs. Smith, whose husband was suffering from a neurological condition, faced a hurried and incomplete process when she admitted him to a nursing home. Unaware of the necessary procedures, she was left without guidance on handling issues or who to approach for creating a care plan that should be reviewed quarterly. With ombudsman intervention, Mrs. Smith was directed to the appropriate contacts within the facility, ensuring development of a proper care plan and a reliable point of contact for any further concerns.

In another instance, Mrs. Jenkins could no longer meet her husband’s care needs at home. After a positive tour with a salesperson, she found her spouse unexpectedly passed over for admission to a memory care unit in an assisted living facility. With the help of an ombudsman, she discovered the facility lacks on-site nursing care, which would necessitate another move should her husband’s care needs increase. The ombudsman provided an informative comparison between assisted living and skilled nursing care, along with a list of suitable facilities.

Facilities are legally mandated to display signage prominently, providing residents with information on contacting an ombudsman for concerns related to quality of life, substandard care or questions about your legal rights. This sign includes the ombudsman’s photograph, email address and phone number. 

CONTACT AN OMBUDSMAN

Every county across the United States has an assigned Area on Aging ombudsman. In Colorado Springs, contact the long-term care ombudsman with Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging at 719-471-2096.

Send your questions to Laird in care of the BEACON, or email him at: [email protected]