NASOP Statement on Senate passage of the OAA

July 23, 2015

Older Americans Act Approved by the Senate Would Strengthen Ombudsman Program

On July 16, 2015, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed S. 192, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2015. The Older Americans Act (OAA) funds critical services for older adults, including nutrition, transportation, and protection from abuse and neglect. The National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs (NASOP) applauds the Senate and encourages the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the legislation this July, as we celebrate the Act’s 50 year anniversary.

“With our surging aging population, we must improve, expand, and fund the programs that support older adults,” said Patty Ducayet, NASOP President and Texas State Ombudsman. She added, “NASOP is proud of the long-term care ombudsman’s role in protecting the rights and welfare of older Americans living in long-term care facilities, many of whom have no family to help them negotiate complicated health problems.” NASOP worked with senate staff and Senators for more than five years on proposals to strengthen the ombudsman program and fight elder abuse and exploitation. We look forward to working with the House of Representatives on its OAA legislation so that we may be able to send a law to the White House for the president’s signature this year.”

S. 192 strengthens state long-term care ombudsman programs by:

• Clarifying that residents have regular, timely, private and unimpeded access to their ombudsman, which protects residents’ rights;
• Improving access to residents’ records improves the program’s ability to investigate and resolve resident complaints; and
• Removing organizational conflicts of interest ensuring the independence of the ombudsman program.

In addition, we support the bill’s measures to prevent and respond to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation through increased training and data collection.  

NASOP thanks Senate leaders for their unwavering support of the OAA, especially Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, Ranking Member Patty Murray, and Senators Bernie Sanders, Michael Enzi, and Richard Burr for their leadership of this bipartisan legislation.