February 18 - Dallas, Texas

On February 18, Texas State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Patty Ducayet, Managing Local Ombudsman Suzanna Swanson, and Certified Volunteer Ombudsman Ruth Hancock presented testimony on the importance of ombudsmen services for older Americans at the Dallas, Texas, Administration on Aging (AoA) listening forum on the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act.

Additionally, the forum included several panel presentations and testimony, including a presentation by Georgia State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Becky Kurtz on elder rights and elder justice.

A video of all presentation from the listening forum will be available on the AoA website within two weeks.

February 25 - Alexandria, Virginia

On February 25,  Montgomery County, MD,  Long-Term Care Ombudsman Eileen Bennet testified on behalf of the National Association for Local Long Term Care Ombudsmen at the AoA listening forum in Alexandria, Virginia.

Sarah Wells, Consumer Voice executive director, presented alongside Robert Blancato, president of Matz, Blancato & Associates, Inc., at the Alexandria, Virginia, Administration on Aging listening forum.  Consumer Voice's presentation was part of a panel focused on Elder Rights and Elder Justice.

Stay tuned for more information on Consumer Voice-hosted opportunities for our members to weigh-in on key issues for reauthorization of the OAA. In the meantime, please feel free to send us your ideas and comments to info@theconsumervoice.org.

March 3 - San Francisco, California

On March 3, California State Long-Term Ombudsman Joseph Rodrigues testified on behalf of the National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs at the AoA listening forum in San Francisco, California.  His testimony focused the important role of the long-term care ombudsman program; since 1978, the ombudsman program has been a OAA core program.