Systemic Advocacy
The ombudsman program promotes systems change to address the quality of life for residents of long-term care facilities.
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Abuse and Neglect
Best Practices: Ombudsman Initiatives Addressing Neglect and Abuse (January 2001)
This paper provides an analysis of 13 long-term care ombudsman programs and their approaches to combating neglect and abuse in long-term care facilities. See also appendices in Excel format: Overview appendix; Training Group appendix.
California's Elder Abuse Investigators: Ombudsman Shackled by Conflicting Laws & Duties (November 2009)
A report prepared for the California Senate Rules Committee at the request of the Subcommittee on Aging and Long-Term Care
Assisted Living
Translating Nursing Home Ombudsman Skills to Assisted Living: Something Old, Something New - Teaching Guide (March 2003)
State ombudsman programs vary in the length of experience they have in assisted living. This paper shows how, regardless of the differences among states, ombudsman skills and knowledge gained in nursing homes can be applied to individual and systemic advocacy in assisted living. There are also aspects of assisted living noted in this paper that pose special challenges and that call for different approaches. (Appendices not included. Call the Center if you need copies of the appendices.)
Translating Nursing Home Ombudsman Skills to Assisted Living: Something Old, Something New - Teaching Guide (May 2008)
This document is to assist long-term care ombudsman programs in teaching the content of the paper to LTCO to emable them to be more effective advocates for residents in assisted living.
Ombudsman Advocacy Challenges in Assisted Living: Outreach and Discharge (March 2001)
This technical assistance pper is presented in two sections. It begins by describing challenges programs face in doing assisted living outreach and practical steps they might take to more effectively reach assisted living consumers and providers. It continues with a focus on Ombudsman intervention in discharge cases.
Collaboration
Joining Forces for Residents: Citizen Advocates and Long-Term Care Ombudsmen (March 2001)
A session at the 2000 Consumer Voice Annual Meeting focused on ways citizen advocacy groups (CAGs) and Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs (LTCOPs) have worked together to achieve a common goal.
Communication
Family Council Brochure (August 2010)
The Consumer Voice has created a new brochure to help educate on the topic of empowered, effective and independent family councils. The brochure contains information on what a family council is, rights and best practices, resources and grant opportunities, and examples of family council activities. This is an excellent resource for current family councils or those interested in starting a council. Check it out to learn more!
Quality Care in any Setting: Using Ombudsman Knowledge to Help Consumers (February 2010)
This paper is intended to help ombudsmen recognize the knowledge and resources about quality of care that they have and be alert for opportunities to share key information about quality of care with consumers.
Supporting Well Informed Consumers: The Role of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman (May 2005)
This paper grew out of a session with the same title at the 2004 Annual State Ombudsman Conference, where panelists Becky Kurtz, Sharon Zoesch, and Linda Sadden shared their practices and stimulated dialogue on the responsible sharing of LTCOP data with consumers. The paper explores federal requirements and national recommendations; uses for LTCOP data; program practices in sharing data; essential elements for responsible sharing; and key points on the hallmarks of programs that are sharing data and the need for continued dialogue on the issue.
Using Resident Assessment and Care Planning as Advocacy Tools: A Guide for Ombudsmen and Other Advocates (Updated November 1995)
This paper looks at achieving quality care for nursing home residents through the resident assessment and care planning process. Ombudsmen can utilize the assessment and care planning processes in their advocacy work as demonstrated in the paper.
Culture Change
The Role of the LTC Ombudsman in Culture Change: Promoting Resident Directed Care in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living (2007)
This resource brief is designed to generate ideas about how long-term care ombudsmen can promote systemic, resident-directed care practices in facilities. Included are examples of state and local ombudsman program involvement in promoting culture change practices, offers tips for ombudsman advocacy, discusses the role of the ombudsman and lists salient resources.
Ombudsman Best Practices: Supporting Culture Change to Promote Individualized Care in Nursing Homes (2000)
This paper presents long-term care ombudsman practices in supporting culture change in nursing homes, drawing on lessons learned by state ombudsman programs that have engaged in such initiatives. It includes an overview of the issues, relevant practice precedents and examples of best practice. The section “Lessons Learned” examines important considerations for state and local ombudsmen who want to begin or continue culture change efforts.
Emergency Situations
Ombudsman Role in Nursing Home Closures and Natural Disasters (2000)
This NORC document includes a tool kit for local ombudsman response and information on transfer trauma.
Legislative Advocacy
Ombudsman Program Examples of Systems Advocacy
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program: Structure, Responsibilities, Quality and Funding (September 2003)
This overview of state long-term care ombudsman programs (SLTCOPs) is a snapshot in time. It contains self-reported results from the 53 SLTCOPs.
Unique Characteristics of Ombudsman Programs (Updated October 2002)
This report focuses on being aware of the misconceptions of LTCO programs and how to address them.
Strategy Brief: The Ombudsman Program and Caregiver Support
The information presented in this document is based on promising practices identified by state ombudsmen in response to an email sent to all programs in May 2006 and information provided during the National Dialogue Forum. The National Dialogue Forum consisted of two teleconferences held on May 16 and 18, 2006.
Strategy Brief: Ombudsman Program Advocacy in Guardianship (May 2006)
This report presents promising practices and strategies used by ombudsmen concerning guardianship and alternatives to guardianship for nursing home residents with limited decision-making capacity and no surrogate decision-maker. Included are discussion highlights from National Dialogue Forum #4 convened by the National Association of State Units on Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) on the topic in June 2005. This was the fourth in a series of Forums NASUAD convened on challenging issues facing state long-term care ombudsmen. Also included is information gathered from an email solicitation to all programs in May 2005 in preparation for two conference calls. (This is a large file - 800 KB. It may take a few moments to download.)
Strategy Brief: Ombudsman Program Responses to Diversity (September 2005)
This report presents promising practices and strategies used by ombudsmen serving diverse resident populations. Included are discussion highlights from National Dialogue Forum #3 convened by the National Association of State Units on Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) on the topic. This is the third in a series of Forums NASUAD has convened on challenging issues facing state long-term care ombudsmen.
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