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It's Residents' Rights Month!
Residents’ Rights Month is annual event to honor residents living in all long-term care facilities. Residents have the right to self-determination and to use their voice to make their own choices. This year’s theme, Join Us at the Table, highlights the central role that food, mealtime, and community play in residents’ daily lives. Food is comfort, culture, identity, and connection – a daily experience that shapes dignity and quality of life.
Find promotional materials and resources on Consumer Voice’s website, and share how your program is celebrating Residents’ Rights Month this October.
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Supporting Long-Term Care
Ombudsman Programs in
Resident Advocacy
Enhancing the skills, knowledge, and management capacity of Ombudsman programs to effectively represent resident interests in both individual and systems advocacy.
Are you a new Ombudsman representative?
About NORC
What We Do
The National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC) provides support, technical assistance, and training to the 53 State Long-Term Care Ombudsmen and their statewide networks.
NORC’s objectives are to enhance the skills, knowledge, and management capacity of the State programs to enable them to effectively represent resident interests in both individual and systems advocacy. Funded by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), NORC is operated by the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (Consumer Voice).
Technical Assistance
Support, guidance, and best practices to navigate Ombudsman program management
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Resources
Information to assist Ombudsman programs in their advocacy and program management.
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Volunteer Support
Resources on recruitment, training, retention, and recognition of volunteers.
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What is the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program?
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman program (Ombudsman program /LTCOP) advocates for individuals living in nursing homes, residential care communities (eg. board and care homes, assisted living facilities), and other similar adult care facilities. Under the Older Americans Act (OAA), every state is required to have an Ombudsman program that addresses complaints and advocates for improvements in the long-term care system.
Each state has an Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman (Office), headed by a full-time State Long-Term Care Ombudsman (Ombudsman) who directs the program statewide. Across the nation, staff and thousands of volunteers are designated by State Ombudsmen as representatives to directly serve residents.
ABOUT THE PROGRAMFIND AN OMBUDSMAN PROGRAMWant to volunteer with an Ombudsman program?
Volunteers are the backbone of many Long-term Care Ombudsman programs (LTCOPs). With the help of volunteers, residents in long-term care facilities benefit from more access to Ombudsman program services. Volunteers visit facilities frequently to get to know residents and build trust, so residents feel comfortable sharing their concerns. Volunteers lend their time, talent, and voice to make a difference in their communities, and the LTCOP could not be its best without volunteers.
Connect With a Nearby Ombudsman Program to Explore Volunteer Opportunities
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Resource Center Updates & News
What Ombudsman Programs Are Saying
The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (Consumer Voice) is the leading national voice representing consumers in issues related to long-term care, helping to ensure consumers are empowered to advocate for themselves. Consumer Voice is a primary source of information and tools for consumers, families, caregivers, advocates, and Ombudsman programs to help ensure individualized, quality care.
