2018 Training & Conference Calls/Webinars

Advocating for Residents with Mental Health Needs: What to do When a Resident Threatens to Harm Themselves

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LTCOP Reference Guide: Working With Individuals With Mental Health Conditions

Illinois LTCOP Response When Residents Threaten Suicide

This webinar discussed Ombudsman program advocacy for residents with mental health needs and how to respond when residents threaten to harm themselves.

Dr. Patrick Arbore, a nationally recognized expert in the field of elderly suicide prevention and grief services, has devoted is his life to increasing awareness of isolation, loneliness, and depression in older adults. Dr. Arbore shared warning signs, ways to promote better-informed and healthier communities, and resources and supports for Ombudsmen and residents suffering from inner loneliness, sorrow, stress, and anxiety.

Following Dr. Arbore’s presentation Jamie Freschi, Illinois State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, shared her program’s policies, procedures, and tool that guides the program in responding to residents that talk about committing suicide.

The webinar concluded with a presentation from Natasha Belli, an Illinois program representative, who shared her experience working with a resident that has threatened suicide and the steps she took to support the resident.

Emergency Preparedness: Ombudsman Program Advocacy and Facility Responsibilities

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Recent natural disasters have significantly impacted several states, including consumers of long-term care services and supports. During this webinar, presenters shared their experience before, during, and after a natural disaster. Also, attendees learned about CMS’ emergency preparedness rule, model policies and procedures for Ombudsman programs by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the most common reactions of residents after a disaster and how to support them, and tips to help prepare personally and professionally.

Presenters were Louise Ryan, Ombudsman Program Specialist, Administration for Community Living/Administration on Aging (ACL/AoA); Maria Greene, Consultant, National Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC); Mike Milliken, Florida State Long-Term Care Ombudsman; Dania Vazquez , Puerto Rico State Long-Term Care Ombudsman; and Lisa Hayes, Managing Local Ombudsman, Houston-Galveston Area Agency on Aging/Houston-Galveston Area Council.

Additional information about Emergency Prepardness can be found on the NORC website.

Ending Nursing Home Violence Between Residents: Prevention, Intervention, and Advocacy

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This webinar discussed the widespread problem of physical violence (resident-to-resident mistreatment) in nursing homes and presenters suggested a large-scale public health initiative to end nursing home violence.

Dr. Karl Pillemer, Director, Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research, Hazel E. Reed Professor in the Department of Human Development, Professor of Gerontology in Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College, reviewed the research evidence on the prevalence of violence in nursing homes and discussed why intervention in this area has lagged other forms of violence. Options for eliminating violence in nursing home settings, with special attention to transferring knowledge from successful public health campaigns to combat violent behavior, were presented.

Also, Sara Gusler, Michigan Ombudsman program representative, described the "Senior-to-Senior Bullying Reduction" training program her agency developed.

Attendees also viewed available NORC resources regarding resident-to-resident mistreatment such as the LTCOP Reference Guide - Resident-to-Resident Mistreatment: Long-Term Care Ombudsman Advocacy.

Additional information about resident-to-resident mistreatment is available on the NORC website.

Systems Advocacy: It's More than Legislative Work

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Participants were taught what is required under the federal law and rule regarding systems advocacy. Presenters shared how they promote better care through systems advocacy at both the state and local level and how they coordinate their advocacy. Attendees also learned about available NORC resources regarding systems advocacy such as the Role and Responsibilities of Ombudsman Programs Regarding Systems Advocacy for State Ombudsmen and Local Ombudsman Program Representatives. These guides briefly define systems advocacy, review the federal mandate and support for systems advocacy work by Ombudsman programs, define several systems advocacy strategies, share examples of Ombudsman program advocacy, and provide resources for additional information. Additional information about systems advocacy is available on the NORC website.