Specialized Information for:

Nursing HomesAssisted Living/Board & Care Home and Community Based Services

Becoming a Volunteer

More than three-fourths of states use volunteer ombudsmen to visit facilities and handle grievances. In some states, volunteer ombudsmen visit and listen to residents' concerns as well as problem solve. In other states, volunteers provide friendly visitation only.

Residents of long-term care facilities sometimes have little or no contact with the outside world. Many feel they lack control over their lives. A friendly volunteer who visits regularly can be a bright spot in an elderly resident's day. Many residents are alone and would be very happy to have your visits. This may also help ensure they get good care if someone from the community is looking in on them regularly.

What Does a Volunteer Ombudsman Do?


  • Visits residents on a regular basis.
  • Listens to residents' concerns and problems while having a friendly visit

And in some states, volunteers:

  • Problem solve
  • Report observations
  • Support residents' rights, privacy, and confidentiality
  • Refer urgent concerns to the state or regional ombudsman
  • Perform other tasks. Each ombudsman program has different needs for volunteers. Check with your state ombudsman program for their needs.

Return to Top

Who Can Volunteer?


If you are 18 years old or older, have available transportation and possess genuine care and concern for older adults, you may be able to become a volunteer ombudsman.  Contact the ombudsman program in your area for more information.

Return to Top

Does Volunteering Require Special Skills?


The most important requirements are compassion, respect for older persons, and common sense. A positive attitude, ability to communicate effectively and available time are important. Ombudsman programs provide training and supervision in developing specific skills.

Return to Top

What are the Benefits of Volunteering?


Volunteers benefit through the joy of making a difference in the lives of residents through the development of interpersonal skills and through preparation for their own aging.

Volunteers develop skills in:

  • Communication
  • Listening
  • Relationship Building
  • Confidentiality
  • Complaint resolution
  • Residents' Rights

Return to Top

What is the Time Commitment?


It varies state to state. Some states require volunteers to commit six months to a year of volunteer time, spending two to three hours per week with residents that an assigned nursing home or assisted living facility. Training sessions are provided, and continuing training is expected.

Return to Top

I'm Interested. Who do I Contact?


To volunteer, contact the ombudsman program nearest you.  When you click on the link, it will bring you to a map of the United States. Click on your state. This will display a list that includes your state long-term care ombudsman and the local and regional programs.

Do you have volunteer opportunities available? E-mail NORC at ombudcenter@theconsumervoice.org. Below is a list of states that have reached out to NORC to advertise available volunteer positions.

Indiana

The Indiana State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is seeking individuals excited about engaging in free and confidential human rights work serving some of our most vulnerable neighbors. 

Volunteers receive training and certification from the Indiana State Long-Term Care Ombudsman program to work with their local area ombudsman. They empower and educate residents of nursing homes and licensed assisted living facilities to help protect and promote their state and federal rights.

Our goal is to offer flexible and rewarding volunteer experiences. Volunteers may engage via:  

  • Observation of conditions and care in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. 
  • Providing resident rights education to residents and resident councils. 
  • Advocating for changes to improve residents’ quality of life and care. 
  • Educating and informing consumers and the community about the Ombudsman program. 
  • Supporting the development of resident and family councils. 
  • Providing program services (clerical, marketing, technological, research, etc.) 
  • Internship and practicum opportunities for students in relevant college programs. 

Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and complete the Certified Volunteer Ombudsman training. The training is a free 36-hour comprehensive certification involving 16-20 hours of classroom work, independent study, and at least 10 hours of interactive field mentorship with a local area ombudsman. Once certified, volunteers will be provided with 15 hours of additional training annually.  

For more information or to begin your application contact the Volunteer Program Manager, Angie Calvert, by emailing angie.calvert@ilsi.net or calling (317) 533-9600.  

Hide text

Massachusetts

Worcester County

Volunteer Ombudsman

Montachusett Home Care Corporation is looking for people who have genuine care, concern, and compassion for the elderly and disabled. A positive attitude, excellent communication & listening skills, and availability, are necessary.

An Ombudsman visits nursing homes and long-term care facilities on a regular basis, listens to resident concerns, mediates and solves problems, reports observations, and advocates for resident rights.

All ombudsman must be certified (3-day program) prior to fieldwork, attend a mandatory monthly meeting, and be available for weekly facility visits. If you are interested, please call Geralyn Bailey, Program Director at (508) 756-1545, extension 455 for further information.

Montachusett Home Care Corporation (MHCC) is a private non-profit agency incorporated in 1974 and is the Aging Services Access Point (ASAP) for 21 towns in North-Central Massachusetts. Our Goal is to maximize the independence and self-determination of elderly and disabled individuals by providing comprehensive information, advocacy, and access to community long term care.

 

Franklin County and North Quabbin Nursing Homes/Rest Homes

Advocate as a certified long-term care ombudsman for residents of Franklin County and North Quabbin Nursing Homes/Rest Homes and help them to have better quality of life. This is a flexible volunteer opportunity that will enable you to make a meaningful contribution to your fellow community members.  Ombudsmen visit residents weekly and make sure their care needs are being met. If not, they help individuals to speak up for themselves. 

For more information, click here to contact Trevor Boeding, Program Director.

 

Volunteer Ombudsman Needed for Worcester County area nursing homes and rest homes

We are looking for someone who has genuine care, concern, and compassion for this population. A positive attitude, excellent communication and listening skills, and availability are necessary. An Ombudsman visits nursing homes and long-term care facilities on a regular basis, listens to resident concerns, mediates and solves problems, reports observations, and advocates for resident rights.

All ombudsman must be certified (3-day program) prior to fieldwork, attend a mandatory monthly meeting, and be available for weekly facility visits.

Current facilities include locations in Auburn, Ayer, Baldwinville, Fitchburg, Gardner, Grafton, Groton, Holden, Lancaster, Leominster, Millbury, Shrewsbury, Sterling, W. Boylston, and Worcester. If you are interested, please call Geralyn Bailey, Program Director at (508) 756-1545, extension 455 for further information.

Hide text

Minnesota

The Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care is a program of the Minnesota Board on Aging. Regional Ombudsmen and Volunteers work to enhance the quality of life and services for people receiving long-term services and supports.

What does a Certified Ombudsman Volunteer (COV) do?

  • Promotes the well-being and quality of life for consumers in long-term residences through regular visits
  • Respond and work to resolve problems or complaints of long-term care residents
  • Provide education about resident rights and person-centered principles
  • Advocate for changes to improve residents’ quality of life and care
  • Educate and inform consumers and the community about the Ombudsman program
  • Provide technical support for the development of resident and family councils
  • Assist with addressing improper transfer and/or discharge of residents

Requirements
Volunteer candidates must be at least 18 years or older with reliable transportation. Volunteers are required to visit their assigned facility at least 6 hours per month, or 72 hours per year, and must commit to at least 1 year of service. An additional 12 hours of continual education is required every year.

For more information, please contact Dana Manteufel at dana.manteufel@state.mn.us or 651-431-3178.

 

Hide text

Ohio

Do you want to learn more about becoming a Long-Term Care Ombudsman Associate? View this information sheet or contact the Ohio Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program's office at 1-800-365-3112 or 216-696-2719 or email Barb Prociak at bprociak@ltco.org.

Hide text

Oregon

There are openings in Oregon for volunteer Certified Ombudsmen to advocate for residents who are aging and disabled living in long-term care facilities. Volunteers help to ensure the rights, dignity and quality of care for residents through complaint investigation, resolution, and advocacy for improvement in resident care. This opportunity comes with flexible hours, training, support, new relationships, and the satisfaction of helping others. 

To learn more join our on-line open house the second Friday of each month at 1:00 pm;  Sign up at our website! Or email:  lene.garrett@oregon.gov.

 

Hide text

Pennsylvania

STEP Office of Aging is seeking individuals interested in becoming long-term care Ombudsman volunteers.

Have you ever had a loved one reside in a Care Home? (nursing home, personal care home, and assisted living) Then, you know how much a visit can mean!

Ombudsmen enrich the lives of Long-Term Care residents. These volunteers receive training to help empower residents of long-term care to live with dignity, to ensure the quality of care they receive and utilize their skills to advocate for their rights. You can help with this important program!

Training from the state will be provided. We will provide orientation and some experience before the training. You will also have a mentor throughout your training process which will help prepare you during your visits long-term care residents.

We are specifically looking for volunteers to make two visits/month to homes in Lycoming & Clinton Counties.

For Information, Call Traci Foster (570) 601-9557 or e-mail: tlfoster@stepcorp.org.

Hide text

South Carolina

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer Ombudsman in the Pee Dee area in South Carolina, contact Debra Jackson at Debra.Jackson@caresouth-Carolina.com.

Hide text

Utah

Advocate as a certified long-term care ombudsman for residents of skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in Utah, Summit, and Wasatch Counties, and help them to have better quality of life. This is a flexible volunteer opportunity that will enable you to make a meaningful contribution to your fellow community members. Ombudsmen visit residents monthly and make sure their care needs are being met. If not, they help individuals to speak up for themselves.

For more information, contact Linda Cole, lcole@mountainland.org, 801-229-3809.

Hide text

Return to Top

Other Volunteer Resources


The Aging Network's Volunteer Collaborative
The Aging Network’s Volunteer Collaborative is a national resource center that helps leaders in the aging and disability networks engage talented older adult volunteers to meet growing needs for services. The Volunteer Collaborative offers online resources, comprehensive training, and opportunities for leaders to learn best practices from each other.

National Partnership with LexisNexis
With the beginning of the Aging Network’s Volunteer Collaborative in 2010, a network-wide civic engagement assessment, including local and state programming, was conducted to determine what organizations are facing as major challenges to being willing and able to engage more volunteers in their missions.  One of the top challenges was the hurdle of risk management, and specifically the time and cost involved in background checks and screening.  In partnership with NASUAD, the Volunteer Collaborative has vetted numerous risk management vendors and now entered into an agreement with LexisNexis, a national provider of comprehensive background screening services, to leverage premier-level services through web-based tools at a discounted rate – in some cases almost 80 percent off typical rates.

The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Resource Center
The National Consumer Protection Technical Resource Center serves AoA’s 54 Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) programs located throughout the country, including the District of Columbia, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. It is more commonly known as the “SMP Resource Center.” The SMP Resource Center also promotes national visibility for the SMP program and helps the general public locate their state SMP project.

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Certification Survey (March 2010)
Coordinated by NORC and NASOP, this survey looks at certification and initial training requirements for long-term care ombudsmen. Forty-two states participated in the survey.

Return to Top