Concerned About The Care Provided...

-in a nursing home?

-at an assisted living facility?

-by a home health agency?

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman can help!

Om-buds-man: a citizen representative who resolves problems and investigates complaints.  A spokesman advocate.

If a resident of a nursing home or an assisted living home is not getting help he or she needs, or not being treated well, the ombudsman can help.

Federal law authorizes the Long-Term Care Ombudsman to assist in improving the quality of life for people who receive long-term care, and to increase the responsiveness of caregivers to the people they serve.

Federal law provides many rights for nursing home residents. Virginia law provides rights for residents of state licensed assisted living homes.

These include the right to:

• Have a good quality of life;

• Receive the help you need;

• Be treated with respect, courtesy, and consideration.

Here are some examples of concerns that the local ombudsman may be able to assist with:

• Are plans for care and treatment discussed with the resident (or his or her family representative), and are requests made by the resident honored?

• Is pain kept under control?

• If help is needed to get to the bathroom, is it usually provided in time?

• If clothes or linens are wet or soiled, are they usually cleaned up promptly?

• Is medicine given reasonably on time?

• Does the facility give proper notice, reason and planning for a resident's discharge from the facility, or transfer to another facility?

• Do residents choose when to wake up, what to wear, when to go to bed, and make other decisions about daily activities?

• Do residents feel free to raise concerns or complaints without fear of retaliation?

Invite the Ombudsman to speak to your group about long-term care!

Volunteer as a friendly visitor representative of the Ombudsman.