The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is a federal advocacy program dedicated to protecting people living in long term care facilities including nursing homes, assisted and enriched living facilities, adult care facilities and family type homes for adults.

The heart of the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is its corps of specially trained and certified citizen-volunteer ombudsmen. Many volunteers are retired professionals from various fields. These dedicated Ombudsmen spend an average of four to six hours a week in each of their assigned facilities, advocating for the residents.

Ombudsmen represent residents and work on their behalf with facility administrators, staff, and family members to achieve resolution of their complaints. Ombudsmen also work with the New York State Department of Health and enforcement authorities, making enforcement referrals in cases of abuse and neglect, and assisting in investigating the underlying causes and solutions to problems.

Ombudsmen are a vital link between residents of long term care facilities and the government agencies able to investigate and resolve their problems. Ombudsmen are committed to advocating for these senior citizens and ensuring that residents' rights, unmet needs and complaints are handled and resolved effectively, while maintaining resident and complainant confidentiality.

In Broome County, this program is operated by Action for Older Persons, Inc. For more information about this valuable program, or to inquire about serving as a volunteer ombudsman, call Action for Older Persons at 607.722.1251 or visit the website at www.actionforolderpersons.org/long-term-care-nursing-home-ombudsmen.asp

Additional information on this program is available from the New York State Ombudsman at http://www.ltcombudsman.ny.gov/.