Advocates
Ombudsmen are advocates for residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. They problem-solve concerns or issues and empower residents to speak for themselves. If that is not possible, for whatever reason, the ombudsman will speak for the resident.
Ombudsmen visit facilities on a regular basis to meet with residents and families and attend resident councils. They provide information about nursing home care as well as other topics such as Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. They are trained to investigate complaints about the health, safety, and welfare of residents, and assist them in exercising their rights.
The resident is the primary focus of the program. All actions must be for the good of the resident.