Congratulations to the 9 new volunteer assistant ombudsmen that
completed training on October 29 in Coeur d’Alene. Kootenai
County now has 19 volunteers and Bonner and Boundary Counties
have 4 volunteers advocating for residents of long-term care
facilities. The training is extensive, covering all aspects of
the Long-term Care Ombudsman Program:
·
Ombudsman responsibilities
·
History and role of the national program
·
The aging process, common illnesses and conditions
of later life
·
Residents’ rights
·
Care requirements of facilities
·
Visiting practices
·
Problem-solving
·
Legal issues and tools
·
Reporting form protocol
·
Supervised facility visits
Residents may be unable or unwilling to address issues
that arise. Even when they
do speak up, their voices are not always heard. Ombudsmen give
voice to questions that need to be answered and problems that
need to be solved. The compassion and dedication of the
volunteers makes a positive difference in the quality of life of
residents of assisted-living and skilled-nursing facilities.
Their work is important and greatly appreciated.
