The Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE) is seeking volunteer ombudsmen to help provide advocacy services to residents living in nursing homes.

The fall and winter Long-Term Care Ombudsman training sessions are being planned now. Those interested in volunteering for this program should contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Volunteer Coordinator at 419-259-2891 or 1-800-542-1874, toll-free, and complete an application. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and currently not employed as a long-term care provider.

Volunteer ombudsmen visit residents in nursing homes, help resolve problems, and offer information to residents and family members about resident rights, quality of care and quality of life. They are the eyes and ears of the program and very often provide a voice for the consumer when he/she needs it most.

In 1978, The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program was mandated by the Older Americans Act to serve as a visible advocate for the elderly. Long-Term Care Ombudsmen advocate for residents’ rights and quality care, and provide education to empower long-term care recipients. Volunteers are essential to Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman services. They extend the capacity of the program by establishing a presence in the nursing home facilities of northwest Ohio.

Volunteer Ombudsmen are trained before entering a facility. They receive certification by the State of Ohio following the12-hour initial training and a Bureau of Criminal Investigation Check. The training is designed to assist participants in becoming effective advocates for nursing home residents. Once certified, volunteers are expected to contribute a minimum of four hours each month at an assigned facility.

Approximately 9,000 individuals reside in the 100 nursing homes located in the program’s 10-county service area, which includes Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood counties.

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