by Lori Davis and Megan Benner Senecal
THE DUTY OF OUR OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM is to advocate for consumers of long-term-care supports and services. If the consumer can’t direct us, we rely on their representatives (family, friends, POA, guardian) to help direct our advocacy to ensure quality care. The best-case scenario is when a client can share their concerns and goals with us in pursuit of a better care experience. Regardless of who calls our office, we try to do our best to listen. We strive to understand and validate the experiences of consumers and their loved ones, as long-term care is not, by any means, easy.
The reality is there are many things that are out of our control when we enter into the long-term care system. Our job as Ombudsmen is to try and ensure that consumers and families are fully informed of what to expect, what’s possible, what their rights are, and what to do next. We cannot guarantee that health will improve or guarantee that every doctor, nurse, and healthcare worker will be kind and compassionate. That’s why, in dealing with our program, we hope you can at least expect to experience kindness and compassion from your local Ombudsman.
It takes a village, and that’s why, more than ever, we need community members who have a passion for people to become volunteers with our program. We prepare you with all you need to succeed, and although it is a more intense volunteer experience, it also is extremely rewarding when you realize that you make a huge difference to the consumers just by being present and listening.
Transitioning into long-term care, whether it is having help in home or going to a nursing facility, can be extremely difficult for the consumers and their loved ones. The cost, rules and regulations, and uncertainty about the future can sometimes put everyone on edge—not to mention worrying about the health issues that prompted the need for services. All in all, it is a tricky situation to navigate, so if you have questions or concerns, or if you want to try your hand at helping long-term-care consumers, please give us a call. We can be reached at 419-259-2891.
Lori Davis is Region 4 Volunteer Coordinator for the Ombudsman office, and Megan Benner Senecal is a member of the Ombudsman Office.
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