1. In Your Role as a State Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Staying Grounded
In Your Role as a State Long-Term Care Ombudsman
New State LTC Ombudsman Orientation May 3, 2017

2. Office of the Ombudsman
First 2 weeks
Office with a clear desktop?
What was your focus?
Who or what was directing your task list?
What is the focus of the Ombudsman program?
Think back to your first two weeks as a SLTCO.
What was your focus?
What is the focus of the Ombudsman program?

3. Inspiration, Intent, and Foundation
Our nation has been conducting investigations, passing new laws and issuing new regulations relative to nursing homes at a rapid rate during the past few years. All of this activity will be of little avail unless our communities are organized in such a manner that new laws and new regulations are utilized to deal with the individual complaints of older persons who are living in nursing homes. The individual in the nursing home is powerless. If the laws and regulations are not being applied to her or to him, they might just as well not have been passed or issued.
Dr. Flemming, AoA TAM 76-24
Dr. Arthur Flemming: Identified the need for an Ombudsman Program.
What is the essence of this quote?
What has changed in the intervening years?

4. Office of the Ombudsman Today
Once you are eager to help and become involved in advocacy and leading the Ombudsman program, did the pace of your activities increase?
Who do you serve? (OAA?)
Residents
Family members
Resident and Family councils
Citizen advocacy organizations (work with)
Providers (work with, educate)
Legislators and public officials
Coordinate with many others: legal services providers, stakeholders, protection & advocacy, others
Ombudsman representatives!!!

5. Opportunities and Responsibilities
How do you stay grounded?
Determine/set priorities? How do you decide what meetings to attend, e.g. task force, work groups, committee meetings?
Do what’s “fun” and within your comfort level?
BIG Mandate: Individual advocacy to systems advocacy

6. Self-Check Questions What internal conflict am I feeling?
Why?
Whose interests am I representing or making a priority?
What/who is directing my use of time and energy?
Impact of my actions and decisions on the credibility of the Ombudsman program?
Impact of my actions and decisions on the effectiveness of the program?
What responsibility is neglected?
Who do you serve?
Is that supported with how you spend your time?
How do you communicate what you do to Ombudsman representatives? Supervisors? Stakeholders?
How do you stay connected to/with residents?
How do consumers and Ombudsman representatives view your priorities/actions?
How will you address the responsibilities that are being neglected?

7. Pause for Reflection
Good Ombudsmen are the most gutsy, caring, committed people I know, doing the hardest job imaginable. It's a privilege to work on their behalf as they work on behalf of residents, who often have nobody else to stick up for them and protect their interests.
Sue Wheaton, Ombudsman Program Specialist, AoA
Acknowledge your accomplishments, even if it is moving the needle a tiny bit.
Remember you have support from other SLTCO, NORC, ACL/AoA, and probably a number of people in your state.

8. The National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC)
This project was supported, in part, by grant number 90OM002, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy.