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 The Nursing Home Ombudsman Program advocates for quality care and quality of life in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Ombudsmen identify, investigate and resolve complaints by or on behalf of facility residents. Volunteer and staff ombudsmen serve as independent, unbiased advocates for residents and work with all persons involved to reach acceptable solutions to problems. Ombudsmen work closely with the
Texas Department of Aging and Disability
Services, Regulatory Services, the government agency that regulates nursing homes. State and federal laws authorize the Nursing Home Ombudsman Program.
Services are provided at no charge.
What an ombudsman can do for you or your loved one
Ombudsmen are trained to listen, provide information and help resolve problems. Contact us by telephone (214.823.5700) or
email.
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if you have a complaint or a concern about resident rights and resident care.
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if you need assistance in choosing a long-term care facility for a loved one.
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Examples of complaints we handle
Ombudsmen address concerns in a number of areas that include unanswered call buttons, roommate problems, staffing, food and unsanitary conditions.
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Nursing homes and assisted living facilities included in this program
The Dallas Nursing Home Ombudsman Program works with all Dallas County nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
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Hints for choosing a long-term care facility
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Visit the facility 2 or 3 times at different times of the day and on the weekend. Include visits at mealtimes.
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Use and listen to your senses: sight, smell and hearing.
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Notice whether facility and residents are clean.
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Notice how staff interact with residents. Do they treat them with respect and kindness?
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Review the facility activity calendar to see whether quality activities are provided and actually occur at scheduled times.
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Ask whether the facility has active family and resident councils, and speak to members about their impressions of the facility.
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Ask to see the most recent Texas
Department of Aging and Disability Services annual
survey findings and ask questions about
any finding that concerns you.
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Meet with the facility administrator and other key personnel, including the Director of Nursing, Social Work Director and Activities Director.
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Ask to visit living areas where your loved one will reside. The room you are shown should reflect your payment source and your loved one's medical needs.
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Ask to see the dining
area where your loved one will be
eating/be fed. Review the menu.
Visit during a meal.
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Carefully review the facility admission packet for information on fees and policies.
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Training for long-term care facilities
Ombudsmen conduct
educational sessions for nursing home staff, family, resident councils
and others. Programs include residents' rights, restraint reduction,
abuse and neglect regulations and how to deal with difficult behaviors.
Please contact us by telephone (214.823.5700) or
email for more information.
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Why volunteer as an Ombudsman
Right now, there's a resident waiting for you. We never have enough volunteers to meet the needs of frail elderly in nursing homes. Please help by becoming a volunteer ombudsman. You can make an enormous difference in the lives of long-term care facility residents.
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The story of Mrs. A
This is a story of a nursing home resident whose visitation rights were being violated, and the steps taken by ombudsmen to resolve the issue.
One of our staff ombudsmen received a call from a woman concerned about her friend, Mrs. A, who is a resident at a local assisted living facility. She was worried that the facility administrator and other staff were violating her friend's rights. The facility was refusing to allow Mrs. A to have visitors or use the telephone for personal calls unless her son granted permission–a clear violation of her rights as a long-term care facility resident.
Initially, the facility's staff were reluctant to allow the staff ombudsman to visit Mrs. A, but she convinced them that they could not prevent Mrs. A from having visitors. In investigating the reasons for their unwillingness to allow outside contact, the ombudsman discovered that Mrs. A's son had instructed staff to clear all visitors and telephone calls through him. In a meeting, the ombudsman informed the facility's administrator that Mrs. A's rights were being violated. He disagreed, saying that they were looking out for her best interest, and continued to deny any wrongdoing when the Director of the Nursing Home Ombudsman Program telephoned with her concerns.
Our staff then contacted the facility's corporate office and spoke with the regional director, who indicated she would talk with the home's administrator and resolve the issue. But a week later the staff ombudsman received a call from Mrs. A's friend stating that the facility continued to not disallow Mrs. A to have visitors.
The ombudsman staff met with the administrator and again informed him that the situation could not legally continue. Less than a week later, the administrator contacted the staff ombudsman and informed her that the facility would allow Mrs. A to receive visitors and make and receive telephone calls. He had explained to the son that by restricting visitors and telephone calls his mother's rights were being violated, and the facility could not support such actions.
Our staff ombudsman has made several follow-up visits to Mrs. A and verified that she is receiving visitors and telephone calls. Mrs. A's friend has called to say how grateful she is that the Ombudsman Program was able to resolve this problem because, as a result, Mrs. A's quality of life has improved tremendously.
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Who can become an Ombudsman
Individuals 18 years or older who have the time and concern can become an ombudsman. Ombudsmen can not have a family member who is a resident in a local nursing facility, and they must not be employed by or have ownership in a long-term care facility or corporate office. A completed application, references interviews and criminal background checks are required.
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Responsibilities of an Ombudsman
After becoming a certified ombudsman, you are assigned to visit weekly one long-term care facility. Other duties include
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maintaining confidentiality of resident information
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investigating all complaints received from residents and family
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informing residents of their rights
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empowering residents and families to work with long-term care facilities to solve problems
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reporting visits and resident contacts to ombudsman program staff monthly
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attending 12 hours annually of ongoing training (provided by program staff).
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Certification and training we provide for Ombudsmen
Ombudsmen volunteers will receive certification training by ombudsman staff through
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a total of 36 hours of training, including classroom training, home study and onsite visits
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completion of a 3-month internship as a Friendly Visitor in an assigned long-term care facility prior to being certified as an ombudsman by the Texas Department
of Aging and Disability Services.
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ongoing monthly training sessions.
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Become a Volunteer Certified Nursing Home Ombudsman
Please
click here for the application form
and
here for a form consenting to a criminal
background check. Please return both forms
by fax (214.826.2441) or mail (The Senior
Source, 1215 Skiles Street, Dallas, Texas
75204).
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Number of contacts and complaints handled in 2006
In 2006,
48 volunteer ombudsmen and 2,625 friendly visitors made 55,581
contacts with 193,355 nursing home and assisted living residents in
59 nursing and 139 assisted living facilities. Ombudsmen handled
5,247 complaints that addressed issues such as disrespectful
treatment, unsanitary conditions, and unanswered call buttons.
Presentations made to 1,551 individuals and 3,065 family members
were assisted.
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Major funders of this program ($5000+)
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City of Dallas
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City of Irving
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Dallas Area Agency on Aging and the Texas Department
of Aging & Disability Services
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Junior League of Dallas, Inc.
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The Meadows Foundation
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Spirit of Generations Awards Luncheon
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United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Inc.
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For more information
Please contact the Nursing Home Ombudsman Director at 214.823.5700 or
email.
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