Ombudsman for Nursing Homes

What Is an Ombudsman in a Nursing Home?

A nursing home ombudsman — also known as a long-term care ombudsman (LTC ombudsman) — is a public official who works to resolve resident issues in nursing facilities.

Nursing home residents and their loved ones can bring complaints or concerns to an ombudsman, who will then work to find solutions on their behalf.

An ombudsman for nursing homes can help in many cases. However, sometimes, families need additional support, such as when a loved one is harmed due to nursing home abuse or neglect.

In these cases, it may be best to connect with an experienced nursing home attorney. A skilled lawyer may be able to help you file a lawsuit to hold the negligent nursing home accountable. This can mean financial compensation and justice.

The Nursing Home Abuse Center partners with a network of experienced nursing home abuse attorneys. Our legal partners have secured over $314 million for incidents of abuse and neglect in facilities across the country.

Find out if you may be eligible for compensation right now with a free case review.

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Fight back against nursing home abuse and neglect — start now with a free case review.

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Quick Facts: Ombudsman Nursing Homes

Below are the latest facts and figures from the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center. The information reflects 2023 data from the National Ombudsman Reporting System (NORS).

Ombudsman nursing home programs:

• Offered information and assistance 502,484 times to residents
• Investigated 202,894 complaints, a 10.95% increase from the prior year
• Verified 148,810 complaints, reflecting an 11.69% rise from the year before
• Resolved or partially resolved 144,327 cases, up 11.04% from the prior year
• Received 64,433 care-related complaints, a 14.67% increase
• Addressed 24,140 cases of abuse, neglect, and exploitation, a 19.78% increase
• Participated in 17,095 resident council and 1,271 family council meetings
• Visited 60% of nursing homes and 24% of assisted living facilities quarterly
• Maintained 3,443 certified volunteers
• Conducted 3,106 training sessions on resident rights and care quality
• Employed 1,500 full-time staff
• Ran over 400 local ombudsman offices
• Operated 53 state Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs (each state, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Washington D.C.)

Ombudsman programs play a key role in protecting nursing home residents. Understanding their responsibilities can help families navigate concerns about nursing home care.

What Is the Role of an Ombudsman in Health Care?

A health care ombudsman is an independent advocate who helps patients navigate concerns, ensuring their rights are protected and their voices are heard.

They work across various health care settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, and managed care organizations, to resolve complaints and improve care quality.

A health care ombudsman does not provide direct medical care but plays a vital role in ensuring patients receive safe, high-quality treatment in a transparent system.

What Does an Ombudsman for Nursing Homes Do?

Ombudsman nursing home programs offer a variety of services to protect older adults against nursing home neglect and abuse.

Learn more about ombudsman nursing home services below.

1. Assists With Nursing Home Abuse Reporting

A nursing home ombudsman provides a vital resource for people to voice complaints. This is especially true for families of residents who, due to dementia or other disabilities, cannot advocate for themselves.

The ombudsman can check in with nursing home residents and address any issues or concerns.

An ombudsman for nursing homes can handle complaints related to:

• Falls and fractures
• Lack of health care for disabilities or illnesses
• Medication errors
• Neglect, including untreated bedsores
• Nursing home injuries
• Physical abuse
• Personal hygiene
• Poor food quality
• Sexual assaults
• Unanswered requests for help
• Verbal and emotional abuse by staff
• Wrongful eviction

All complaints a nursing home ombudsman receives are confidential unless the resident or family member gives permission otherwise. This means issues can be addressed without fear of staff retaliation.

2. Enhances Care Through Ombudsman Nursing Home Services

Beyond addressing individual complaints, an ombudsman for nursing homes also improves the quality of care all residents receive. They do this by visiting nursing homes and making suggestions to help residents.

“Our bread and butter, what we do every day, is visit facilities, talk and meet with residents, get to know them, build trust and rapport with them, then gather information as to what their concerns are about.”

— Patricia Hunter, MSW, Nursing Home Ombudsman

By visiting a facility, an ombudsman for nursing homes may improve the standard of care since staff members know they are being monitored by a third party. During these visits, the nursing home ombudsman can also look for possible signs of nursing home abuse and neglect.

Further, a nursing home ombudsman can inform residents of their rights while they live in the facility and help families create care plans.

3. Holds Negligent Nursing Homes Responsible

After receiving a complaint, an ombudsman can take concrete steps to solve residents’ problems. This includes reporting nursing home abuse to administrators or the proper legal channels.

“Federal law gives each nursing home resident the right to quality care and quality of life. This includes freedom from neglect, abuse, exploitation, and misappropriation of property.”

—The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care Fact Sheet

By reporting cases of abuse, ombudsman nursing home advocates help hold nursing homes to the standard of care set by federal and state laws, ultimately improving residents’ quality of life and preventing elder abuse.

For example, a facility might fire abusive staff and create new rules to keep residents safe after an ombudsman explains that residents are being abused.

The ombudsman may also recommend legal options to protect residents who are suffering.

Find out if you may be able to take legal action right now with a free consultation.

Get a Free Case Review by

Fight back against nursing home abuse and neglect — start now with a free case review.

Start My Free Case Reviewor call (855) 264-6310

4. Works With Government Agencies

Ombudsman nursing home programs are run by the Administration on Aging (AoA) and the Administration for Community Living (ACL).

That requires an ombudsman for nursing homes to work closely with government departments at the local, state, and federal levels to keep older adults safe. They play a key role in ombudsman elder abuse cases by addressing reports of mistreatment, advocating for residents’ rights, and working to improve care standards.

All ombudsman programs that monitor care homes and assisted living facilities enter records from each visit into the NORS database.

This system stores data on:

• How many facilities have been visited
• How many hours have been spent in each facility
• What kinds of complaints have been handled or resolved

As part of their reports, a nursing home ombudsman notes which complaints are common, which are most severe, and where elder care falls short in specific facilities.

The data that ombudsman nursing home programs collect helps government officials address systemic issues affecting older adults nationwide.

When Is a Nursing Home Ombudsman Used?

Residents and families may need to work with an ombudsman for nursing homes if they can’t solve issues by working directly with staff members or administrators.

Working with an ombudsman for nursing homes is crucial when there are concerns or issues related to care, safety, and resident rights in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. They step in to advocate for residents, address complaints, and resolve problems.

Take our Nursing Home Abuse Quiz if you suspect you may need the help of an ombudsman for nursing homes.

Were You or a Loved One Abused or Neglected?

Take Our Nursing Home Abuse Quiz

While many elders face health problems as they age, they should never have to suffer from abuse or neglect. Take this quiz to help you identify possible signs of nursing home abuse and learn about next steps.

Let's Begin:

Who may have suffered nursing home abuse or neglect?

Myself

Family

Friend

Other

Nursing Home Abuse Quiz for:

Question 1

Do your requests for help from staff ever go unanswered for long spans of time?

Yes

No

Question 2

Is medical care hard to access?

Yes

No

Question 3

Do nurses, doctors, and other staff treat you badly or without respect?

Yes

No

Question 4

Have you fallen frequently while living in the nursing home?

Yes

No

Question 5

Have you ever been screamed at or belittled by a staff member or another resident?

Yes

No

Question 6

Have you ever been hit, kicked, bit, or otherwise physically harmed by a staff member or another resident?

Yes

No

Question 7

Have you experienced unwanted touching, groping, or other forms of contact from staff members or visitors?

Yes

No

Question 8

Have your personal items (contacts, hearing aids, credit cards, checks, etc.) ever gone missing?

Yes

No

Question 9

Do you have to wait a long time (several days) for staff to help you wash your body, clothes, or bedsheets?

Yes

No

Question 10

Have you developed serious health problems (infections, bedsores, etc.) while living at the nursing home?

Yes

No

Question 1

Have you noticed any strange changes in the resident since they moved into a nursing home?

Yes

No

Question 2

Does the resident have any injuries (cuts, broken bones, bruises, etc.)?

Yes

No

Question 3

Has the resident complained about the quality of care they’re receiving in the nursing home?

Yes

No

Question 4

Does the resident appear more sad, angry, or confused than normal?

Yes

No

Question 5

Has the resident suffered from repeated falls while at the nursing home?

Yes

No

Question 6

Is the resident’s body, clothing, or bed sheets often dirty?

Yes

No

Question 7

Has the resident developed any serious health problems (infections, bedsores, etc.) while living at the nursing home?

Yes

No

Question 8

Have you noticed any signs of sexual abuse (STDs, injuries around genitals, inappropriate relationships with other residents or staff)?

Yes

No

Question 9

Have you noticed other residents or staff getting angry or yelling?

Yes

No

Question 10

Did the resident pass away while living in or shortly after living in a nursing home?

Yes

No

Question 1

Does anything seem strange when you visit the facility (unfriendly staff/residents, dirty beds or rooms, etc.)?

Yes

No

Question 2

Has the resident complained about the quality of care they’re receiving in the nursing home?

Yes

No

Question 3

Has the resident’s mood recently changed for the worse (new onset of fear, depression, and/or anxiety)?

Yes

No

Question 4

Does the resident have any injuries (cuts, broken bones, bruises, etc.) or appear unclean (dirty hair/clothes/skin)?

Yes

No

Question 5

Has the resident suffered from repeated falls while at the facility?

Yes

No

Question 6

Have you noticed any signs of sexual abuse (STDs, injuries around genitals, and/or inappropriate relationships with other residents or staff)?

Yes

No

Question 7

Has the resident developed any serious health problems (infections, bedsores, etc.) while living at the nursing home?

Yes

No

Question 8

Do the resident’s family members only visit on rare occasions?

Yes

No

Question 9

Did the resident pass away while living in or shortly after living in a nursing home?

Yes

No

Question 10

Have you brought your concerns to the attention of the resident’s family members, friends, or authorities?

Yes

No

Question 1

Does anything seem strange when you visit the facility (unfriendly staff/other residents, unkempt bedding or rooms, etc.)?

Yes

No

Question 2

Does the resident appear withdrawn, agitated, or confused?

Yes

No

Question 3

Does the resident have any injuries (cuts, broken bones, bruises, etc.) or appear unclean (dirty hair/clothes/skin)?

Yes

No

Question 4

Does the resident have a serious health problem (bedsore, infection, untreated injury, etc.) that doesn’t seem to be getting addressed?

Yes

No

Question 5

Has the resident suffered from repeated falls while at the facility?

Yes

No

Question 6

Do staff members and other personnel seem concerned for the resident’s well-being?

Yes

No

Question 7

Does the facility seem well-kept (clean rooms, hallways, restrooms, and dining areas)?

Yes

No

Question 8

Do the resident’s friends and family members only visit occasionally?

Yes

No

Question 9

Did the resident pass away while living in or shortly after living in a nursing home?

Yes

No

Question 10

Have you brought your concerns to the attention of the resident’s family members, friends, or authorities?

Yes

No

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Results

From your answers, we’ve noted possible signs of nursing home abuse or neglect.

This quiz is meant to help you better understand possible signs of abuse to keep you and your loved one safe.

If you are concerned that nursing home abuse or neglect is taking place, contact our team right now. We can assess your case and recommend next steps. Chat with us or call (855) 264-6310.

We can connect you with top nursing home abuse law firms.

Start My Free Case Review

*This result does not guarantee that you or your loved one has suffered from nursing home abuse. Call 911 if your loved one is in immediate danger.

Take Quiz Again

History of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program was established in 1972 to protect the rights and well-being of nursing home residents.

Initially a small pilot program, it became a permanent part of the Older Americans Act (OAA) in 1978, requiring every state to have an official long-term care ombudsman.

Over the years, the program has expanded to address issues like all types of elder abuse, neglect, wrongful evictions, and poor care.

Today, it operates in all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam, with trained staff and volunteers assisting residents and families.

The program remains a key safeguard, ensuring nursing home residents receive the respect and quality care they deserve.

Who Is My Local Ombudsman?

Your local ombudsman is a trained advocate assigned to your state or region to help nursing home and assisted living residents with concerns about their care.

Every state has a Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) that oversees local offices.

Each ombudsman works independently from care facilities, ensuring residents’ rights are upheld and complaints are addressed.

If you need assistance, finding your local ombudsman is the first step.

How Do I Contact My Local Ombudsman?

You can find contact information for an ombudsman for assisted living in your area through the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center’s list of local ombudsman offices.

This site provides names, phone numbers, and addresses for every state’s LTCOP.

Alternatively, you can call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116, a public service connecting older adults and their caregivers with information on senior services.

Your local Area Agency on Aging is another useful resource for ombudsman contact details.

Get Help for Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

You can contact your local office to get help from an ombudsman nursing home program. A staff member or volunteer can help advocate for residents who have suffered elder abuse or neglect. They can also help investigate the situation.

However, for more urgent matters, you may wish to contact your local Adult Protective Services (APS) office. You should always call 911 in any emergency.

In situations of nursing home abuse or neglect, you may be able to seek legal assistance from a skilled nursing home abuse lawyer instead.

By taking legal action, your family can:

• Find closure after nursing home abuse or neglect
• Seek financial compensation for health care costs and other expenses
• Hold abusive nursing facility staff and other care providers accountable

Call (855) 264-6310 right now or get a free legal case review to start the process.