Ombudsman Services

What is an Ombudsman?
What Does an Ombudsman Do?
Should I Ask for an Ombudsman's Help?
What does the Ombudsman Program do for Long Term Care Residents?
Contact Your Local Ombudsman Program 
Financial Considerations

What is an Ombudsman?
"Ombudsman" is a Norwegian word for a person who acts as a citizen representative. In modern society, an ombudsman is a third party that acts to investigate and resolve complaints involving residents of long-term care facilities. Long-term care facilities include nursing homes, group homes and assisted living communities. 

What Does an Ombudsman Do?
Mainly, an ombudsman receives and resolves complaints against long-term care facilities. However, Ombudsman groups also:

• Educate consumers and long-term care providers about residents' rights;

• Promote community involvement with senior citizens; and 

• Provide information to the public about long-term care facilities.
  

The Ombudsman is an advocate whose goal is to promote the highest possible quality of life for residents. 

The Maryland Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program helps residents in long-term care facilities maintain their legal rights, control their care, and retain their personal dignity. 

Should I ask for an Ombudsman's help?
You should consider seeking the assistance of an Ombudsman if you are:

• A resident of a long term care facility and are either dissatisfied with the quality of care you are receiving, or are having a dispute with the facility 

• A friend or relative of a resident in a long term care facility, concerned about the care the resident is receiving

• Interested in improving the quality of care for residents of long term facilities

What does the Ombudsman Program do for Long Term Care Residents?
If you are a resident of a long term care facility, or a friend or relative of a resident of a long term care facility, contacting an Ombudsman may be of benefit to you. An Ombudsman can:

• Help you to understand your legal rights

• Help to implement your legal rights.

• Attempt to resolve complaints made by or on behalf of long term care residents.

• Provide assistance and support to residents until disputes are resolved.

• Provide information and referral services regarding long term care issues.

• Identify insufficiencies in the care of long term residents 

• Advocate for improvement in long term care legislation and policy.

If you have further questions about nursing homes, long term care, or assisted living options, the PLL offers information about all of these topics:

• Nursing Homes 

• Assisted Living Options 

• Long Term Care 

Contact Your Local Ombudsman Program 

Pre-placement Counseling
Deciding to enter a long term care facility is a major life decision, and requires careful planning. Pre-placement counseling is available for seniors and their families considering admission to a long term care facility. Issues to be reviewed and discussed include:

How to Select a Facility
Types of Facilities Available
Current Facility Survey by State Licensing Agencies
Financial Considerations 

How to select a facility. A good website that may provide help in this area is:

• Nursing Home Admission Contracts in Maryland 
  This website is sponsored by the Maryland State Bar Association. It contains information on nursing home contracts, and discusses the rights of long-term care patients when considering a long term facility or when signing a contract. It will be beneficial to those considering entering a long term facility, or friends and family of those considering a long term option.
• Information and Referral Services for Older Marylanders.  
  This website, hosted by the Maryland Department of Aging, provides contact information for services that may be useful to the senior citizens of Maryland. This is an excellent website if you or a friend or relative is looking for a trusted referral service for long term care facilities in Maryland. 

Types of facilities available. For more information on long-term care options, please visit: Nursing Home Alternatives
This website is also sponsored by the Maryland State Bar Association, and discusses viable options to nursing home care. This website would be particularly valuable if you are a senior citizen and would like to explore your living options.

Current facility survey by state licensing agencies. For information on where to find information on what long term facilities are currently state licensed, contact: 

• Maryland Department on Aging 
  As part of this state-sponsored website, interested parties may access information about long-term and continuing care, as well as organizations and groups providing help to older Marylanders. This website is beneficial if you are considering the option of a long term care facility and would like to better educate yourself as to which facilities are state approved.
• Maryland Department of Aging, expanded its website and lists other agencies of interest that may be of assistance with researching or learning about senior citizens. This website will be beneficial for you to visit if you are interested in exploring the option of long term care or assisted living facilities.

Financial Considerations
Placement in a long term care facility may become very expensive very quickly. However, you may not have to shoulder this financial burden alone. Publicly funded programs, including Medicare, Medical Assistance (Medicaid) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), all have different policies regarding long-term care, and it may be to your benefit to see what assistance these organizations may provide.

Please note: some of the information contained in the websites below may be from a for-profit organization. These companies make a profit by selling advertising space on their websites. MLAN does not endorse any for-profit organization, nor do the beliefs of a for-profit organization represent the beliefs of MLAN.

• Nursing Home Reports 
  This for-profit site contains extensive information on many aspects of nursing home and long-term care, including comprehensive monetary advice. This would be a good website to visit if you are interested in learning more about long term care facilities and the cost of such facilities.
• A Place for Mom. 
  This website is maintained by the "A Place for Mom", it is an elder care referral service. This website covers a vast amount of reference and researchable material, as well as articles and related information. If you are interested in researching long term care facilities or additional options, this website can provide more reference materials for you to browse.
• Social Security Benefits. 
  This web page is part of the PLL, and will provide you with more information about your social security benefits. This is an excellent resource if you are concerned as to whether social security benefits will provide assistance for long term care.