Nearly 80,000 Washingtonians live in more than 4,300 licensed long-term care facilities homes across the state – most in community-based settings like adult family and assisted living homes, others in nursing homes and other enhanced services facilities.<\/p>\n
Over the past four years, long-term care residents have experienced a twin pandemic of COVID infection and prolonged isolation. Even without a global pandemic, many long-term care residents do not receive regular visits from family or friends, or don’t know where to turn for help solving the challenges they face. They may even experience neglect and abuse.<\/p>\n
The Washington State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program<\/a> is an independent organization that advocates for the rights of residents living in long-term care homes. The program relies heavily on trained volunteers who visit, resolve complaints, and advocate for the rights of residents inside long-term care facilities. <\/p>\n Ombuds is a Swedish word meaning “to advocate for another.”<\/p>\n “We simply could not do what we do without volunteers,” explains Patricia Hunter, Washington State Long-Term Care Ombuds. “Long-Term Care Ombuds are trained to visit, resolve complaints, and advocate for the rights of some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. Volunteer Ombuds assess how residents are doing, flag incidents of poor quality of care, and violations of residents’ rights, and help residents resolve complaints. Ombuds serve as a voice for people who may not feel they have one, or fear that if they complain they may be subject to retaliation.” <\/p>\n