Empowerment

Empowerment 1. What does empowerment mean to you?

2. What examples do you have of times when you either have been empowered or have empowered someone else?

3. How have you attempted to gain a perspective of what it is like to be a resident? Consider going into different types of long-term care facilities, sitting in an empty room (with permission) and making a mental list of what possessions you would have in that space. Take time to absorb the “feel” of that environment as if it were your world for an extended period of time. Use all of your senses. Talk with residents, apart from a complaint process, about their daily life.

4. An important aspect of the role of a long-term care ombudsmen is to empower others to act on their own behalf, to be self-advocates. 

As a SLTCO how do you empower local LTCO?

5. Jot a few notes about ways to empower local ombudsmen as you: 

discuss working on cases, give affirmation to individual LTCO,

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share decision-making about aspects of the LTCOP such as policy development, goal setting, and choosing an advocacy agenda,

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visit their offices,

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provide opportunities and guidance regarding systems advocacy activities and

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involve them in representing the statewide LTCOP in various capacities such as serving on a task force or committee?

6. How does the LTCOP empower consumers?

7. In receiving and resolving complaints, how do state and local LTCO encourage consumers to engage in self-advocacy? 

Do they check back with the resident at key decision points for direction and participation?

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Do LTCO begin with the resident instead of with the chart or the staff?

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Do the LTCOP policies and training support empowerment and resident directed approaches?

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Are the consent forms used by LTCO time limited and specific to a complaint and the necessary records/contacts or are the provisions global in scope and time frame?

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Are there printed materials such as fact sheets or flyers available for consumers that explain how they can participate in problem-solving, care planning, the survey process, what to do about theft and loss, or what to look for in an admissions contract?