Call Marsha at 402-444-6536

ENOA is recruiting volunteers to become Ombudsman Advocates

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging is looking for men and women ages 21 and older to join its Long-term Care Ombudsman Program, which is co-sponsored by the Nebraska State Ombudsman Program. ENOA’s Ombudsman advocates visit residents in local long-term care facilities and assisted living communities to protect the residents’ rights, wellbeing, and quality of life.

Long-term Care Ombudsmen advocates must complete 24 hours of initial classroom training and 18 hours of additional training every two years.

During the time of the training, the volunteers learn about residents’ rights, aging issues, Medicare, Medicaid, communication skills, how to investigate residents’ complaints, the importance of confidentiality, and federal and state rules, regulations, and laws regarding Nebraska’s long-term care facilities and assisted living communities.

Before being assigned to a long-term care facility or an assisted living community, new volunteers will make four visits to a site with an experienced Ombudsman Advocate to learn more about what the program entails. After a three-month probationary period, the new volunteers are certified as Ombudsman Advocates.

Certified Ombudsman Advocates will be assigned to a long-term care facility or an assisted living community where they’ll visit for two hours a week to meet with administrators, residents, and the residents’ family members to address concerns.

For more information about ENOA’s Long-term Care Ombudsman Program, please call Marsha Peters at 402444-6536.