Ombudsman Volunteer Job Description

Job Title

• Certified Long Term Care Ombudsman

Description & Purpose

A certified LTC Ombudsman in the Washington State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program serves persons who reside in long term care facilities by:

• Providing them with information about their rights and available resources
• Obtaining factual information about their complaints, investigating and resolving these complaints and providing them with protection of their rights
• Otherwise assuring that they receive fair treatment from service providers

Responsibilities & Duties

• Visit with residents living in the assigned facility at least weekly. More frequent visits are desirable and important.
• Provide information to residents living in the assigned long term care facility:
  • About their rights
  • Community services available to them
  • Laws, regulations and standards that govern long term care facilities
  • Good health and safety practice
• When a resident living in the assigned long term care facility complains or otherwise discusses a violation of their rights, law regulation or standard, the certified long term care ombudsman will:
  • Determine the facts of the alleged violation
  • Make a determination that the complaint was / was not verified
  • When the complaint is verified, work with the resident and the service provider to resolve the complaint
  • When the complaint is not resolved, obtain the resident's consent to refer the complaint to the regional long term care ombudsman and possibly on to the state investigatory system
• Assist residents living in the assigned long term care facility and their families and friends to become more actively involved in their care and treatment by assisting to develop and participating in resident councils and family support groups or family councils.
• Report all actual or suspected incidents of resident abuse to the Regional Long Term Care Ombudsman for discussion. The resident's desire for confidentiality and safety issues for the resident and other residents will determine the direction for further action.
• Attend monthly in-service training sessions.
• Submit monthly activity reports.

Authority

Upon successful completion of an extensive multi-day training program, long term care ombudsmen are certified by the Washington State Long Term Care Ombudsman.

Supervision

The Regional Long Term Care Ombudsman who has delegated authority from the State Long Term Care Ombudsman to operate the regional program supervises routine activities and responsibilities of the certified ombudsman. Final authority over the program rests with the State Long Term Care Ombudsman.

Evaluation

The Regional Long Term Care Ombudsman or staff evaluates ombudsman job performance after three months of working with residents of their assigned long term care facility. Evaluations are then conducted annually. Annual re-certification will be based on satisfactory performance reports.

Requirements

• A sincere interest in promoting the well-being and protecting the rights of people in long term care
• An ability to work cooperatively with the people who live in long term care facilities, the Regional Long Term Care Ombudsman and long term care providers
• Ability to discover facts that result in complaints and impartially and objectively determine whether complaints are verified or not verified
• Acceptance of and adherence to the Volunteer Ombudsman Code of Ethics and Standards
• Successful completion of the Long Term Care Volunteer Ombudsman Training program and State Long Term Care Ombudsman's Certification as a Long Term Care Ombudsman
• Commitment to provide at least four hours per week of Long Term Care Ombudsman service per year and commitment to follow through on specific complaints once begun (even when time demands are great)

Restrictions

• A certified Long Term Care Ombudsman or a member of his/her immediate family may not be presently employed by or have worked for any long term care facility within the last year (will be an actual year from the end of employment).
• A certified Long Term Care Ombudsman or his/her immediate family may not have any current fiduciary interest, either direct, indirect or implied, in any long term care facility.
• A certified Long Term Care Ombudsman may not be assigned to or work in any long term care facility in which the certified Long Term Care Ombudsman or a member of his/her immediate family resides.
• A certified Long Term Care Ombudsman shall not use this position for any financial benefit, direct, indirect or implied.
• A certified Long Term Care Ombudsman shall not conduct or engage in political or religious activities at the long term care facility to which he or she is assigned.