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![Page 1: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Unique Characteristics of the
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
Sara S. Hunt, Consultant
National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center
March 2004
![Page 2: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
“…serves a vital public purpose. Every year the Long-Term
Care Ombudsman Program helps many thousands of
individual …residents …[and] the program can justly claim to
have improved the system of long-term care services.”
Real People, Real Problems: An Evaluation of the Long-Term Care
Ombudsman Programs of the Older Americans Act
Institute of Medicine, 1995, p. 11
![Page 3: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Advocate Ombudsman
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Representatives are
Advocates.
• LTCO carry the message for residents.
• LTCO are
- impartial in gathering information.
- advocates for residents in seeking resolution.
![Page 4: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP)
• Is one of a kind within the Older Americans Act (OAA)
• Has several distinctions in definitions that set it apart from other service programs
• Is unique
![Page 5: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
“One of a Kind” Within the Aging Network (OAA)
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
• Operated by Office of the LTCO, headed by a State LTCO, responsible for a statewide program
• Has more strict confidentiality provisions
• Has specific conflict of interest provisions
• Pursues administrative, legal, and other remedies on behalf of residents
• Is protected from willful interference
• Has legal counsel available that is free of conflict of interest
![Page 6: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Bottom Line
The LTCOP is unique in OAA because it• Addresses concerns of individual residents,• Calls upon others to fulfill their responsibilities to
residents, and• Gives a public voice to residents’ needs by working
for legislative and regulatory changes.
Individual Concerns Systems Issues
Laws, Regulations, Policies
![Page 7: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Distinctions in Definitions
• Sounds like__________, but it isn’t
• LTCOP and other programs use same terms but with different meanings
• Differences in definitions based on OAA
![Page 8: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Distinctions = Strength
Definitions based on OAA are the strength of the LTCOP
![Page 9: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Investigation
• Agreement on purpose—to determine the facts
• How facts are used can be different with LTCO.- LTCOP gather information to resolve issue to
resident’s satisfaction.- Others determine if a law, standard, or
regulation has been violated.
![Page 10: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Standards Of Evidence in Investigation
• LTCO gather evidence to - understand what must be addressed,- resolve problem to resident’s satisfaction.
• Other agencies gather evidence to - determine if legal standards have been violated and- take official action if indicated.
Legal standards such as preponderance of the evidence,clear and convincing, or beyond a reasonable doubt
![Page 11: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Law As End Or Beginning
• Law as End Point- Other agencies are bound by legal standards or
regulations such as state survey agencies, Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control Unit, adult protective services, and police departments.
• Law as Beginning- LTCO use law to see what applies but continue to
work to get what resident wants even without a specific law or regulation that directly applies.
![Page 12: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Confidentiality
• Lots of agencies and programs have confidentiality policies.
• OAA standards for LTCO are more strict. - Not allowed to share confidential information
without consent.- Federal law takes precedence if state law conflicts.
![Page 13: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Conflict Of Interest
• Many agencies and programs have conflict of interest policies.
• The LTCOP has OAA provisions
- For program placement and
- For individual ombudsman representatives.
• Additional dimensions for LTCOP from, Real People, Real Problems
- Loyalty
- Commitment
- Control
![Page 14: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
• Represents residents’ interests
- Individual residents
- Collectively before governmental agencies
• Draws strength from OAA provisions
- Definitions of terms used by many agencies and programs are different for LTCOP
- LTCOP definitions add credibility
• Operates differently from other programs by design. It is Unique!
![Page 15: Unique Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Sara S. Hunt, Consultant National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center March 2004.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062717/56649e185503460f94b04b42/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Thanks to the
Administration on Aging and the California
HealthCare Foundation for their support in
the development and distribution of this
presentation.