ABLE SERVICES
Ombudsman & Nursing Home Advocacy
Through our Ombudsman and Nursing Home Advocacy Program, we advocate for the rights of people who receive long-term care services in nursing homes, adult care facilities or through in-home care programs. Ombudsman advocates respond to complaints made by or on behalf of the residents of northwest Ohio’s long-term care facilities. Residents, family members, visitors, and staff members can contact the program with their complaints and concerns. Ombudsmen objectively investigate concerns and complaints brought to their attention and then seek solutions that address the concerns and care of the residents. In order to best serve the residents, we attempt to solve problems within the facilities as quickly as possible.
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A Better Home for Louise*
Louise (not her real name) suffered with a mental illness that made it impossible for her to live on her own. Several years ago she entered a skilled nursing facility that specialized in caring for people with mental illness and that had both secure and non-secured facilities.
Within two years of being there, Louise was moved to the secured floor, located in the basement of the facility. Louise found the living arrangements to be less than ideal with lack of outside lighting and other patients invading her privacy. She felt the staff was not listening to her needs and ignoring her complaints. When a volunteer Ombudsman visited the facility, Louise took the opportunity to tell her that she wanted more of a 'home' environment where she could get back to being more involved in day-to-day living.
The volunteer asked the ABLE staff Ombudsman to assist Louise. Over a nine-month period the ABLE Ombudsman met with Louise's court appointed guardian and staff from the nursing facility in order to get her moved. She was finally accepted at a nursing facility located in the country. Louise is thrilled with her new place and feels that she is now being heard and treated with respect. She is working with medical personnel to regulate her medications and is now enjoying life the way she wanted.
(*not her real name)
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For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering for this program, please visit the Get Involved: Ombudsman Volunteers section on this site and contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Volunteer Coordinator:
Phone: (419) 259-2891 or (800) 542-1874
E-mail:
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We also invite you to visit the full Long-Term Care Ombudsman website:
ombudsman.ablelaw.org
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BROCHURE
Elder abuse is a crime. Help is available through ABLE's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.
Abuse of an elderly person can happen in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult group homes and other long-term care facilities. Abuse from a caregiver can also occur in private homes.
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BROCHURE
Improving the quality of life and quality of care for consumers of long-term care is the mission of Advocates for Basic Legal Equality's (ABLE's) Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. This program is part of a statewide network of programs that act to protect the health, safety, welfare, and rights of long-term care residents and consumers by investigating and resolving complaints, promoting the enforcement of laws and regulations, advising and recommending policy, and educating the public, consumers, providers and policy makers.
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BROCHURE
Who can you turn to when you feel your rights as a long-term care consumer are not being met?
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE) works to uphold the rights of people who receive long-term care services in nursing homes, group homes, other adult care facilities or through in-home care programs. The program investigates and resolves complaints about long-term care ranging from admission and discharge problems to abuse, neglect and violations of civil rights.
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