Certified Ombudsman Volunteer (COV)

Make a difference in the lives of those living in Long-Term Care Facilities. The Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care is program of the Minnesota Board on Aging. Regional Ombudsman and Volunteers work to enhance the quality of life and care for people receiving long-term care services and supports throughout MN. They have a passion for helping others and making a positive impact on the lives of those living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

What does a Certified Ombudsman Volunteer (COV) do?

• Provides regular visits in long-term care facilities and builds strong relationships with residents
• Volunteers work with paid regional ombudsmen staff to ensure the health, safety and rights of long-term care customers.
• Supports complaint investigations and assists residents in resolving concerns
• Provide education about resident rights and person-centered principles
• Advocate for changes to improve residents’ quality of life and care
• Educate and inform residents, family members and care providers about the Ombudsman program
• Attends resident and family council meetings
• Assist with addressing improper transfer and/or discharge of residents

Would you like to enhance the lives of residents living in long-term care through advocacy, education and empowerment? If you said yes, the Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care invites you to join us in making a difference, by becoming a Certified Ombudsman Volunteer (COV).

As a volunteer you will give only six hours a month, visiting with residents and building a trusting relationship. In your role as COV, you may receive complaints from residents, their friends, or relatives. You will work to resolve those complaints with the support of a Regional Ombudsman.

The purpose of the program is to promote and protect resident’s rights and to assist in empowering residents to become self-advocates. When deciding on whether you want to volunteer, remember that more than half of residents in the nursing homes do not receive any visitors, some may get a visitor once a year or once a month. There is no question as to whether residents enjoy visits from people within their community, in fact, they truly love it.

To learn more about becoming a volunteer, contact Marie Kessler at marie.l.kessler@state.mn.us or 651-890-6308.