Want to be a Certified Volunteer Ombudsman?

Area Agency on Aging Rio Grande has the Ombudsman program where certified volunteer's ombudsman can serve residents and families for advocacy. You can help protect resident right's, health and well-being. We assist residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities that can face abuse, neglect and financial exploitation. To make matters worse they often have no one in their corner to stand up for them. Ombudsman advocate for residents' rights. They help protect the quality of life and quality of care of anyone who lives in these long-term care facilities. To be a volunteer Ombudsman, you must be at least 18 years old, have no conflict of interest, complete certification training and has transportation, volunteer hours are flexible, and no experience required. Volunteers receive free 36 hours certification course, ongoing support, on-site experience during a three-month internship and continuing education.

Certified Volunteer Ombudsman Assignment Description

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

A Certified Volunteer Ombudsman (CVO) is an individual designated by the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman to carry out the duties of the Office. The CVO shall, in accordance with the policies and procedures:

• Provide services to protect the health, safety welfare and rights’ of nursing facility and assisted living facilities
• Ensure timely access to a representative of the program
• Identify, investigate, and resolve complaints made by, or on behalf of, residents
• Support the development of resident and family councils

SPECIFIC DUTIES

• Develop a cooperative working relationship with facility staff and other advocates
• Interact with and get to know residents and families in assigned facilities
• Seek out hard-to-reach and isolated residents
• Respect and protect the privacy and confidentiality of residents
• Demonstrate sensitivity to the social and emotional needs of residents
• Serve as a resource when assistance is sought in making ab appropriate placement in a family or alternate care setting
• Provide information to the managing local ombudsman regarding problems in facilities and discuss concerns, and questions involving the facility with the Managing Local Ombudsman (MLO)
• Identify, investigate and resolve complaints for residents, families and friends, consistent with guidance from the MLO
• Resolve resident issues and complaints within the facility whenever possible
• Participate in open hearings (if scheduled), surveys, resident group and exit interviews with Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) Regulatory Services
• Support the development of and provide consultation to family and resident councils
• Visit assigned facilities regularly to ensure that residents have timely access to ombudsman services and receive timely responses to complaints.
• Practice effective communication techniques with residents, families, facility staff and ombudsman staff
• Comply with established lines of communication and supervision
• Provide feedback and/or in-service training to facility staff as appropriate and with concurrence of MLO
• Attend Resident and/or Family Council meetings when invited by Council members
• Submit monthly reports to MLO
• Attend the minimum required hours of annual continuing education 12 hrs.
• Carry out other activities that the MLO determines to be appropriate

State Long-term Care Managing Local Ombudsman Orientation, Revised July 2013

TRAINING and EDUCATION

The MLO provides and/or arranges initial certification training of 36 hours and annual continuing education of 12 hours. Attendance is required.

CONFIDENTIALITY

All information on facility complainants and/or residents that is obtained in the course of ombudsman duties will be treated as confidential and will not be shared with anyone outside the ombudsman program without consent. Violation of confidentiality procedures will be grounds for dismissal from the program. The complainant and/or the resident of a long-term care facility have the right to remain anonymous throughout the complaint investigation.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITIES

• Ability to focus on the resident as the primary client
• Ability to dedicate the time required of a Certified Volunteer Ombudsman
• Ability to work independently and as a team member
• Ability to interact in an unbiased, objective and diplomatic manner
• Ability to analyze the facts and convey them accurately
• Skill in advocating for the rights of residents while supporting the sincere efforts of facility staff who wish to provide high quality of care
• Knowledge of ombudsman rules, regulations, and resident’s rights
• Knowledge of other related sources of advocacy and assistance
• Skill in summarizing information, writing details and reporting data
• Ability to devote time required to obtain annual in-service training, and develop and submit required reports