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Office of Ombudsman for
Long-Term Care
“Enhancing the Quality of Life and the Quality of
Services
for Adults Through Advocacy, Education and Empowerment”
What Is The Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term
Care?
A program of the
Minnesota Board on Aging, the Office advocates for
person-directed living, throughout the health care
continuum, which respects individual values and
preferences and preserves individual rights.
Regional
ombudsmen and volunteers, work with consumers,
citizens, nursing homes, hospitals, home care and
social service agencies and public agencies to
enhance the quality of life and services for
individuals receiving health care and supportive
services at home, in hospitals, in nursing homes
and boarding care homes, and in other community
settings such as housing with services (assisted
living, customized living), adult foster care and
adult day centers.
The Office also
works to enhance the quality of life and services
for consumers by advocating for reform in the
health care and social services delivery systems
through changes in state and federal law and
administrative policy.
What Is An Ombudsman?
An ombudsman is
an independent consumer advocate. Ombudsmen
investigate complaints concerning the health,
safety, welfare and rights of long-term care
consumers, work to resolve individual concerns,
and identify problems and advocate for changes to
address them, at no charge to the consumer.
Ombudsmen also offer information and consultation
about nursing home, boarding care home, housing
with services, assisted living, customized living,
home care and hospital services, rights and
regulations. Additionally, ombudsmen work with
providers of long-term care services to promote a
culture of person-directed living.
Who Do We Serve?
-
Residents of
nursing homes and boarding care homes
-
Residents of
other adult care homes (i.e., housing with
services, assisted living, customized living or
foster care)
-
Persons
receiving home care services
-
Medicare
beneficiaries with hospital access or discharge
concerns
-
Anyone seeking
consultation about long-term care services
How Can We Help?
Ombudsmen provide
information and consultation about consumer rights
and the regulations that apply to long-term care
facilities, home and community-based settings, and
home care services.
Ombudsmen help to
resolve disputes between consumers and providers
of long-term care services, regardless of where
those services are provided.
Ombudsmen handle
complaints and problems relating to
-
Quality
Care/Services
-
Quality of Life
-
Rights
Violations
-
Access to
Services
-
Service
Termination
-
Discharge or
Eviction
-
Public Benefit
Programs
How Do I
Find an Ombudsman?
The state office
staff and the regional ombudsmen serving the
7-county metropolitan area are located in the
Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care’s state
office in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. Nine
regional offices are located statewide.
Call our
toll-free number: 1-800-657-3591 (TDD/TTY,
please call 711). This toll-free number operates
out of the state office. The local phone number is
(651) 431-2555. When calling for an ombudsman in
any region, you will be directly transferred to
that ombudsman.
Write to us at:
Office
of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care
P.O. Box 64971
St. Paul, MN 55164-0971
Consider Volunteering with the Ombudsman’s Office
Volunteer
Advocates and Volunteer Associates are trained
visitors and problem-solvers who work in local
nursing homes, housing with services residences
and assisted living residences. Call the Office
for information. |
