| Related Links |
|
| Adult Protective Services |
|
| Family Services |
|
| Local Area Agencies on Aging |
State Ombudsman Regional Programs |
The Program's Mission:
The mission of the Ombudsman program is to advocate for persons receiving long-term care services to ensure the highest possible quality of life and care for persons residing in nursing facilities; assisted living facilities; adult day care or for recipients of home care services.
The Program's Goals:
-
To receive, investigate
and attempt to resolve complaints
made by or on behalf of residents of nursing facilities and assisted living facilities.
-
To protect resident’s rights.
-
To provide information about long-term care
providers to help consumers make an informed choice.
-
To advocate for improving the quality of
life for persons receiving long-term care services.
-
To educate the community about long-term
care issues.
-
To visit long-term care facilities on a weekly basis through our volunteer ombudsman program.
-
To train long-term care
staff.
-
To consult with long-term care
providers for quality services.
Areas covered:
The counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and the
cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park.
(A total of 113 facilities with over 10,800 beds.)
Title VII of the Older Americans Act; local funding from the five Area Agencies on Aging in Northern Virginia.
History:
In the early 1970's Dr. Arthur Flemming, Counselor on Aging to President
Nixon, developed the idea for the Ombudsman Program. Dr. Flemming
envisioned the program as an advocacy program to ensure the highest
quality of life and care for residents of long-term care facilities.
In 1978, the Ombudsman Program became a mandate under the Older Americans Act. The statute and amendments that followed provided the development of a State Ombudsman Office and sub-state (regional) programs. The Northern Virginia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, a regional program, was established in 1985.
The Ombudsman Program Staff:
• Laura Nichols,
Director & Long-Term Care Ombudsman
• Maimoona Bah, Long-Term Care
Ombudsman
• Lisa Callahan, Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Volunteer Coordinator
• Shannon Dodd, Long-Term Care
Ombudsman
• Tanya Erway, Long-Term Care
Ombudsman
• Laila Riaz , Long-Term Care
Ombudsman
• Jean Thompson, Long-Term Care
Ombudsman
• Sixty
volunteers--each assigned to a specific
long-term care facility in
Northern Virginia.
The Northern Virginia Long-Term Ombudsman office is one of the
regional offices of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. The
State Long-Term Care Ombudsman in Richmond can be contacted at
1-800-552-3402.