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Colorado Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
What is the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program?
The Colorado State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program advocates for residents of skilled nursing homes, and licensed assisted living residences. The authority of the long-term care ombudsman program comes from Title VII, Chapter 2, of the Older Americans Act, as well as Title 26, Article 11.5, of the Older Coloradans Act. The primary purpose of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is to promote and protect the residents’ rights guaranteed to residents under federal and state law.
We achieve this mission with a network of local offices across the state, which recruit, train, and manage teams of certified ombudsmen. Staff and volunteer ombudsmen visit long-term care facilities throughout the state to ensure residents’ rights are being upheld.
Certified Long-Term Care Ombudsmen are trained to receive complaints and resolve problems in situations involving quality of care, use of restraints, transfer and discharge, abuse, and other aspects of resident dignity and rights. Ombudsman services are free, confidential, and resident directed.
Who Can Use the Ombudsman Program?
- Residents of skilled nursing homes and licensed assisted living residences
- Relatives and friends of residents in licensed long-term care facilities
- Administrators and employees of licensed long-term care facilities
- Any group or individual concerned about the welfare of residents of long-term care facilities
- The community at large
To contact the local long-term care ombudsman program in your area, visit Find an Ombudsman.
Some Reasons Why People Contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
- Violations of rights — privacy issues, loss of dignity issues, poor staff attitudes, emotional and verbal abuse, etc.
- Problems with transfers and discharges — improperly discharged, service fees not disclosed, refused readmission, Medicaid discrimination, etc.
- Problems with care — call lights not being answered, problems with receiving medications, poor hygiene, etc.
