Nursing Home Ombudsman Agency of the Bluegrass Inc

As Americans, we value our independence, and we value our homes. Most people want to “age in place”—growing old in the comfort of their own home, with people they love. Very few of us want to live in a nursing home or other long-term care facility.

The reality, however, is that 70% of Americans turning 65 can expect to use some form of long-term care in their lives. For many, that help will be temporary. But for some, a long-term care facility will become their new home. And it’s not just seniors who live in them. Due to accidents, illnesses, and a variety of disabilities, the number of younger and middle-aged residents is increasing.

For almost 35 years, The Nursing Home Ombudsman Agency of the Bluegrass (NHOA) has protected the region’s most vulnerable citizens. “Ombudsman” is a Swedish word for advocate, and that’s exactly what we do: advocate for people who live long-term care facilities. Our mission is to improve the quality of care they receive. Our ombudsmen VISIT residents regularly; MONITOR their care; and INVESTIGATE and RESOLVE care concerns.

An alarming 60% of long-term care residents do not have regular visitors. They either have no family, or their family doesn’t visit. Many are isolated and forgotten. For these individuals, in particular, an ombudsman is a vital lifeline.

NHOA serves more than 5,250 residents in more than 80 nursing homes, personal care homes, and family care homes throughout the 17-county Bluegrass District. We also serve their families and friends, staff who work in long-term care facilities, and the broader community. Our ombudsmen work to:

• Regularly visit residents to monitor their care.
• Protect residents’ rights.
• Educate residents, their families, and facility staff about residents’ rights.
• Empower residents to make informed choices.
• Identify, investigate and work to resolve residents’ concerns.
• Recognize and stop neglect and abuse.
• Prevent future incidents of neglect and abuse from happening.

As you read this, our ombudsmen are either visiting residents in a local nursing home, or working to resolve a resident’s complaint. Just this week, for instance, we received a call from Molly, a Madison County resident, who asked her ombudsman, Susan, to come visit. Molly had not been receiving her pain medicine but was afraid to ask the staff why. Susan investigated and was able to get the doctor to write a new order for the medicine Molly needs. 

We also had a call from Jeanette, whose best friend, David, lives in a nursing home. Like many residents (more than half, in fact) David has dementia. Along with difficulty performing basic daily activities, he has trouble communicating his needs. His illness has progressed to the point where he can no longer feed himself, but he was unable to tell the staff he needed help—so he was going without food. The ombudsman intervened to make sure he gets fed.

The same day, Mr. Logan called, distraught that a nursing home claiming to specialize in “memory care” was threatening to discharge his wife Geneva because she kept trying to leave the facility. The staff said that unless he hired a private sitter to be with her 24 hours a day, they would discharge Geneva. Mr. Logan couldn’t afford a sitter, and he knew he couldn’t care for his wife himself. As anyone familiar with Alzheimer’s disease knows, such “wandering” is a typical behavior. The ombudsman educated Mr. Logan about Geneva’s legal rights and the nursing home’s responsibility to provide appropriate care. She helped Mr. Logan advocate for a new care plan, which calls for staff to gently redirect Geneva when she starts heading for the door. 

Very few of us are prepared for the long-term care experience. The system is complex, urgency forces decisions, and confusion is common. NHOA routinely counsels people who need help finding placement for a loved one, or even for themselves. NHOA’s clear, Kentucky-specific information assures residents are correctly placed according to care needs, reduces confusion & stress, and helps individuals and families make educated decisions about long-term care.

PLEASE HELP US keep our ombudsmen advocating for improved quality of care for some of our community’s most vulnerable members! Regardless of whatever physical, mental or cognitive disabilities they may have, people who live in long-term care facilities deserve dignified care that meets their needs. YOU CAN HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN!