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July 17, 2020
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THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND STATE OFFICE FOR THE AGING ANNOUNCE PLAN TO IMPROVE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR LONG TERM CARE RESIDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIESDepartment of Health to Provide $1 Million in Funding for the Purchase of Communication Technology and Accessories to Connect Residents to Family Members and the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program |
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State to Promote Awareness Campaign to Improve Access to LTCOP and Expand Volunteer Ombudsman Recruitment Strategies
“Reimagine” State Agency Partnership Formed to Recommend Best Practices for Ombudsmen to Connect with Families, Engage Volunteers, Increase Information Sharing and Expand Services The New York State Department of Health and State Office for the Aging today announced a five-point plan to help long term care residents and their families access services through the Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, provide additional resources to residents and families appealing involuntary discharges, expand the ombudsman volunteer program, “reimagine” a multi-agency workgroup to enhance services, and provide up to $1 million in funding for long term care facilities to purchase tablets, webcams, headphones, or other accessories to help residents stay connected with family and LTCOP during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. New York State Commissioner of Health Dr. Howard Zucker said, “When our loved ones reside in a nursing home, regular communication concerning their care is vital to the advocacy of residents and the peace of mind for their family members. Governor Cuomo’s plan, which includes $1 million in funding from the State Department of Health to purchase communications technology to help increase access to the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, gives residents and their families a voice and will continue to serve communities during the COVID-19 pandemic response and beyond.” New York State Office for the Aging Acting Director Greg Olsen said, “The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program has not gone away through this pandemic; it has shifted its work to remote and technology based advocacy. Families and friends of residential facility residents can and should reach out to LTCOP staff and volunteers if they have any quality of care concerns with their loved ones. We will continue to work with the Department of Health, resident councils, and facilities to ensure the safety and security of all residents.” The New York State Department of Health and Office for the Aging are partnering to encourage nursing home residents and their families to access the services available through the Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman. New York’s successful Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is a vital resource for adult care facility and nursing home residents and their families. The innovative agency partnership will advance this five-point plan to improve residents’ access to LTCOP’s services and improve resident communication with family and friends:
To encourage continued access, especially during a potential COVID-19 second wave, NYSOFA and DOH will promote LTCOP’s resources through social media and news outlets around the state, and will continue to remind facilities of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirement to provide access to LTCOP for residents and families.
State Director of AARP New York Beth Finkel said, “Fighting social isolation in New York’s nursing homes as the state’s technology investment will help do is critical to the health of residents. Strengthening the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program by expanding the pool of volunteers to younger New Yorkers, among other things, should help ensure quality care to residents. And helping residents and their families know their rights and access free legal advocacy should help reduce involuntary discharges. AARP has been advocating for the rights of residents in nursing homes and other residential care facilities since our founding over 60 years ago. We commend New York State for taking these steps.” The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is an effective advocate and resource for older adults and people with disabilities who live in nursing homes, assisted living, and other licensed adult care homes. LTCOP services are made available through a contingent of 15 regional program sponsors which host the program’s staff and a volunteer corps of over 400 people who have completed a 36-hour certification training obtaining skills to investigate and resolve complaints through effective communication, observation, and mediation skills. All volunteers are required to shadow an experienced certified ombudsman before being assigned to a facility. Once assigned to a facility, they are required to spend at least four hours a week visiting residents, listening to their concerns, and troubleshooting problems with the facility administration. For more information on the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, please visit https://aging.ny.gov/long-term-care-ombudsman-program. |
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