The Long-Term Care Ombudsman program assists residents of nursing homes and advocate on their behalf. Ombudsman staff visit nursing homes and speak with residents throughout the year, working to make sure that the residents' rights are being upheld. The state inspection team gets information from the ombudsman about problems in the facilities. The program began in 1971 and is funded on the federal level by the Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging. Every state has its own ombudsman program as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Some states use community volunteers in addition to paid staff.
The ombudsman is an important resource to residents, their families and friends. The ombudsman can provide information about how nursing homes are organized and regulated. The ombudsman may be able to highlight the nursing home's strengths and weaknesses. The ombudsman can also work to resolve problems such as poor care, dietary needs and financial issues. Sometimes consumers' problems can be dealt with very effectively by the ombudsman who mediates between the resident and the nursing home staff.