Investor Presentaiton
AGING PROGRAMS AND PLAN FOCUS AREAS
OAA FOCUS 4 - ELDER JUSTICE (cont.)
LTC
Ombudsman
Program
Under Title VII, the State LTC Ombudsman Program advocates for residents of LTC fa-
cilities. In keeping with its federal and state mandates, the Virginia Office of the State
LTC Ombudsman, housed at DARS, investigates and resolves complaints on behalf of
individuals receiving LTSS and engages in systemic advocacy to help protect the
health, safety, welfare, and rights of these individuals.
Operating as one integrated statewide program, the Virginia Office of the State LTC Om-
budsman:
1) provides oversight of its network of designated LTC ombudsman representatives
who operate out of AAAS,
2) works to investigate and resolve complaints, and
3) collaborates with stakeholders to improve the quality of LTSS.
The Office of the State LTC Ombudsman and LTC ombudsman representatives work
cooperatively with regulatory agencies such as the VDH and the VDSS, as well as other
programs, such as APS.
LTC ombudsman representatives advocate for or with older persons receiving LTSS by:
• Receiving, investigating, and working to resolve complaints involving quality of care
issues, made by or on the behalf of residents of LTC facilities, and for those receiving
community-based LTSS;
• Assisting individuals receiving LTSS in exercising their rights;
• Providing consumer/public education, including information and referral assistance
regarding Virginia's network of LTSS;
• Providing technical support for the development of LTC resident and family councils;
• Monitoring and addressing regulations and policies affecting LTC recipients.
In Virginia, the LTC Ombudsman Program covers 303 nursing facilities with a total of
32,733 beds, and 538 assisted living facilities with a total of 34,631 beds. For FFY
2018, the LTC Ombudsman Program utilized just over 25 full-time and 80 volunteer
ombudsman representatives to investigate or resolve 3,478 complaints on behalf of
care recipients. Staff also provided over 12,000 consultations to individuals to assist
with LTC decision making and problem-solving, and just under 1,400 consultations to
LTC facility staff.
LTC Beds in Virginia
303
Nursing facilities
32,733
beds
538
Assisted living facilities
34,631
beds
41
Full-time
Volunteers
25
80
3,478
Complaints resolvedView entire presentation