Long Term Care Ombudsman representing all Alabama counties met with Alabama Nursing Home Association (ANHA) Executive Director Bill O’Connor today to discuss ways the two groups can partner to improve the lives of nursing home residents.
This event was first opportunity O’Connor had to meet the Ombudsman since joining ANHA. He drew upon his previous experience working with caregivers at the Alabama Department of Mental Health when relating to when relating to the job each Ombudsman as a resident advocate. “It has got to be meaningful to do what you do,” O’Connor told the group. “You make a difference in someone’s life.”
The group discussed several ways nursing homes and local Ombudsman can work together. They agreed to find more ways for Ombudsman to provide in-service trainings for nursing home employees. O’Connor and State Long Term Care Ombudsman Virginia Bell announced that they would hold regular meetings to encourage communication between the two groups and address items of importance to nursing homes and Ombudsman.
Finally, O’Connor told the group that ANHA and other provider groups are beginning to look at the survey of long term care called for in the Medicaid reform legislation passed in 2013. He challenged the audience to partner together to make a unified case for increasing resources available to long term care.
“We have a unique opportunity to study all of long term care and all of those we serve,” O’Connor stated. “No one will make the case for us, unless we make it ourselves.”
In closing, O’Connor asked each Ombudsman to call him personally if there was any thing he could do to assist them in working with an ANHA member nursing home.
The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is administered by the Alabama Department of Senior Services through the 13 Area Agencies on Aging. Long-Term Care Ombudsmen are advocates for residents of nursing homes, board and care homes, assisted living facilities, and specialty care adult care facilities.
