Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
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Governor Moore Proclaims October Residents' Rights Month in Maryland
Governor Moore has proclaimed October National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Month in Maryland. This year's theme, "The Power of My Voice," aims to empower residents to be vocal about their interests, personal growth, and right to live full, enriching lives.
Residents' Rights Month reminds us that residents are protected by law and do not give up their rights as citizens when they enter a long-term care facility. If you are concerned about the care of a resident in a nursing home or assisted living facility or believe their rights have been compromised, contact your local Ombudsman office, where trained Ombudsmen can offer free and confidential assistance.
Click Here to read the full proclamation.
Protecting the Rights and Promoting the Well-Being of Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities
Under the authorization of the Older Americans Act, the Ombudsman program is designed to assist individuals living in long-term care facilities, including assisted living and nursing homes. Federal, state, and local governments fund programs throughout all 23 counties in Maryland and Baltimore City.
Ombudsmen are trained to help residents resolve issues and concerns, assist with resident complaints, and help improve overall resident care and quality of life at the local, state, and national levels. In addition to addressing resident rights and care concerns, Ombudsmen can assist residents with issues arising from facility transfers, discharges, and appeals made by a resident to a long-term care facility.
Ombudsmen can be volunteers or paid employees who are independent of any conflict of interest with a long-term care facility.
Services are free and confidential.
Additional Information
What does the word "Ombudsman" mean?
The term ombudsman (om-budz-man) is Scandinavian in origin. In the United States, it has come to mean "advocate".
History of the Ombudsman Program
Begun in 1972 as a demonstration program, the Ombudsman Program today exists in all states, the District of Columba, Puerto Rico, and Guam, under the authorization of the Older Americans Act. Each sate has an Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, headed by a full-time state ombudsman. Thousands of local ombudsman staff and volunteers work in hundreds of communities throughout the country as part of the statewide ombudsman programs, assisting residents and their families and providing a voice for those unable to speak for themselves.
The statewide programs are federally funded under Titles III and VII of the Act and other federal, state, and local sources. The AoA-funded National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center, operated by the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (or, Consumer Voice), in conjunction with the National Association of States Agencies on Aging United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD), provides training and technical assistance to state and local ombudsman.
Our Mission
The Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman (Maryland) seeks to improve the quality of life for residents of long-term care facilities (nursing homes and assisted livings). The State Office certifies and trains community ombudsman who work to resolve concerns of long-term care facility residents statewide. We emphasize residents' wishes in assisting to resolve problems.
Our Philosophy
"Our Philosophy" and "The SLTCOP" is a resident-centered advocacy program. The resident is the client, regardless of the source of the complaint or request for service. A long-term care ombudsman (LTCO) will make every reasonable effort to assist, represent, and intervene on behalf of the resident. LTCO work is resident focused and consent driven. When the work is related to a specific resident or residents, the resident, or resident representative when applicable, must give consent to LTCO action.
- Education to inform residents, families, facility staff and others on a variety of issues related to aging, long-term care, and resident's rights.
- Information and referral to empower individuals to resolve concerns and complaints on their own behalf.
- Consultation to make recommendations for protecting the rights of residents and improving their care and quality of life.
- Individual advocacy to facilitate the resolution of concerns and complaints and to protect the rights of residents.
- Systems advocacy to identify significant concerns and problematic trends and to advocate for systemic changes that will benefit current and future residents of long-term care facilities.
Anyone can contact the LTC Ombudsman Program to discuss or seek assistance in resolving a problem, concern, or complaint impacting one or more residents of a long-term care facility. This includes residents, friends, family members, facility staff, and others. As the resident advocate, however, the LTC Ombudsman always seeks to resolve the concern to the satisfaction of the resident.
Contact your local Ombudsman Office by clicking here.
Maryland’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program consists of the State Office and 19 Local LTC Ombudsman Programs, which are located at Area Agencies on Aging and serve specific regions. Trained Ombudsmen pay regular visits to long-term care facilities within their region to spend time with residents, monitor conditions, investigate complaints, and protect residents’ rights.
If you are interested in volunteering, please review the below forms:
