An Ombudsman is an advocate working to resolve problems related to the health, welfare, and rights of individuals living in nursing homes, rest homes, and assisted living residences. As part of a federal program, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services manages the Ombudsman Program in Massachusetts, and aging service agencies in the state operate them. At Springwell, the Long Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman Program is led by Mary Brooks and Julie Arias, while the Assisted Living (AL) Ombudsman Program is led by Maura Donahue.

With last year’s merger of BayPath and Springwell, the LTC Ombudsman program now serves facilities in twenty-two communities. Mary and Julie said that while the merger brought the two programs together officially, they have always worked together. Julie noted that “not much has really changed for us because we already knew each other, shared ideas and resources and covered for each other when one of us was away. It does simplify things being one organization now.”

The LTC Ombudsman program is facilitated by many volunteers who work with Mary and Julie to visit all the nursing homes and rest homes in our communities weekly. “We don’t wait for complaints. We are proactively in there visiting. We knock on doors, introduce ourselves, and offer residents the chance to talk with us and share concerns. If they don’t want to talk, we respect that. If they share a concern or problem, we ask their permission to advocate for them to come up with a resolution. By being there regularly, we are also observers and can often spot changes in how someone is doing from visit to visit.” Maura provides this function for residents of assisted living facilities who may need help resolving a challenge.

“For a resident, frustrations and dissatisfaction often arise from the little things. It might be something about the food choices or a preference about what time someone assists them to take a shower. Resolving an issue such as these can really enhance the quality of life for these older adults,” shares Julie. “Even if it is not possible to fully resolve an issue, a resident often feels better knowing that they have been heard. Sometimes, the ombudsman is the only person advocating for them,” adds Mary.

The LTC Ombudsman Program always needs more volunteers to help visit every long-term care facility and rest home weekly. Virtual trainings are run monthly by the State, so a volunteer can typically begin learning the role very quickly. Currently the AL Ombudsman program is in a pilot stage and is not yet utilizing volunteers, but that may change within the year. Mary, Julie, and Maura agree that volunteers who thrive in this role are good listeners who respect confidentiality and have good communication and diplomacy skills with both residents and the staff at the facilities. If you are interested in learning more about becoming an ombudsman, Mary and Julie welcome the opportunity to talk with you. Please call Julie at (617) 926-4100 or Mary at (508) 573-7200.