Idaho State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program

This account is no longer active. Please follow the link below to join the new Idaho Long Term Care Ombudsman group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ltcidahoombudsmanprogram

www.facebook.com

The State Long-Term Care Ombudsman program would like to wish you a Happy New Year in hopes it is the best year yet.

There are many things in life that we just don't learn about until it is right in our face. Long-Term Care (LTC) is just one of those things, unless you work in the LTC industry.

I have had the opportunity to work with seniors and individuals needing specialized care that only the nursing home industry can provide and can do so, better than any other institution now available.

Of course, there is no place like home as Dorothy reminded us, but a good performing nursing home can be the next best thing.

With that said, there is also a lot of concerns related to nursing homes that choose not to meet compliance and perform well. Unfortunately, this number nationally seems to be growing in number.

How does the average person combat this growing concern? The best way is to become informed and don't be afraid to speak up.

Change never comes about through silence or fear of reprisal. Change is bold and can be at times "in your face".... It's not the ball that is rolling forward but the one that is diligently being pushed seemingly uphill that creates real change.

Covid has brought into the forefront long-term care facility issues that have been going on for years and just didn't have the momentum to make the bill, but now they are "in your face" and that is where they need to remain until the ball has reached the summit and they have been resolved.

The more we know about issues that happen in long-term care the more we can ensure that our loved ones receive the best care.

In Idaho, on the Health and Welfare website there is access to facility survey information that can help you choose a facility that provides the best care in your area. You are able to see the survey concerns that were identified and the facilities response to the concerns. You are also able to see complaints that were addressed by licensing investigations. Find facilities surveys here...

https://publicdocuments.dhw.idaho.gov/WebLink/Browse.aspx?id=4717&dbid=0&repo=PUBLIC-DOCUMENTS&cr=1

How can you file a complaint to licensing?

https://publicdocuments.dhw.idaho.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=16221&dbid=0&repo=PUBLIC-DOCUMENTS

Know the regulations that the nursing home is expected to follow:

https://publicdocuments.dhw.idaho.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=6044&dbid=0&repo=PUBLIC-DOCUMENTS

And

https://www.cms.gov/regulations-and-guidance/guidance/manuals/downloads/som107c07pdf.pdf

Now, Assisted Living facilities are a different story altogether as they have far less regulations in place and make it far more difficult to put a real bite into poor performing facilities. That is why it is even more important to know how to review surveys and know what the facilities history of performance is. Often the only way to really get a facilities attention when things go badly wrong is through legal means.

For assisted living survey results check out the FLARES web page on the Health and Welfare website here...

https://www.flareslive.com/portal/SearchFacility.aspx

type in your facility name and your county and you are able to review survey results and ownership information.

If you are not able to resolve concerns don't beat around the bush reach out to the owners and explain the issues that you're having, and that licensing is the next door you will be knocking on.

Respecting confidentiality at all times remember a picture is worth a million words. There is nothing that makes a complaint more poignant than the ability to see what you are talking about... How can this be refuted.

And how do you place a complaint to licensing? Send in a complaint and label as FORMAL complaint to:

[email protected]

Long term care is a very lucrative business with outrageous cost to residents and families---so why shouldn't you get the care they say you will receive.

Know the regulations that assisted living facilities are required to be compliant to.... they are found here--

https://adminrules.idaho.gov/rules/current/16/160322.pdf

You are now armed with some knowledge to make your long-term care journey easier but when you need more assistance, please remember the long-term care ombudsman program we are here to advocate for residents residing in long term care facilities. There is an Area Agency on Aging in your area and that is where the ombudsman program resides.

Amanda Scott
State Long Term Care Ombudsman

Improving care in nursing homes--you may want to be involved--The Nursing Home Quality Coalition

https://movingforwardcoalition.org/

movingforwardcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Moving-Forward-One-Page-Overview-Handout.pdf

Home - Moving Forward Coalition Every nursing home resident deserves to live in a safe and comfortable environment–one that also provides nursing home teams with the resources and training they need to promote resident health and well-being.

The Idaho State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program would like to Thank Windermere Reality Agents of Couer d' Alene for their thoughtfulness and generous donation of gifts for long-term care residents who lack family support this Christmas. The ombudsmen delivered gifts to their long-term care residents last week. A wholehearted Thank you from all of us.....

Amanda Scott
State Long-term Care Ombudsman

AAA 4 Ombudsman and Volunteers have begun their calendar deliveries to facilities and gathering to celebrate the importance and value of volunteering for the ombudsman program to be resident advocates. Thank you Marilyn and Pam for engaging your volunteers and for loving them as you do. Volunteers are the life blood of the ombudsman program, and we truly cannot do what we do without them.

Those who have worked in the long-term care system has known well in advance of Covid that there were issues in Nursing Homes surrounding evictions and dischargeing of residents. Findings support our experiences.

Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, US Department of Health and Human Services Report

Resident and Facility Factors Associated
with High Risk of Discharge from
Nursing Facilities, 2012-2017:
Final Report

September 2022--

https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cc0772c12db75f3e2bce766e3d9d21c8/high-risk-discharge-report.pdf

Consumer voice article on Spending Time with Loved Ones During the Holidays...

https://theconsumervoice.org/news/detail/all/spending-time-with-loved-ones-during-the-holidays