Ombudsman

Ombudsman (om-budz-man) is a Swedish word meaning "one who speaks on behalf of another."

As part of the Colorado Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, added to Disability Law Colorado in 1988, the Area Agency on Aging advocates for residents of 18 long-term care facilities in Southwest Colorado, Region 9. These include nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and two hospitals with temporary skilled nursing.

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The Region 9 certified long-term care ombudspersons address complaints and concerns from residents, family members, employees, legal representatives, and other community members. They are trained to assist confidentially with resolving residents' care, health, safety, and rights issues. At a minimum, the ombudspersons visit nursing homes monthly and assisted living facilities quarterly. The local ombudspersons also educate residents on their rights and counsel them on selecting long-term care facilities.

Under the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of Inspector General reported in 2019 on nursing home complaints from 2016 through 2018. Colorado's complaints increased, including those causing harm that had not been investigated in the required period. Disability Law Colorado writes that the top five complaints in Colorado nursing homes and assisted living residences in 2018-19 were staff not treating residents with dignity and respect, discharge or eviction concerns, medication issues, failure to respond to requests for assistance, and care plan and assessment problems.