Volunteer LTC ombudsman

Become a champion for those residing in long-term care

Volunteer Long-term Care (LTC) Ombudsmen are compassionate advocates for individuals living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Ombudsmen play a crucial role in championing the rights and well-being of LTC residents, ensuring that they are treated with respect and dignity.

Volunteer Ombudsmen complete routine facility visits and attend resident council meetings to serve as a voice for residents. They contribute to a safer, dignified space for those in need of care.

Join our Ombudsman team and ensure that everyone, regardless of where they live, has a safe and supportive environment.

What does a volunteer Ombudsman do?

Visits assigned facilities to speak with residents

Attends resident council meetings to listen to concerns

Advocates for residents, ensuring their rights are protected

To discuss volunteering as an Ombudsman, please call 801-229-3809 or
email ombudsman@mountainland.org.

FAQs

What is a long-term care facility?

Long-term care facilities provide both medical and personal support services to individuals who are unable to live independently. This could include assisted living facilities, nursing homes, rehab facilities and skilled nursing facilities.

What is the time commitment?

Volunteers are expected to volunteer a few hours a month after they receive certification. We ask for at least one year commitment.

What does a facility visit involve?

Volunteers are assigned a certain number of facilities (nursing homes and/or long-term care facilities) that will be visited on a regular basis. Each visit has a checklist of things that the volunteer will observe. This could include proper signage for menus and activities, making sure that safety measures are in place. Additionally, volunteers will talk with residents to ensure that they are receiving proper care. Afterwards, the volunteer will complete a report based on their experiences. If there are any concerns, the volunteer will work with their supervisor to address those concerns.

What is a resident council meeting?

Each facility should have a resident council meeting once a month. This meeting is attended by residents in the facility, some staff from the facility, and a member of the Ombudsman team. Council meetings help residents create community within their facility and provide a safe place to bring up issues in a constructive way. Volunteers attend these meetings to have a presence at the facility and become a familiar face that residents can rely on if they have issues that need to be attended to.

Volunteers will attend the resident council meeting each month for the facilities that they are assigned to.

Do I need to complete a background check?

Yes, all volunteers must fill out a volunteer application and complete an interview and pass a background check.

What training is involved?

It takes 40 hours to become certified as a long-term care ombudsman. Because of the extensive training, we ask for a commitment of at least a year.

Are there more opportunities involved?

Volunteers can be more involved in advocacy as they gain more experience.

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