Volunteers Sought to Help Safeguard Elderly

TRENTON — New Jersey’s elder ombudsman needs volunteers to help safeguard elderly people living in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
The Volunteer Advocacy Program, administered by the Public Advocate’s Office of the Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly, acts as the eyes and ears of the ombudsman, said Elder Ombudsman William P. Isele.
“Prevention of abuse and neglect must be our first priority,” Isele said. “Our volunteer advocates are our best resource in this regard. They know the facility and the residents. They can act promptly to address a situation before it escalates. They also know when they need to take a complaint to the next level.”
Currently, 200 people volunteer for the program, coming from regions across the state. These volunteers have donated more than 50,000 hours visiting elderly residents of long-term care facilities and advocating on their behalf, helping to ensure they receive quality care.
The Volunteer Advocate Program, which started as a pilot project in 1993, has since expanded statewide. After completing 32 hours of training in communication, observation and troubleshooting skills, volunteer advocates visit nursing facilities near their homes a minimum of four hours each week and address resident concerns on such issues as living conditions, daily activities and quality of care.
Volunteer advocates complement the investigative functions of the Ombudsman’s Office, which is charged with the responsibility of resolving allegations of abuse, neglect and exploitation of residents 60 years of age or older who reside in nursing homes, assisted living and other long-term care facilities.
Isele said most of the problems identified by volunteer advocates can be resolved quickly with nursing home administration and staff. But in cases of suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation, or in cases where the volunteer feels a facility has not responded to a complaint appropriately, the volunteer forwards the complaint to the elder ombudsman.
That office, the Department of the Public Advocate and other appropriate agencies get involved to ensure resident safety and to bring the facility into compliance with state and federal laws.
“Our volunteers work closely with nursing home staff to ensure that residents get the best care possible,” said Joann Cancel, program coordinator. “We have a great, dedicated group but we are always in need of more people who would like to donate just a few hours a week to help ensure the well-being of our elderly citizens.”
For information, call 877-582-6995 or 609-943-4022, e-mail PublicAdvocate@advocate.state.nj.us or visit www.njpublicadvocate.gov.