Emily is 85, legally blind and nearly deaf. She feels isolated even though she is in a nursing home with 45 other people. All of them are elderly and vulnerable just like Emily. She likes listening to music, but her hearing aids got lost sometime last month and haven't been replaced. The facility says this is the second time her hearing aids have been lost. It doesn't want to pay for another pair because they'll just get lost again.The ombudsman, advocate for residents of long term care, has other ideas. She reminds the facility that it is responsible for Emily's care and quality of life. Since Emily can't see, the facility needs to keep better track of her hearing aids. So now Emily has a new pair of hearing aids and she can listen to her music.

Did you know that 85 years and older is the fastest growing segment of our population? Most elderly people live happy, healthy lives. But many are vulnerable and in need of long term care. Age isn't enough to make an elderly person vulnerable, but dementia, illness, chronic conditions, and immobility are. Elders become vulnerable when they can no longer safely care for themselves or be adequately cared for at home.Elders, with their wealth of life experience, are precious gifts and should be honored. But too often advancing age is looked upon with dread or as fodder for jokes and ridicule. Unfortunately, many elders are vulnerable, undervalued and forgotten.

Not all elders living in assisted living and nursing homes are forgotten, but they are vulnerable or they wouldn't be there. It's a good thing long-term care facilities exist, but problems exist there too. The national Ombudsman Program was initiated in the 1970s following a national scandal of nursing home abuses. Things are much better now, but not perfect by any means.Some facilities do a good job, even excellent, but there are still far too many problems ... more emphasis on facility convenience than quality of life, ignored resident rights, poor quality care, emphasis on the financial bottom line. Residents deserve more than just adequate care. They deserve a quality of life that says they still matter.

There are plenty of problems in the facilities in North Idaho to keep ombudsmen busy. Marjorie often waits 30 minutes or more for her call light to be answered. Harley's breakfast is often cold. Jack's pain medication is given late. Verna's care plan calls for two showers a week and she's getting only one. Susanna and her roommate don't get along and she wants to move to another room. Sarah's son says his mother can have only visitors he chooses. Diane complains that her grandmother's clothes are not kept clean. The ombudsman notices that people in the dining room are not getting the help they need.

Volunteer ombudsmen are needed to advocate for the residents of assisted living and skilled nursing homes. Every year we train volunteers to do this important job. The volunteers are assigned to facilities so that ombudsmen and residents get to know and trust each other. Our intention is to honor our elders by protecting their resident rights, and promoting quality of care and quality of life.Become a volunteer and sign up now. It could be one of the most rewarding things you ever do. The next volunteer ombudsman training begins in September. For more information about the Ombudsman Program, please contact:

Jan Noyes is Volunteer Ombudsman Coordinator for the Area Agency on Aging, North Idaho. Contact: 208-667-3179 Ext. 243; [email protected]