Iowa State Long-Term Care Ombudsman

Our office is participating in the nationwide 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance: come join us!

What are we asking?

For a volunteer to visit a long-term care facility in the local community for 1 hour.

When?

One-time event on or around September 11, 2024 (9/4-9/18).

Why?

To support those in long-term care and spread the word about the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.

No training required. Very limited time commitment. Materials and instructions will be provided.

Interested? Send us an email at [email protected] or call 866-236-1430 to sign up!

Residents of long-term care facilities are invited to participate in the Resident's Voice Challenge. Respond to this year's Residents' Rights Month theme - The Power of My Voice" in a creative way! Learn more about how to participate: https://theconsumervoice.org/events/2024-residents-rights-month/residents-voice-challenge. Submissions are due September 1st.

Do you know your Medicare rights and protections? In 2003, Congress established the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman position to assist Medicare beneficiaries with their inquiries, complaints, grievances, appeals, and requests for information. Learn more about the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman here:

Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman (MBO) | CMS Helping to resolve your inquiry or complaintThe MBO helps you with Medicare-related complaints, grievances, and information requests. The MBO makes sure you have information related to your Medicare rights and protections and how you can get your concerns resolved.On this page:About the MBOBeneficia...

Are you or your loved one moving to a new long-term care facility? This resource provides tips for identifying and combatting transfer trauma:

How to make the move to a care facility less traumatic for an aging loved one Though well-intentioned, relocating to a care facility can profoundly disrupt an older adult's sense of individuality and autonomy. It's called transfer trauma.

Our office has removed the [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected] inboxes. Please forward all correspondence to [email protected] or contact us at 866-236-1430.

Thank you!

🚨Mark your calendars to join us for a virtual briefing on Friday, June 14 at 11:00am ET to recognize World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. We'll discuss funding for adult protective services, the long-term care ombudsman in 2024, and updates on the Elder Justice Act reauthorization. Register now and spread the word! https://bit.ly/WEAAD2024Briefing

The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) put together three tips Medicare Beneficiaries can use to prevent fraud

Senior Medicare Patrol: 3 Tips to Help Prevent Medicare Fraud for Beneficiaries ACL's Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program shares three simple ways beneficiaries can help prevent Medicare fraud.Learn more from Senior Medicare Patrol at h...

June 3-9 marks Medicare Fraud Prevention Week!

Spearheaded by the Senior Medicare Patrol Resource Center, this week is focused on raising awareness of the actions everyone can take to prevent Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse.

Our regional coverage map has been updated effective April 15th, 2024. Staff in each region are now carrying out local ombudsman, managed care, and volunteer ombudsman program duties to better serve Iowans with a no-wrong-door, more streamlined approach to advocacy.

If you need assistance, please reach out to the local ombudsman in your area. As always feel free to contact our office directly with questions or concerns at 866-236-1430

May is Older Americans Month! The 2024 theme is , which recognizes the profound impact that meaningful relationships and social connections have on our health and well-being. This month, led by the Administration for Community Living, will explore the vital role that connectedness plays in supporting independence and aging in place by combatting isolation, loneliness, and other issues. https://acl.gov/oam/2024/older-americans-month-2024

The Centers for Medicare Advocacy is offering a FREE webinar on May 15, from 2-3:30pm EST regarding Practical Tips for Getting and Keeping Medicare Covered Care. Participants can refresh their knowledge of Medicare-covered services, Learn “do’s and don’ts” to maximize coverage and minimize delays among other helpful tips.
Register now at:
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1296800734735018326

Happy National Skilled Nursing Care Week! This is a great time for residents and staff to celebrate each other with a variety of events. This year’s theme is “Radiant Memories: A Tribute to the Golden Age of Radio”. Together, residents and staff contribute to the creation of radiant memories.

President Biden has announced a staffing standard of 3.48 hours of nursing care per day!

Biden-Harris Administration Takes Historic Action to Increase Access to Quality Care, and Support to Families and Care Workers | CMS Nursing home minimum staffing standards promote resident care and safety Medicaid and CHIP to have historic access standards, advance fair compensation for direct care workers

🚨Grandparent scams are on the rise in Iowa.

Scammers impersonate Iowans’ grandkids, pretending to be in danger, to rip them off.

But with your help, we’ll catch the scammers red-handed. Be on the look out, spread the word, and contact our office if you are suspicious of a scam.

https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/newsroom/attorney-general-bird-warns-iowans-of-grandparent-scam

Registration is now open for the 7th Annual Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day (OAMHAD) Symposium, which will be held on Thursday, May 2, 2024. This virtual event is free and includes a full day of sessions on how to best meet the mental health needs of older adults.

The event will include a keynote address from "Black-ish" star Jenifer Lewis and actionable steps participants can take back to their own communities. View the agenda on the NCOA website.

NCOA Connect: 2024 Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day Agenda The OAMHAD Symposium will take place on May 2, 10:00 am until 5:00 pm EST. Please note all session times listed below are listed based on your local time zone. To view sessions, click on the desired session title listed below, then click on the "Watch Session" button. Access to live sessions will ...

In Fiscal Year 2023, our Volunteer Ombudsmen spent 1,705 hours visiting residents in long-term care facilities. Due to their advocacy, Residents noticed an improvement with consistent bath routines, environmental attention, better treatment by staff and improved meal service routines, to name a few! Thank you for making a difference!

It’s Volunteer Appreciation Month! Our office appreciates our amazing Volunteer Ombudsmen who work tirelessly to ensure long-term care residents are treated with dignity, respect!

Read these helpful tips on how to keep an aging loved ones safe from scams: How to Keep Your Loved Ones Safe From Financial Scams | WIRED

How to Keep Your Loved Ones Safe From Financial Scams The elderly are particularly vulnerable to subscription scams and aggressive tech upselling. Here’s how to get your family the services and devices they need.

The US Senate Special Committee on Aging is asking for people to share their stories related to services provided, staffing and costs associated in Assisted Living Programs. They’re wanting to understand whether facilities are being transparent about costs associated with care.

Tenants/families are encouraged to share their stories at: [email protected]

This year we’re asking Legislators to increase the Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) from $50/month to $65/month for nursing home residents on Medicaid. Read more about this effort and contact your legislator if this issue is important to you! Iowa Legislature - Find Your Legislator https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find

The National Council on Aging will testify before the Senate Committee on March 7th at 11am EST. With the Older American’s Act due for reauthorization, now is the time to modernize the legislation for a new generation of older adults.

Tune in to watch the hearing on 3/7/24 at 11am EST:

The Older Americans Act: Supporting Efforts to Meet the Needs of Seniors | The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions