New Jersey Long-Term Care OmbudsmanREAD ALL ABOUT IT! The Beacon, our monthly resident newsletter
NEW! 2026 Election Guide for Long-Term Care Residents
| Tel.: 1-877-582-6995 | |
| Fax: 1-609-943-3479 | |
| Online Complaint Form | |
| ombudsman@ltco.nj.gov | |
| NJ Long-Term Care Ombudsman P.O. Box 852 Trenton, NJ 08625-0852 |
LTCO advocates for the rights of residents of long-term care facilities and investigates allegations of abuse, neglect and exploitation. LTCO is the voice of the state's most vulnerable institutionalized elderly citizens.
You can help to improve the lives of elderly residents of long-term care facilities in your neighborhood. Volunteers receive 32 hours of free training. Classes are forming now.
Eliz Speidel, LTCO's Director of Community Engagement (pictured above, left, with nursing home resident Gail Smith), received the Howard Hinds Memorial Advocacy Award, which is presented annually by the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care to recognize an effective advocate for long-term care residents.
LTCO's General Counsel, Beth L. Barnhard, who was previously in private practice as an elder law attorney, received the Distinguished Service Award from the New Jersey Bar Association's Elder and Disability Law Section.
The presentation was made at the 28th annual Elder and Disability Law Retreat in April 2026 to recognize Beth’s contributions as a champion for older adults and people with disabilities. Beth was a presenter at the retreat — along with LTCO Chief of Staff Lisa Mullen and Policy Director Amy Brown — on how attorneys can fight back against improper nursing home discharges.
LTCO Chief of Operations Kisha Saffron received a Professional Achievement Award from the NJ Civil Service Commission in May 2026. The award is presented to employees for meritorious service that goes beyond their normal responsibilities, such as initiating and implementing innovative methods, practices, plans, or designs.
Kisha was nominated by her colleagues in a letter that described her as “the glue to holds the Long-Term Care Ombudsman’s Office together and the engine that keeps it running.” She is vital to the LTCO’s important work advocating for the rights, self-determination, and dignity of people in long-term care.
In New Jersey, nursing home residents have gone beyond the walls of their own homes by forming a group, NJ Nursing Home Residents United, that works to build community with residents statewide and identify common issues.
Where does all the money go? That was the underlying theme as nursing home residents testified at a Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee hearing on Bill S2980, which would require detailed, audited financial data from nursing homes and any related companies involved in their operations.
Bill A2691, which would nearly triple the personal needs allowance (PNA) to $140 a month, took a giant step forward this year, thanks in large part to nursing home residents who shared their stories with the Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee at a May 7, 2026 hearing.
If you or someone you know:
The I Choose Home NJ Program may be able to help you move back into the community with low- or no-cost in-home services.
To see more webinars, please refer to our webinar library.
COVID Outbreaks & Boosters in the LTC Facilities An NJLTCO FACE NJ webinar with NJ DOH
25 Most Common Nursing Home Problems and How to Resolve Them An NJLTCO FACE NJ webinar with Justice
Presentation
Resource Guide
Show Us the Money: How Nursing Homes Hide Profits While Claiming Losses and How This Impacts Resident Care
Presentation
To see more videos, please refer to our video library.
Official Site of The State of New Jersey