Public Advocate Honors Volunteers who Help NJ's Elderly, 6/14/07
WEEHAWKEN – New Jersey’s public advocate today honored volunteers who help safeguard elderly people living in the nursing homes and long-term care facilities across the state. The annual Volunteer Awards Luncheon, held aboard the Spirit of New Jersey cruise liner, recognizes a corps of 200 volunteers who serve in the department’s Volunteer Advocacy Program, administered by the Office of the Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly. These volunteers come from regions across the state and 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. Volunteers work to further the department’s mission of deterring the abuse and neglect of New Jersey’s most vulnerable residents. 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. “Prevention of abuse and neglect must be our first priority,” said William P. Isele, the Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly. “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 becomes abuse or neglect. They also know when they need to take a complaint to the next level.” 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. |
