Advocating for the rights of residents in Long-Term Care:

An Ombudsman listens to a resident’s concerns, provides information and assistance when requested and will investigate and resolve complaints related to care or personal rights.
The representatives of the WISE & Healthy Aging Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program advocate for residents occupying the more than 2, 129 beds in long-term care facilities throughout the counties of Los Angeles and San Bernardino. These facilities include nursing homes; residential care facilities for the elderly (also known as assisted living, or board and care facilities).

WISE & Healthy Aging oversees ombudsman services in the County of Los Angeles and the County of San Bernardino as part of the California Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, which is authorized under the federal Older Americans Act and its California companion, the Older Californians Act.

The WISE & Healthy Aging Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program provides the following services:

• Advocates for residents by voicing their concerns to a facility’s administration.
• Investigates complaints made by or on behalf of residents.
• Helps parties resolve conflicts to help the parties involved reach agreements
and settle conflicts, with the resident’s satisfaction as the focus.
• Educates residents and caregivers to make them more aware of their rights,
including State and federal regulations.
• Witnesses residents’ signatures on documents such as Advance Health Care
Directives in skilled nursing facilities.
• Conducts regular unannounced visits to skilled nursing facilities and assisted
living or board and care facilities.