Kentucky LTC Ombudsman Program Funding
The Kentucky House of Representatives has filed its bi-annual budget in House Bill 6. The bill mirror’s the Governor’s budget inclusion of $1.05 million to support the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs. These funds will finance the unfunded mandate to provide services to assisted living facilities as passed in Senate Bill 11 from the 2022 legislative session.
NHOA continues to meet with Kentucky Senators and Representatives to advocate to keep this allocation in their budget.
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Volunteer and Staff Spotlights
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Certified Ombudsman volunteer Peggy Wayne has been a valuable asset to the Pennyrile Ombudsman Program for six years. Peggy joined us as a volunteer in January of 2018 and quickly wanted to progress to a certified LTC ombudsman. Her primary focus is Muhlenberg County where she serves residents in four facilities with certified LTC ombudsman services. Each year Peggy participates in the Pennyrile Senior Games as well as the Forgotten Angels Program. Peggy has also been helpful in recruiting three new volunteers for the Pennyrile LTC Ombudsman Program.
Peggy is a 1969 graduate from Nursing School and worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse for fifty-two years before retiring. She has been a Master Gardener for twenty years, although is currently inactive. Peggy has two children, seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren. She attends Second Baptist Church of Greenville. Peggy is a strong advocate and asset for the LTC Ombudsman Program. The District LTC Ombudsman, Cindy Tabor, shares, “I am extremely grateful for Peggy. Not only is she a volunteer, but she’s also a friend.”
In her own words Peggy says, “What motivates me to volunteer with the LTC Ombudsman Program is that my beloved father was admitted to a nursing home for physical therapy. I learned the urgency for visiting often and advocating for residents’ rights.”
If you are thinking about volunteering in the LTC Ombudsman Program, Peggy shares, “I would encourage anyone to visit residents, make friends with them and see the excitement on their faces. I also enjoy making friends and spending time with the residents. Many residents have no family or friends to visit them in their home. Anyone can make a difference.”
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Pictured above left to right are Certified LTC Ombudsman Peggy Wayne and Pennyrile District LTC Ombudsman Cindy Tabor.
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Thank you to our volunteers and staff.
You make a difference!
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What’s an Ombudsman?
Ombudsmen advocate for residents of long-term care facilities at no charge to residents or families.
Long-Term Care Ombudsmen
- Regularly make unannounced visits to long-term care facilities to visit residents.
- Protect the special legal rights of residents.
- Identify, investigate, and resolve residents’ problems and concerns.
- Empower residents to make informed choices.
- Work to monitor laws/policies to protect residents.
Long-term care ombudsmen serve residents in all counties in Kentucky. Visit our website!
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Silver Bells 2023
Siver Bells holiday gift project was a success! 2,591 residents received holiday gifts. Thanks for your donations and support!
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Kentucy River Area LTC Ombudsman Program provided a holiday dinner and gifts of clothing to 84 personal care home residents thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor and the staff of the Kentucky River Area Development District.
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Green River LTC Ombudsman Program staff and volunteers distributed gifts to 250 residents of Personal Care Homes. The Homes selected primarily care for the severely mentally ill.
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The Northern Kentucky LTCO Program coordinated with Be Santa for a Senior. 500 residents received gifts this holiday season. Pictured above are volunteers at a wrapping party.
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Cindy Tabor reports this was their best year ever in the Pennyrile District with over 400 residents receiving gift bags!
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AARP’s Kentucky Day at the Capitol is on February 8th at 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM and you are invited.
AARP says, “Dedicated to championing for older Kentuckians, our Capitol Day volunteers, alongside AARP, will advocate for family caregiving issues, lowering Prescription Drug Prices, enhancing retirement benefits, and securing essential funding in the budget for independent living, nursing homes, and the Seniors Nutrition Program. To empower you with knowledge, virtual trainings will precede the event, ensuring you are well-informed about our legislative priorities. Make a difference with us and be part of the change for older Kentuckians!”
For more information and to register visit AARP’s website.
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Save the date for Senior Advocacy Day!
Senior Advocacy Day in Frankfort is scheduled for March 7, at the capitol annex building in Frankfort. More information to come.
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Kentucky Ranks 5th Best State
Wallethub.com featured a report in December ranking Kentucky the 5th best state for elder abuse protections. The report, States with the Best Elder-Abuse Protections (2024), points out that the U.S. Census Bureau predicts the population aged 65 and older will almost double from 49.2 million in 2016 to 94.7 million in 2060. By taking action now, we can pave the way for a brighter and safer future for our older generations. WalletHub compared 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 16 key indicators of elder abuse protection in 3 overall categories. Financial support of the LTC Ombudsman Program, ombudsman coordination and participation in elder abuse councils and tasks forces, and the number of Certified LTC Ombudsmen in Kentucky helped us reach our top 5 ranking.
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More protections available, but do residents have access to vaccines?
According to the CDC Newsroom’s Seniors in Care Facilities Have More Protection Available This Year: CDC Encourages Vaccination Against Flu, COVID-19 and RSV, this year, for the first time, vaccines are available to protect older adults in the United States against all three fall/winter respiratory illnesses: flu, COVID-19 and RSV. Health care providers can continue to do their part by offering recommended vaccinations to residents. Nursing homes are encouraged to collaborate with state, local and federal public health, and long-term care pharmacy partners to address barriers contributing to low vaccination coverage. Vaccination is a key way to prevent severe disease, hospitalization, and death from flu, COVID-19 and RSV.
Vaccination reduces severe illness and death from these vaccine-preventable respiratory diseases. As of December 10, 2023, 33% of nursing home residents were up to date with COVID-19 vaccination. Among residents at 20% and 19% of facilities that elected to report influenza and RSV vaccination coverage, respectively, 72% had received influenza vaccination, and 10% had received RSV vaccination.
Fall 2023 is the first season during which vaccines are simultaneously available to protect older adults in the United States against all three of these respiratory viruses. Nursing homes are required to report COVID-19 vaccination coverage and can voluntarily report influenza and RSV vaccination coverage among residents to CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network. The CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on December 22 found, “Notably, coverage with all three vaccines was highest in small nursing homes, suggesting that medical directors and other providers at these small facilities with lower patient-to-provider ratios might be best able to build trust with residents and families and mitigate barriers to vaccination coverage.”
Areas of the country that achieved relatively high coverage among nursing home residents with all three vaccinations had robust relationships and frequent, persistent, clear communication among nursing homes, health care systems, state and local health departments, and pharmacies; similar strategies might have the potential to improve vaccination coverage in other states. The CDC is engaged in efforts to increase vaccination coverage, including sharing NHSN surveillance data with state and local health departments and CMS Quality Innovation Networks-Quality Improvement Organizations to guide targeted outreach and educational efforts in nursing homes with lower vaccination coverage, contacting facilities with high coverage to learn about and promote successful strategies employed, working with national organizations that represent nursing homes to help educate staff members and residents, responding to barriers by developing a Healthcare Provider Toolkit to facilitate vaccination and conduct webinars with partners, collaborating with CMS leaders to communicate reported billing barriers, and collaborating with CMS Quality Innovation Networks-Quality Improvement Organizations to increase vaccine confidence and demand.
If you are a resident who is having trouble receiving vaccinations, please contact the Kentucky LTC Ombudsman program by email or call toll free (800) 372-2991.
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The Kentucky State LTC Ombudsman Program is housed within the Nursing Home Ombudsman Agency of the Bluegrass.
The KLTCOP is funded in part by state and federal funding provided by the Department for Aging and Independent Living.
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