September 2025

Residents’ Rights

October is Residents’ Rights Month, this year’s theme, Stand with Me, highlights the importance of solidarity and support for residents who stand up and advocate for their rights, as well as the value of encouraging the community to join residents in sharing their voices. Learn more about Residents’ Rights Month

Pictured above are Mr. and Mrs. Norfleet with District LTC Ombudsman Cindy Tabor. Cindy works individually with residents and families to help them learn and exercise residents’ rights.

Cindy’s service area includes the 2,700 LTC residents of Caldwell, Christian, Crittenden, Hopkins, Livingston, Lyon, Muhlenberg, Todd, and Trigg counties. Cindy regularly makes unannounced visits to 40 facilities and provides information and problem solving assistance.

Celebrating Residents’ Rights Month in the Commonwealth

For more information about the two Big Sandy Residents’ Rights Forums (Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin, and Pike counties) contact Darcus Hall.

For more information about the Northern Kentucky Residents’ Rights Forum (Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen, and Pendleton counties) contact Bethany Breckel.

For more information about the Lincoln Trail Residents’ Rights Forum (Breckinridge, Grayson, Hardin, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, and Washington counties) contact Tytania Clemons.

For more information about the Bluegrass District LTC Ombudsman Program film screening contact Denise Wells.  The Bluegrass Program covers Anderson, Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Franklin, Garrard, Harrison, Jessamine, Lincoln, Madison, Mercer, Nicholas, Powell, Scott, and Woodford counties.

For more information about the KIPDA Residents’ Rights Forum (Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, and Trimble counties) contact Erika Rhodes-Chism.

For more information about the Buffalo Trace Resident Forum (Bracken, Fleming, Lewis, Mason, and Robertson counties) contact Amanda Grooms.

Northern KY LTC Ombudsman Gets the Word Out

Check out the new NKY LTC Ombudsman Program commercial featured on 18 major streaming platforms.

The NKY LTC Ombudsman Program regularly visits and provides advocacy services to 3,763 residents in Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen, and Pendleton counties. If you have questions or concerns about LTC in this area or would like to volunteer for the LTC Ombudsman Program contact Bethany Breckel today!

Evidence of Impact

Researchers have noted that the existence of a local long-term care ombudsman program is a significant predictor of quality of care, suggesting a positive preventative presence, especially given the modest investment of governmental resources.

Studies have found that the effectiveness of ombudsmen increases significantly with more autonomy and investment of resources, including funding; a larger number of paid staff; and minimum staffing requirements, smaller case-loads, and higher percentages of nursing facilities visited.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2022. The National Imperative to Improve Nursing Home Quality: Honoring Our Commitment to
Residents, Families, and Staff. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.https://doi.org/10.17226/26526.

Going Back to the Community

The Minimum Data Set (MDS), a comprehensive assessment for nursing home residents, is used to develop care plans focused on resident participation in assessment and goal setting. Section Q of the tool is designed to identify the resident’s goals and expectations relating to where s/he lives and whether s/he stays in the nursing home or transitions to other living situations. This process helps ensure residents’ rights to explore options for less restrictive settings.

Nursing facilities have an obligation to regularly ask residents during ongoing assessments if they would like information or to talk to someone about moving out of the nursing home and back into the community. If a resident indicates that they would like more information about available community-based services and supports, the nursing home is to initiate care planning and make a referral to a Local Contact Agency such as an Aging and Disabilities Resource Center at an Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living if the resident has transition needs that the facility cannot plan for or provide. The resident may be eligible to use Kentucky Transitions (the Kentucky Money Follows the Person Program) or Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Each resident should be meaningfully engaged in his/her discharge and transition plan. The nursing home is responsible for discharge planning as required by state and federal regulation.

Kentucky Long-Term Care Ombudsmen regularly distribute information to the bedside of residents about Options for Residents in Nursing Homes who want to return to community living and leave the institution.

To learn more about Kentucky resources that help people avoid nursing home or return to living at home check out the KET Aging in Place series.

Waiving the 3-Day Hospital Stay Requirement for Care in a Skilled Nursing Facility

Since Medicare was enacted in 1965, the statute has limited coverage in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) to beneficiaries who first spent at least three consecutive days in an acute care hospital. The requirement has increasingly become both irrelevant and a limitation on SNF coverage for beneficiaries in the traditional Medicare program. Beginning January 1, 2026 and running through December 31, 2030, CMS is implementing a demonstration waiving the three-day rule for beneficiaries who have one of five surgical procedures.

For a detailed explanation of the reasons to waive the three-day requirement, check out the recent Center for Medicare Advocacy article medicareadvocacy.org/repeal-the-3-day-hospital-stay-requirement-for-care-in-a-skilled-nursing-facility/

Residents Concerned about OBBBA

Residents are expressing concerns about how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) may impact their care and stay in nursing facilities. Nearly 70% of nursing home residents in Kentucky are utilizing Medicaid to help pay for their nursing home stay.

Residents are concerned that the OBBBA delays federal staffing standard for nearly a decade. Residents have recently asked ombudsmen if they will be denied medical care or kicked out of nursing facilities if they lose their Medicaid coverage. Check out a recent AAPR article about the OBBBA and nursing facilities.

The article points out that plenty of uncertainty remains around how changes set out in the new law will affect nursing home residents. How state governments, which jointly fund Medicaid with the federal government, will respond to the legislation is also still largely unknown.

For a more detailed review of the OBBBA from the Medicare Rights Center please visit the Center’s website to access a webinar How New Health Care Cuts and Policies Impact You.

In Kentucky’s LTCOP, our staff and volunteers make a real difference in the lives of those we serve. Check out some awesome advocates below!

Welcome Skylar, LTC Ombudsman Program Advisory Council Member

Skylar Holt (pictured above) is the newest member of the Lincoln Trail District LTC Ombudsman Program Advisory Council. Skylar is a resident of Elizabethtown and enjoys providing guidance to the facility staff where he lives as well as advocating for the residents.

Green River District LTC Ombudsman Andrew Law spoke at a recent Lions Club meeting in Owensboro. Andrew educated the group about long-term care and how to utilize ombudsman services.

Green River serves Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, McLean, Ohio, Union, and Webster counties.

Last year LTC Ombudsmen participated in 1,851 community education sessions in Kentucky. Invite your District Ombudsman to speak to your group today!

Barren River District LTC Ombudsman Lynda Love received a giant thank you for assisting residents following a facility fire that led to the relocation of residents.

The Barren River LTC Ombudsman Program serves Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, and Warren counties.

To request services or inquire about volunteer opportunities contact Lynda today!

Bethany Breckel, District LTC Ombudsman of the Northern KY LTCOP partnered with Ann Hollen, Executive Advisor, Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities to provide training to ombudsman staff and volunteers on the new 1915i RISE Initiative.

We are excited that residents with serious mental illness may utilize this new program to return to the community and no longer live in institutions.

Big Sandy LTC Ombudsman staff and volunteers recently gathered for training. Pictured are District LTC Ombudsman Darcus Hall , Melissa King, Kennith Johnson, Stacey Hall, Brandon Wood, and Mary Going.

The program serves 924 LTC residents in 10 facilities in the Big Sandy District.

The Kentucky River LTC Ombudsman Program Advisory Council met to discuss the program’s success and challenges as well as how they can help residents exercise their rights. Picture from left to right are: Danny Cornett, Brandon Wood, Dena Brooks, Angela Robbins, Autumn Mullins, Tammy Ritchie, Shirley Holcomb, Sheila Cornett, and Ruth Ann Dome.

The Kentucky River LTC Ombudsman Program serves residents in Breathitt, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Owsley, Perry, and Wolfe counties. If you need assistance with long-term care in this region of the Commonwealth or would like to volunteer with the LTC Ombudsman Program please contact District Ombudsman Sheila Cornett.

We need volunteers to serve as certified long-term care ombudsmen. Visit our website for more information.

Learning Opportunities

Navigating Medicare Open Enrollment: Insights for Patients & Caregivers

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM ET on Wednesday, October 1, 2025

This webinar covers the basics surrounding Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period, with an emphasis on considerations for people with longer-term and chronic conditions, including:

• Overview of annual enrollment period and available options
• Choosing between Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare
• Policy updates for 2026
• Practical tips for choosing your coverage

The presentation concludes with a discussion on the important considerations for people with neurodegenerative disorders and other chronic conditions along with Q&A.

Register Now 

Busy on October 1? Register and The Center for Medicare Advocacy send you a direct link to the recording of the presentation along with any supplemental materials.

With gratitude, this program is presented in partnership with the Cures Collective.

Helping Residents & Families Document Concerns Podcast

In the podcast episode below, a new resource to help residents and families document concerns is discussed. From falls and pressure injuries to conflicts with staff, knowing what questions to ask and what details to document can be the key to real solutions. Lori Smetanka and Jocelyn Bogdan of Consumer Voice share practical strategies for gathering information and advocating effectively. This joint project from the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care and the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) offers a clear path to stronger advocacy and better care.

Cognitive Decline & Financial Exploitation Webinar

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB’s) Office for Older Americans offered a webinar on protecting older adults from financial exploitation.

Mild cognitive impairment, which often goes undiagnosed in older adults, can adversely affect financial decision-making, leaving vulnerable adults at risk for financial exploitation. Financial exploitation is the most common form of elder abuse, and the research suggests a change in financial management and skills may be an early indicator of cognitive decline. Although a person may be able to perform simple tasks such as writing checks or paying bills, they may have difficulty with more complex tasks such as balancing a checkbook or managing investments.

Advances in the neuroscience of cognition and aging can help family members and professionals recognize the signs of poor monetary management and take steps to respond to and prevent the financial risks associated with early cognitive decline. Those research findings can be used to inform the work of law enforcement, adult protective services, financial institutions, clinicians, and other service providers. They are also relevant to older adults, themselves, who can be empowered to take steps to protect their financial well-being.

The webinar featured presentations by:

• Dr. Nancy Hoffman, geriatric neuropsychologist: specializing in the neuropsychological assessment of cognition in older adults, Ms. Hoffman shared insights into cognitive capacity and how it relates to vulnerability to financial exploitation of older adults.
• Lisa Schifferle, CFPB’s Office for Older Americans: Ms. Schifferle  shared resources for people considering a financial caregiver for a loved one experiencing cognitive decline.

Check out the recording.

2025 Consumer Voice Conference

Join Consumer Voice November 3-6, 2025, at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel. In celebration of the organization’s 50th Anniversary, the conference is returning to the Washington, DC area. Connect with advocates from across the country to learn, network, and exchange ideas on long-term care issues, including current trends, best practices, and advocacy opportunities. See the preliminary agenda, and register now. Visit the Consumer Voice website for more information about discounts for members and groups.

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!

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.

Our Contact Information
Nursing Home Ombudsman Agency of the Bluegrass
3138 Custer Drive
Suite 110
Lexington, KY 40517
8592779215
http://www.ombuddy.org