West Central volunteers make a big difference in the lives of long-term care residents, and one such volunteer recently received much-deserved recognition from the State’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP).
The Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program relies upon state-certified professional volunteers, known as ombudsmen, who advocate for the health, safety, welfare, and rights of individuals residing in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and adult family care homes.
Ombudsmen work with residents, family members, administrators, and others to resolve complaints brought by, or on behalf of, long-term care residents in Florida.
Jim Lynch of Bradenton Beach is the winner of the West Central Council Ombudsman of the Year Award for his advocacy of long-term care residents in surrounding counties. Jim is an outstanding example of what it means to be an ombudsman. He became a state-certified volunteer in June 2014 and has since become an essential part of success stories in the Bradenton area.
In one example, Jim negotiated for one resident to stay at her ALF as she wished. In another case, a resident was initially being charged for 30 days in which he was not present at facility and Jim resolved the issue with the director, resulting in a 2-day refund instead of a 30-day extra charge. Jim’s intervention in another example resulted in a resident receiving new dentures to replace a broken set and another resident a wheelchair.
Fellow ombudsmen describe Jim as a dedicated, consistent, and knowledgeable. He is not afraid to go the extra mile for the residents and will persevere until he gets what is best for the resident. The Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program congratulates him on this much-deserved recognition for his honorable contributions.
For more information and volunteer opportunities call 1-888-831-0404. Visit us online at http://ombudsman.myflorida.com.