Performance Details
Department of Revenue - Long Term Care Ombudsman Office
Mission
The mission of Alaska's Office of the Long Term Care Ombudsman is to promote and protect the health, safety, welfare and rights of Alaskan seniors, age 60 and over.
Core Services
- Resolution of complaints to the satisfaction of the senior.
- Develop and support the creation and maintenance of Family and Resident Councils.
- Ensure the needs, interests, and opinions of Alaskan seniors are conveyed to policy makers.
- The Long Term Care Ombudsman (LTCO) Program will actively advocate to protect the rights of seniors by educating care providers and the public through community outreach and training.
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Performance Detail
| A: Result - Seniors who reside in long term care (LTC) settings will be protected from poor quality of care, environments and/or practices which jeopardize their safety, and from violations to their rights. |
Target #2: The LTCO program shall visit each of the 16 skilled nursing homes and approximately 279+ assisted living homes in the state at least once per year by volunteer ombudsmen or full time ombudsmen. Visits to Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living Homes
Analysis of results and challenges: This goal was met. The OLTCO visited 100% of Alaska’s 18 nursing facilities and 99.2% of the 279 senior licensed assisted living homes. Two assisted living homes opened at the end of the year but did not have any residents, thus the OLTCO was not able to complete visits to these homes. LTC ombudsmen substantially increased the number of visits to LTC facilities with the total number of visits this year at 927 compared to 694 during last year. LTC ombudsmen were also able to complete quarterly visits to 49 facilities. |
Target #3: Complaints regarding resident quality of care from or on behalf of seniors residing in LTC are reduced by 10% compared to the previous fiscal year. Quality of Care Complaints
Analysis of results and challenges: This target was met as there was a 56% decrease in quality of care complaints. This may be due to the change in the way DHSS refers complaints to the OLTCO by screening out critical incident reports that did not require follow up by the OLTCO as they were resolved at the time the report was filed. It may also be due to the increase in facility visits by LTC ombudsmen. The top five quality of care complaints are: incorrect administration of medication, poor personal hygiene care, requests for assistive technology, injuries of unknown origin or falls, and facility staff failure to respond to requests for assistance. |
Target #4: Complaints regarding violations of residents' rights from or on behalf of seniors residing in long term care are reduced by 10% compared to the previous fiscal year.
Violations of Residents' Rights Complaints
Analysis of results and challenges: This target was not met as there was a slight increase in complaints regarding violations of resident rights. This may be due to the increase in facility visits by ombudsmen who explain resident’s rights on each visit. There was a decrease in complaints regarding abuse from last year, which may be due to the increased ombudsman presence in the facilities. The top five resident rights complaints are: improper discharge or eviction, lack of dignity and respect by facility staff, denial of rights or choice, loss of personal property, and mismanagement of resident’s personal funds. |
Target #5: Complaints regarding quality of life issues from or on behalf of seniors residing in long term care are reduced by 10% compared to the previous fiscal year. Quality of Life Complaints
Analysis of results and challenges: This target was met as there was an 18% decrease in quality of life complaints. This decrease in complaints may be due to the increased ombudsman presence in the facilities. This decrease may also be due to the change in the way DHSS refers complaints to the OLTCO by screening out critical incident reports that did not require follow up by the OLTCO as they were resolved at the time the report was filed. The top five quality of life complaints are: quality or quantity of food served, hazards or disrepair of facilities, resident conflict or roommate issues, lack of transportation and community interactions, and not providing a therapeutic diet. |
| A1: Core Service - Resolution of complaints to the satisfaction of the senior. |
Target #1: The number of full-time long term care ombudsmen meets at least the minimum national standard of one full-time ombudsman for every 2,000 long term care beds in long term care facilities to ensure facility residents are served in accordance with AS 47.62. Analysis of results and challenges: There are currently three FTE ombudsman investigator positions in the Alaska program. This number exceeds the minimum national standards. However, the national standard does not take into account the distances required to travel to long term care facilities in Alaska. Neither does it take into account AS 47.62 which authorizes the LTCO to investigate seniors’ complaints relating to many issues beyond long term care, such as senior housing, public assistance programs, public grant programs for elders, public utilities, health care facilities, and health care providers. Investigation of these cases is often lengthy and complex. Few other states nationally are charged with these additional responsibilities. |
Target #2: The number of full-time long term care ombudsmen is adequate to serve older Alaskans, 60 years old and older, in issues not related to long term care facilities in accordance with AS 47.62.015(b). Analysis of results and challenges: The OLTCO will continue to need additional long term care ombudsmen (staff and volunteers) to meet the needs of Alaskans in long term care facilities. The national standard is for LTC ombudsmen to make quarterly visits to all facilities. OLTCO staff and volunteers were only able to make quarterly visits to 49 of the 295 long term care facilities licensed to serve seniors. As the population of “baby boomers” over the age of 60 continues to increase, the staff will not be able to keep up with the number of complaints. The OLTCO is working to increase the number of LTC ombudsmen volunteers in hopes of being able to utilize them, especially in rural communities, to respond to complaints under the direction of staff. |
Target #3: Continue to establish a viable Volunteer Long Term Care Ombudsman program so residents, family and staff at nursing and assisted living homes are aware of and understand residents' rights and the function of the LTCO. Analysis of results and challenges: In FFY 2016, the number of volunteer ombudsmen increased from 16 to 33. These volunteer ombudsmen increased the number of unannounced visits to long term care facilities from 117 to 196. The OLTCO is working to increase the number of volunteer ombudsmen, especially in rural communities. The OLTCO is now providing volunteer training in remote areas using webinars. The OLTCO is hoping to train at least 25 new volunteers in the next year. The OLTCO is also working on ways to increase the retention of volunteers. |
| A2: Core Service - Develop and support the creation and maintenance of Family and Resident Councils. |
Target #1: The LTCO Program shall support the development and strengthening of Resident Councils at all nursing homes, especially those with more than 20 residents, and state pioneer homes to ensure these councils are an effective voice for elderly LTC residents. Analysis of results and challenges: The OLTCO worked with 5 resident councils in the last year and offers to make LTC Ombudsmen available to attend any meetings as requested by the resident council. |
Target #2: The LTCO program shall support the development and strengthening of Family Councils at all nursing homes, especially those with more than 20 residents, and State Pioneer Homes to ensure these councils are an effective voice for elderly LTC residents. Analysis of results and challenges: The OLTCO worked with 4 family councils in the last year and offers to make LTC Ombudsmen available to attend any meetings as requested by the family council. |
| B: Result - The rights, interests, and well-being of Alaskan seniors, age 60 and older, will be promoted and protected. |
Target #1: Complaints from or on behalf of Alaskan seniors, age 60 or over are reduced by 10% compared to the previous fiscal year. Number of Complaints - All Categories
Analysis of results and challenges: This target was met as there was a 25% decrease in complaints. This may be due to the change in the way DHSS refers complaints to the OLTCO by screening out critical incident reports that did not require follow up by the OLTCO as they were resolved at the time the report was filed. It may also be due to the increase in facility visits by LTC ombudsmen. |
Target #2: The LTCO program shall educate the community about long term care (LTC), the LTC Ombudsman Program and related issues such as residents’ rights at a minimum of three community outreach or education events annually per full-time employee. Analysis of results and challenges: In FFY 2016, the OLTCO provided community education at 39 events, including housing and health fairs. Staff also provided individual consultations to 153 providers and 399 members of the public. |
| B1: Core Service - Ensure the needs, interests, and opinions of Alaskan seniors are conveyed to policy makers. |
Target #1: The LTCO will contact legislative and regulatory agencies on 100% of the legislative bills or state regulations being proposed that affect older Alaskans. Analysis of results and challenges: The State Long Term Care Ombudsman worked closely with the Alaska Commission on Aging, the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Office of Elder Fraud, and DHSS to identify and support bills that will give state agencies the tools they need to protect seniors from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. |
| B2: Core Service - The Long Term Care Ombudsman (LTCO) Program will actively advocate to protect the rights of seniors by educating care providers and the public through community outreach and training. |
Target #1: The LTCO Program will conduct at least three formal training courses annually to advocate for the prevention of elder abuse and to provide information about reporting elder abuse. Analysis of results and challenges: In FFY 2016, the OLTCO provided 42 training sessions to volunteer and staff ombudsmen on the role of the long term care ombudsman, including monthly volunteer trainings on topics requested by the volunteer ombudsmen. |
Target #2: The LTCO Program will conduct training at least six times per year to long term care providers regarding resident rights, the role of the LTCO, and LTCO assistance available to care providers. Analysis of results and challenges: The OLTCO provided 5 trainings to assisted living home administrators during FFY 2016, covering topics such as residents’ rights, the role of the OLTCO and working with residents who have dementia. Ombudsmen staff also provided 153 individual consultations to LTC facility staff. |
Current as of November 6, 2017