State Ombudsman Provides Free Advocacy for Nursing Home Residents

I just attended a wonderful program hosted by the Chicago Bar Association on the Illinois Long-Term Care Ombudsman program for residents of nursing homes.   This is a little-known but potentially powerful free benefit for the many thousands of nursing homes residents in Illinois.    Ombudsman are funded by State and Federal grants to advocate for nursing home residents, and investigate complaints against nursing homes.  The statewide program is run through the Illinois Department of Aging, with individual Ombudsmen and their staffs providing services through local county offices.   Your local Ombudsman can help you or your elderly loved ones by investigating and resolving complaints against nursing home staff and management, healthcare advocacy, Medicaid issues, involuntary discharge, and more.   Contact information for your local Illinois Long-Term Care Ombudsman can be found here:  Ombudsman Contact List