NHOA's mission is to improve the quality of life for residents of long term care facilities. Volunteers, as groups or individuals, enliven residents' lives through one-hour a week or flexible visits to provide companionship and care. National statistics show that 60% of nursing home residents have no regular visitors throughout the year.

Description:
NHOA's 32 ombudsmen serve approx. 5000 nursing facility residents in the 17-county Bluegrass area. Each ombudsman has five primary tasks: 1)to protect residents' rights; 2)to identify, investigate, and work to resolve residents' concerns; 3)empower residents to make informed choices; 4)monitor and work to enhance laws protecting older Kentuckians; and 5)to be a regular friendly visitor to residents.

The agency provides education about nursing home placement, works with families who have residents in facilities out of state, and questions concerning quality of care issues.

The agency also provides opportunities for volunteers to visit nursing facilities. Once trained about agency and nursing facility policy and procedures, the volunteer coordinator places the volunteer in a convenient facility and and then meets at the nursing home to introduce the friendly visitor to the facility ombudsman, appropriate staff, and residents.

All agency services services are free.

History:
Begun in 1981 to provide an ombudsman for each nursing home in Fayette County, the program now serves the 17 counties of the Bluegrass Area Development District. The agency has been affiliated with the United Way since 1983. Because of it's unique 501-C3 status and autonomy from state government, the agency is well-known nationally for its work in nursing home reform and protection of residents' rights.

Contact people:

Claud Bledsoe, Administrative Assistant, (phone), (email) Sherry Culp, Program Director, (phone), (email) Heather Baber, Marketing Director, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (859) 277-4843

Address:

1530 Nicholasville Road Lexington, KY 40503 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.ombuddy.org

Directions:

The office is located in the Senior Citizens Center on the corner of Nicholasville Road and Alumni Drive at the south end of the UK campus near Commonwealth Stadium.