Seniors in homes get help
Although a growing number of senior citizens live in nursing and personal care homes in Butler County, many are unaware of the resources available to them.
Once such resource is the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program run by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging.
The ombudsman's job is to protect the rights of people in long term care, whether requests for help come from the residents themselves or from family members or workers in the facilities.
"The calls could be something as simple as 'Is funding available for nursing home care?' or a call may be very complex — a potential complaint situation," said Renee Hewitt, Butler County's ombudsman.
Hewitt's office is part of the Butler County Area Agency on Aging, one of the state's 52 AAAs that provide the free service as mandated by the Older Americans Act.
Hewitt said inquiry topics can range anywhere from food service and creature comforts to personal privacy and abuse. "There are a million potential complaint categories," she said, explaining her response depends on the nature of the call and the level of help requested.
If a case of abuse were alleged, for instance, Hewitt would make sure the issue was addressed by the AAA's adult protective services unit.
But in many instances, Hewitt acts as an educator and mediator. "The ombudsman is not responsible for enforcing regulations," she explained. "We're there as representatives to residents — to help them solve a problem or help them voice a concern."
In many cases, Hewitt said callers aren't aware of their rights or of resources available. Other times, seniors residing in homes are reluctant to speak out or complain. "So often folks just need some encouragement, or they just need a little education," she said.
Audrey Tristani, a social services coordinator for assisted living at Concordia Lutheran Services in Cabot, said Hewitt can aid residents with insurance issues in which facility workers have limited access.
A recent case at Concordia involved a woman who was disenrolled from her insurance plan when paperwork errors showed her to be enrolled in a subsidized plan. Since HEPA laws prevented Tristani's access to confidential insurance paperwork, Hewitt became involved.
"I'm really restricted on what I can do, and this poor lady was kind of at her wit's end. She called Renee and Renee made some phone calls and got that resolved," Tristani said.
"Ninety-nine percent of the time, facilities are very cooperative," Hewitt said of Concordia and others, explaining communication has proved the most effective tool in her 20-plus years on the job.
During that time, Hewitt has also watched facilities in Butler County increase in number. There are currently 13 skilled nursing facilities with a combined 1,600 beds and 47 personal care homes with a combined 1,900 beds, she noted.
With so many seniors and just Hewitt and her assistant, Steve Slagle, to field the calls, Hewitt said volunteers can play a role by visiting the facilities to distribute literature about residents' rights and the ombudsman program. Making personal contact also helps residents feel more comfortable in coming forward with problems, she said.
Hewitt estimated she currently receives about five calls per week, though not all require an investigation or other lengthy follow-up.
The action that results from the confidential calls is "consumer-driven," with clients determining the level of intervention that follows.
In many cases, providing the right kind of information allows callers to move ahead on their own, Hewitt said.
"The great thing is helping people to realize they can advocate for themselves," she said.
To volunteer or for more information on the ombudsman program, call 724-282-3008.
