In August 2021, Barbara and John were informed that the assisted living facility that John’s parents lived in were no longer taking Medicaid, and that his parents would soon have nowhere to live.
Just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the facility that John’s parents were living in was sold to a new owner who decided that the facility would no longer take new Medicaid clients. At the time, John’s parents were on private pay to spend-down for Medicaid, and planned to be on Medicaid soon. The administrator of the facility contacted John’s parents and made an agreement in writing that the they would be allowed to stay in the facility with Medicaid, but unfortunately when the time came, the agreement was not honored and John’s parents were given notice that they could no longer stay in the facility.
Barbara and John reached out to the Washington State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) to find help and to make sure no one else in long term care would lose their housing due to similar circumstances. LTCOP, a statewide program operated by Multi-Service Center, trains and certifies volunteer ombuds to visit long-term care facilities across the state to advocate on behalf of residents. Ombuds work to ensure that residents in long-term care facilities receive good quality of life and care by providing information to consumers about their rights, working to resolve problems on behalf of residents, monitoring the enforcement of laws and regulations, and advocating for improvements in the long-term care system.
Unfortunately, complications with Medicaid are all too common in long-term care facilities. As of November 2021, over 1.7 million individuals were enrolled in Medicaid in the state of Washington and, unlike John’s parents, many of these individuals do not have a relative to advocate for them and are unable advocate for themselves when a complication arises. This is where the ombuds play a crucial role.
After several conference calls at all hours of the day, the regional ombuds helped convince the facility administrator to allow John’s parents to stay in their home under Medicaid. The regional ombuds was then able to send a volunteer to visit John’s parents and let them know that there was someone advocating for their right to stay in their home. The couple is happily still in their living space thanks to LTCOP and to the staff and volunteers who are able to fight for individuals living in long-term care facilities and remind them that they are not alone.
“We are thankful from the bottom of our hearts for your support and expertise in the successful effort to keep our parents at their home under Medicaid,” shared Barbara. “What I realized after being so worried and frustrated with trying to battle the facility was that there are wonderful people like you out there who have the backs of so many vulnerable folks. You are a hero.”
MSC is in need of more volunteers like the one who helped John’s parents. Volunteer ombuds are the backbone of the Washington State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program! If you are interested in joining this extraordinary group of individuals working to protect Resident Rights in Washington State, please visit https://www.waombudsman.org/volunteer/.
