Get Involved in Our Advocacy Work Increase the Personal Needs Allowance

For nursing home residents whose primary payor source is Medicaid, the Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) is a monthly discretionary amount that can be spent on personal items such as toiletries, a phone service, stamps and stationery, or other similar items of their choice. The current Personal Needs Allowance is just $50. That’s not enough. It's time to Raise the PNA.

Overview Educating, Empowering, and Advocating for Long-Term Care Residents

The Ombudsman Program is an effective advocate and resource for older adults and people with disabilities who live in nursing homes, assisted living, and other licensed adult care homes. Ombudsmen help residents understand and exercise their rights to good care in an environment that promotes and protects their dignity and quality of life.

Ombudsmen:

  • Advocate on behalf of residents to assure rights are not violated, identifying, investigating and working towards resolution of resident complaints.
     
  • Mediate among residents, family members, and staff towards achieving mutually beneficial solutions to the issues they are experiencing in long term care facilities.
     
  • Educate residents, families, facility staff, and community about issues in long term care and specific issues they are experiencing in facilities.
     
  • Refer complaints to the New York State Department of Health or other appropriate agencies when resolution through the Ombudsman program is not achievable.

How Ombudsmen Help 'A Good Listening Ear'

"They have given a good listening ear" and "interacted with the residents on a very positive level," says Andrea of Plainview, New York about her experience working with Ombudsmen from the NYS Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP). Watch and listen to her testimonial below. 

Learn More About the Ombudsman Program

You Have a Voice

Under the federal Older Americans Act (OAA) every state is required to have an Ombudsman Program that addresses complaints and advocates for improvements in the long-term care system. Each state has an Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman (Office), headed by a full-time State Long-Term Care Ombudsman (Ombudsman) who directs the program statewide. Across the nation, staff and thousands of volunteers are designated by State Ombudsmen as representatives to directly serve residents.

See the Statistics
Fact Sheet

This fact sheet reviews how the Ombudsman program advocates for residents of nursing homes, board and care homes, assisted living facilities, and other similar adult care facilities. Ombudsman programs work to resolve problems individual residents face and effect change at the local, state, and national levels to improve quality of life and care.

Get The Facts

Volunteering

Contact

Reach out to the New York State Ombudsman Claudette Royal.