Older People Provide Aid to Nursing-Home Residents

By Debra E. Blum

Madge Lynn says that walking into the Lexington, Ky., nursing home that she visits as part of her job is like

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walking into the opening scene of a play.

"There is so much interaction between the residents and the staff and the family members," she says, "and a great sense of drama in the nursing home because in each room there's a story, a story of a life."

Ms. Lynn has her own interesting life story: At 70, she is in her 20th year working with the Nursing Home Ombudsman Agency of the Bluegrass.

She and her colleagues — they call themselves ombuddies — visit with nursing-home residents, helping them and their families deal with problems and press for improvements in care.

The program is one of about 600 around the country that provide ombudsman services to people in long-term-care facilities. Established in 1981, the group's officials say the Kentucky program was one of the first to pay its ombudsmen, rather than rely on volunteers, and one of the few to fill positions almost exclusively with people older than 50.

"Our staff members bring to the job a wealth of life experience and just good old common sense," says Kathleen B. Gannoe, executive director of the Kentucky group. "Residents feel more comfortable with more-mature workers, and our staff members have the sophistication to deal with the staff and administrators at the nursing homes."

$7 an Hour

The organization's 33 ombudsmen, the majority of them in their 60s and 70s, earn $7 an hour. Together, they oversee the care of more than 4,800 residents at dozens of facilities in and around Lexington, visiting each resident for at least a half-hour each month, offering company and lending an ear to problems or grievances.

The charity handles about 2,500 complaints each year, some small matters — for example, green beans showing up on the plate of a resident who has repeatedly asked for none — and some complex, such as an involuntary discharge from a residence or allegations of physical abuse.

The organization provides its services free. Nearly half of its $430,000 annual budget comes from federal, state, and local grants, and local United Ways provide another quarter of the money. The group raises the rest from foundations, businesses, and individuals, including through its single biggest fund-raising event, a decorators' showcase held every 18 months at local mansions or horse farms.

Ms. Gannoe says paying the ombudsmen makes business sense because it helps attract and retain qualified employees. Low staff turnover, she says, improves the quality of care. Staff members work part-time schedules of eight to 35 hours a week, and, says Ms. Gannoe, they ought to be compensated for their skills, dedication, and hard work.

"Seven dollars an hour isn't much, but it demonstrates that we all take this seriously," she says.

The ombudsmen on the staff include a retired police officer, librarian, electrician, and farmer.

And some of the staff members, Ms. Gannoe says, are widows or veterans, which can help them connect with nursing-home residents in special ways.

"As good as young people can be at plenty of jobs, when you are only 35 years old, you haven't lived a whole lot yet," Ms. Gannoe says. "It's valuable in this job to have done a lot of living."

Ms. Lynn worked for 10 years as a special-education teacher before she took a break to raise her two sons. She had planned to go back to school for an advanced degree and return to teaching, but her plans took an unexpected turn when she got involved in the ombudsman program when she was 50.

"I'll stop doing this when my energy starts to run out," she says. "Until then, this is important work. I can enjoy myself, know I am contributing something, and meet these wonderful people and hear their stories. They deserve the best care we can give them."