State and Regional Links

Ohio Long-Term Care Ombudsman www.aging.ohio.gov/services/ombudsman

Ohio's Office of the State Long-term Care Ombudsman advocates for people receiving home care, assisted living and nursing home care. Paid and volunteer staff work to resolve complaints about services, help people select a provider and offer information about benefits and consumer rights.

Person-Centered Care Coalition
www.centeredcare.org

The Ohio Person-Centered Care Coalition was formed in 2005 by stakeholders in the Ohio long-term care industry. The coalition is comprised of a diverse group of organizations representing providers, consumers, and government agencies. Mission: An Ohio coalition to influence and support transformational culture change in long-term care environments.

Advancing Excellence
www.nhqualitycampaign.org

The mission of the Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes Campaign is to help nursing homes achieve excellence in the quality of care and life for the more than 1.5 million residents of America's nursing homes by:

• Establishing and supporting an infrastructure of Local Area Networks for Excellence (LANEs),
• Strengthening the workforce, and
• Improving clinical and organizational outcomes.

The Campaign works to achieve its mission by:

• Helping nursing homes make a difference in the lives of residents and staff by focusing on eight goals related to its mission,
• Providing free, practical and evidence-based resources to support quality improvement efforts in America's nursing homes,
• Providing support to those on the frontlines of nursing home care, and
• Promoting open communication and transparency among families, residents, and nursing home staff.

National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center
www.ltcombudsman.org

The National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center provides support, technical assistance and training to the 53 State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs and their statewide networks of almost 600 regional (local) programs. The Center's objectives are to enhance the skills, knowledge, and management capacity of the State programs to enable them to handle residents' complaints and represent resident interests (individual and systemic advocacy). Funded by the Administration on Aging (AoA), the Center is operated by Consumer Voice, The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, in cooperation with the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD).

Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio
www.areaofficeonaging.com

The Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, Inc. is responsible at the local level, for the development and implementation of a comprehensive and coordinated service delivery system for older adults residing in Northwestern Ohio. It is also responsible for regional and local planning and development of programs and services. In carrying out its mission, the Agency is responsible for the following activities, as set forth under its Charter and Articles of Incorporation:

• Providing advocacy on behalf of senior citizens;
• Empowering older persons to realize their fullest potential;
• Coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating all senior programs and services;
• Serving as the focal point for leadership for regional planning and service development for programs on aging;
• Developing and maintaining a comprehensive and coordinated system of services for older adults in Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Paulding, Sandusky, Williams and Wood Counties;
• Providing direct services to the elderly in areas where services are needed, and not available;
• Developing and implementing a plan, approved by the Ohio Commission on aging (or its successor under the Older Americans Act);
• Granting or contracting funds and resources to qualified, non-profit, private or public agencies to operate services and programs for older adults; and,
• Seeking other grants and resources to enhance the quality of life for older adults.

The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care
www.theconsumervoice.org

The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (formerly NCCNHR):

• Advocates for public policies that support quality care and life;
• Empowers and educates consumers and families;
• Trains and supports individuals and groups to advocate for and empower consumers; and
• Promotes the critical role of direct-care workers and best practices in quality-care delivery.

Elder Care Locator (US Administration on Aging)
www.eldercare.gov

The Eldercare Locator, a public service of the Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a nationwide service that connects older Americans and their caregivers with information on senior services.

Ohio Consumer Guide
www.ltcohio.org

The Long-Term Care Consumer Guide provides information about nursing homes and assisted living facilities to help consumers, family members and professionals search for the appropriate facility to meet an individual's needs.

Coalition of Organizations Protecting Elders (COPE) www.protectingelders.org

Coalition of Organizations Protecting Elders (COPE) is a community-based team of organizations in Lucas County, Ohio committed to addressing abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elders through enhanced collaboration and coordination of community resources.

Ohio Department of Aging
www.aging.ohio.gov

The department serves more than two million older Ohioans. We help mature adults live active, healthy and independent lives through programs like our well-known Golden Buckeye Card and healthy aging initiatives. We promote positive attitudes toward aging and older people through outreach, volunteer programs and other efforts. We also provide home and community-based services that help frail individuals remain in their own homes and support consumers of long-term care. We work in conjunction with other state agencies, Ohio's 12 area agencies on aging and the county/municipal agencies on aging, senior centers, services providers and hundreds of other organizations and individuals that make up Ohio's aging network.