Long-term Care Ombudsman
If you or a loved one is a resident of a nursing home or assisted living facility, your local Ombudsmen can help empower you to know your rights and feel safe when speaking up if something is wrong.
Residents of assisted living and long-term care facilities have important rights that are guaranteed by law. Ombudsmen will work diligently on your behalf to help you understand your rights, find solutions and express concerns without fear of retaliation.
How to contact the Ombudsman Program:
If you or your loved one have questions or concerns regarding quality of care or quality of life in a long term care facility, contact your local Ombudsmen at Missoula Aging Services for a confidential consultation. The Ombudsmen are also able to help resolve problems associated with Medicare and Medicaid.
The Ombudsmen will not act without your permission. You maintain control over how and when the situation is resolved.
Your local Long-term Care Ombudsmen are Mary Dalton and Madison Moldenhauer. They can be reached at (406) 728-7682 between 8am and 5pm Monday through Friday.
Online Resources
See below for resources and additional information provided by the Long-term Care Ombudsman program.
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Are you researching options for assisted living or long-term care in Missoula or another part of Montana? This guide provides resources for comparing homes and knowing what to look for.
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Click here to access the State of Montana's online form for submitting a complaint about an Assisted Living or Nursing home.
More about Residents Rights:
Here are some of the core rights that residents of assisted living and long-term care facilities have:
Citizenship: You have the right to vote, practice your religion and associate with whom you choose.
Dignity: This facility is your home. As a resident, you should be treated with respect.
Privacy: You have the right to privacy with your spouse. You also have the right to have all medical records treated confidentially.
Care: You have the right to good quality care without discrimination.
Information: You have the right to information regarding regulations of the home.
Participation: You have the right to participate in decisions about your treatment. You have the right to refuse any treatment.
Freedom: You have the right to freedom from mental and physical restraints.
Expression: You have the right to file complaints and voice concerns.
More about what your Long-term Care Ombudsmen do:
Ombudsmen advocate for residents rights in many ways:
- Advocate on behalf of residents to ensure they receive quality care.
- Assist residents and/or their legal representative to resolve complaints.
- Make frequent unannounced visits to facilities to safeguard residents’ rights and safety.
- Ensure that residents are not improperly transferred or discharged.
- Educate residents and staff on Residents’ Rights and good care practices.
