American Society on Aging

Description

Make a difference in the lives of elderly nursing home residents. Volunteer to advocate on their behalf through the New Jersey Office of the Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly.

Volunteer Advocates are training in a 32 hour training program which was developed by the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey and Rutgers School of Social Work. Volunteers are trained to advocate for residents 60 years of age or older who reside in long term health care facilities in New Jersey. It is the mission of the NJ Ombudsman's Office to promote and protect the health, safety and welfare of long term care residents, and to prevent abuse, neglect and exploitation. The Volunteer Advocate Program is an intensive, on-site probelm-solving effort to promote the well-being and quality of life for all residents of long term care facilities throughout the state. Volunteers are trained to proactively resolve problems for nursing home residents through a contact person or "facility liaison" who will work cooperatively with the Volunteer Advocate to resolve issues "as close to the bedside as possible."