In Search of the Impact of Staff Mix on Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs

Abstract

Although the Older Americans Act requires all states to implement long-term care ombudsman programs, states vary in the utilization of paid staff and volunteers in program implementation. Aggregate data from multiple secondary sources are analyzed in this article to provide an overall picture of the relationship between staff mix (percentage of staff who are volunteers) and the handling of complaints in both nursing and board-and-care homes throughout the country. Although the validity of the data is dubious, staff mix is positively correlated with the volume of complaints reported by ombudsmen and negatively correlated (but not significantly) with complaint resolution. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed.