Ombudsman law will assist long-term care
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It's a small step toward improving the state's standard of long-term care, but an important one.
A list of new laws that took effect at the top of the new year included a new section in Hawai'i statutes formally establishing an office of the long-term care ombudsman.
The advocacy position already exists, mandated by the federal Administration on Aging, but critical standards needed to be laid down in law to make sure the interests of Hawai'i's senior citizens — those living in nursing homes, adult residential care homes, assisted living facilities, and other long-term care facilities — are protected.
Two of the elements that have been legally clarified:
Reports of elder abuse and neglect, wherever it occurs, are disturbing in a community that values the care of kupuna so highly, so it's essential that elders and their families be able to take complaints to someone who is both equipped to help and above reproach.
As the senior population continues to grow, it will become increasingly important for them to have people on their side who can guide them through this challenging stage of life.
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