Letter: Ombudsman mission to carry out

My letter supports adequate funding for the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) currently being considered by our legislators. I urge readers to contact their state senator and assembly members and request adequate funding be allocated to help protect people living in long-term care facilities.
Since 1978, Long Term Care Ombudsman is mandated to protect the rights, safety and dignity of residents in long-term care facilities through regular, unannounced visits, responding to residents’ concerns. California is one of a handful of states where the ombudsman is mandated to investigate elder abuse allegations in facilities.  
But, since 2008-09, when Governor Schwarzenegger eliminated $3.8 million in general funds for local ombudsman programs, it has been tougher for ombudsmen to do the job nearly 300,000 California residents in 8,850 facilities rely upon them to do. Ombudsman made 12,300 visits last year, a far cry from the 28,150 visits made in 2008-09. Though federal legislation requires ombudsman to visit residents quarterly, today 38 percent of residents wait longer for a visit.
Please call your state legislators today and urge them to adopt the Assembly Budget Recommendation to restore adequate funding so that the ombudsman program can carry out its mission.
Wayne Norton, Aromas