10/11/2026
If you walk like a duck, quack like a duck, and look like a duck, then you’re a duck!
The Ombudsman told us they’re upset that we see them as messengers and that we say so on Facebook. But their actions keep coming across that way, and many of us notice it again and again.
* They say clearly that they have no authority and can’t enforce anything. So what power do they have to help? Just asking nicely? That hasn’t worked so far.
* We heard about a call to the Ombudsman Office about call lights not being answered and understaffing. Our source said the intake person admitted they can’t do anything about these problems. It’s been a while since the call, and the Ombudsman Office still hasn’t responded. We agree with them that they don’t have the power to help.
* The Ombudsman said they want to keep good relationships with facilities since they have to visit them again.
* They seem to see families and residents as the problem, not the facilities that are giving poor care. The Ombudsman seems to trust the facility more than the residents and families.
* We get it, the Ombudsman follows the resident's wishes, not the family's, but they should work with the family so they're on the same page. As a POA, you must follow the resident's wishes even if you disagree with it unless the resident is incompetent. You can’t be on the same page if you don’t know what the Ombudsman learned after speaking with the resident. Whether competent or incompetent, the representative must know this. Include the family before you close the case so everyone knows their wishes. The family and POA are not automatically the problem; the facility is usually the issue.
* Paula saw them speak negatively about a family member before a care plan meeting, not realizing that this person had been in Paula’s wedding and that she knew them well.
* We often hear that facilities fix things, bring in more staff, and put on name tags when they know the state will visit in two weeks. The regular surveys that are supposedly unannounced are clearly not taken seriously. Staff even tell residents they are getting ready for a state survey. Still, people act surprised when surveys reveal complaints. Paula’s mom worked as a baker in a nursing home for over 15 years and knows all about preparing for these surveys. Please stop saying they have no idea—somehow, they always do.
Paula has attended several care plan meetings and has seen the Ombudsman simply repeat what the facility says when they refuse to do something. They don’t speak up as advocates. They claim they can’t even tell a facility when it’s violating a resident’s right, even though they post about these rights all the time on Facebook. How does that make sense? They can post about resident rights publicly, but can’t mention them to the facilities. What are we missing?
* It feels wrong to keep posting about residents’ rights when it’s clear there’s no way to make sure they’re enforced. Just saying someone has a right doesn’t make it real. We need to teach about residents’ rights, but also admit that most facilities don’t honor them. Rights depend on staff schedules, not on what’s best for the person.
* We need clear examples of how they help, because most people have no idea what they actually do.
* We want them to show real results, not just post testimonials with general thank-yous and no examples of what they’ve accomplished.
* There shouldn’t be so many people unhappy with the Ombudsman Office’s services, but there are. Until they find a way to actually help, their million-dollar budgets won’t make a difference for residents.
* We’ve stepped in to help residents and families when they couldn’t, but without a big budget, we can only do so much. Still, we’ll help as many as we can!
* If you don’t admit there’s a problem, you can’t fix it. It’s time to face the facts.
* We believe there are caring Ombudsmen who really try to help. They just don’t have the tools, so they do what they can for the resident, not the facility.
Ohio Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman
