Long Term Care Ombudsman in Detroit: How to Reach Them

07 Nursing home, elder abuse and vulnerable adults

Wayne County

Advocacy

Business hours

Free, confidential advocates who help residents of nursing homes, homes for the aged and adult foster care homes resolve complaints about care, neglect, rights violations or discharge.

What it is

Ombudsmen are trained advocates who visit long-term care facilities and work on behalf of residents. In Wayne County the program is hosted locally by the Detroit Area Agency on Aging and by The Senior Alliance for western and Downriver communities.

Why it matters

If a loved one in a nursing home shows unexplained injuries, bedsores, weight loss or fear, an ombudsman can investigate the complaint, explain the resident's rights and push the facility to fix problems, at no cost.

What to know first

Services are confidential and driven by what the resident wants. The ombudsman is separate from the state licensing agency, so you may also want to report serious abuse to police or Adult Protective Services.

Limits and eligibility

Only for residents of licensed long-term care facilities and their families; ombudsmen act with the resident's consent and cannot provide legal representation or remove a resident from a facility.

What to have ready

Name and address of the facility
Resident's name and your relationship
Dates and details of the concern
Whether the facility has been told

How to reach them