As you are aware, all Ombudsmen staff currently provide a virtual presence to do their part during this time of crisis. Proactive outreach to residents is accepted and supported at the Ombudsmen federal level and programs across the country are pursuing this to fulfill our mandate that residents have regular and timely access to the services provided through the Ombudsman program. This includes support to Resident/Family Councils.

The focus of these proactive outreach calls is to request resident contact information so that we may reach out to residents and inquire about how they are doing, if they have questions and how we may help.

However, ombudsmen regional staff are sensitive to the amount of time long-term care staff may have available. First and foremost, their attention is to the residents. An alternative to a resident contact list is to provide the contact information of the resident council president and family council president.

Ombudsmen staff also welcome a once a week check-in call with a designated staff member.

We hope to create a trusting space to learn how things are going in your facility and where we might offer assistance. Most importantly, we thank you for serving people who live in your community.