Ombudsperson Program Helps Protect Door County Seniors

If you live in a skilled nursing facility in Door County or have a loved one who does, you might already be aware of the statewide service that works to protect seniors in long-term care facilities. 

That service, the Volunteer Ombudsman Program (VOP), has been running for 30 years as of 2024, and it expanded to Northeast Wisconsin around 2008, according to Northeast Wisconsin volunteer ombudsperson coordinator Andie Grassl. It’s a program of Wisconsin’s Board on Aging and Long Term Care, which was created by the state legislature in 1981.

Volunteers in the program make weekly, unannounced visits to assigned skilled nursing facilities. While there, they observe the general living conditions and meet one-on-one with residents to address concerns they may have, either by helping them speak up for themselves or going to administration to advocate on their behalf. 

Through regular visits, residents often grow close to the volunteers serving them – and vice versa, according to Grassl.

“They become a trusted advocate for these residents, somebody that the residents really look forward to seeing and confiding in,” Grassl said. “The relationships are what keeps volunteers coming back for years.” 

Door County currently has two volunteers covering its three skilled nursing facilities – Sturgeon Bay Health Services and Pete and Jelaine Horton Center Skilled Nursing Facility, both in Sturgeon Bay, and Serenity Spring Senior Living at Scandia Village in Sister Bay. The VOP has also started a pilot program to extend its ombudsperson services to assisted-living facilities, and Grassl has hopes that program will come to Door County in the future.

Those interested in volunteering in the local branch of the VOP should reach out to Grassl by calling 608.246.7023 or emailing [email protected]. Prospective volunteers receive background checks and training about resident rights, confidentiality and ethics. 

Visit longtermcare.wi.gov for more information.