Oklahoma 2020 Book of Reports

2020 Oklahoma Nurses Association
OKLAHOMA STATE COUNCIL ON AGING
Submitted by: Anne W. Davis, PhD, RN State Council on Aging Advisor and Chair, Oklahoma
Long-term Care Ombudsman Program Advisory Committee
Did you know that 100 Oklahomans turn 60 every day and that there are more Oklahomans over 65
years than are 18 years or younger?! As a nurse serving as an advisor to Oklahoma's State Council
on Aging, I have been privileged to represent our profession at state council, Long-term Care
Ombudsman Advisory Committee, and at the Capitol. Of course, with COVID-19 restrictions, our
meetings have become either per Zoom or conference call. The State Council on Aging and Longterm
Care (LTC) Ombudsman Advisory meetings are scheduled quarterly. The LTC Ombudsman
group focuses on issues affecting residents in the long-term care settings, including the delivery of
advocacy services and complaint resolution through the Ombudsman Program. Meetings are open
to the public. Examples of recent issues discussed during the past year include, but are not limited
to:
• A major issue resulting from COVID-19 is the restriction of visitors, including family members
and volunteer ombudsmen, unless there is a compassionate reason to be with a resident. There
will hopefully be a change in these restrictions by the time this goes to press;
• Involuntary discharges from long-term care facilities remains a concern. Along with elder abuse,
neglect, and exploitation, involuntary discharges greatly influence resident health;
• Legislation impacting elders;
• Volunteers serving as long-term care ombudsman advocates in nursing homes are stable but
lower than those of previous years. The importance of volunteer ombudsmen who are onsite
in LTC facilities cannot be overemphasized. Bill Whited, Oklahoma's state LTC Ombudsman,
estimates that 99% of all complaint cases are resolved within the LTC Ombudsman process.
Monitoring bills that impact Aging Services programs require active vigilance and interventions.
Communicating with our state representatives and senators can be accomplished either in-person
or electronically. You are vital to the legislative process! To track a bill, simply go to http://www.
oklegislature.gov/BasicSearchForm.aspx. Nurses can and do make a difference in how our elected
representatives vote on bills; your voice is needed! Please: do not underestimate your potential to
influence your representatives!
A dedicated group representing Oklahoma's Aging Partnership, composed of the Alliance on
Aging, Oklahoma Silver Haired Legislator Alumni Association, and the State Council on Aging,
meets to plan activities, such as meeting with our legislators about specific bills and attending
committee meetings. I have come to greatly appreciate both legislators who listen and those
advocates, such as Jane Nelson, who spend many intense hours advocating for nurses and issues
which impact nurses.
Please email me (aiwdavis73@gmail.com) if you have questions or feedback related to the State
Council on Aging, especially the Long-term Care Ombudsman Advisory Committee, or information
in this report.
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