Monday, February 28, 2022
Lombard, IL – AgeGuide, the Area Agency on Aging for Northeastern Illinois, is pleased to announce that they are accepting Letters of Intent for the designation of Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) for any of the 8 counties AgeGuide serves including DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will.
The funding period follows the federal fiscal year from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023 with an option to extend the contract for an additional five years. The Illinois Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is authorized by and acts in accordance with the federal Older Americans Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 3001 et seq. and the Illinois Act on Aging, 20 ILCS 105/4.04.This program is a resident-centered advocacy program that protects and improves the quality of care and quality of life for residents in long-term care facilities in Illinois. Ombudsmen play a vital role in ensuring residents are cared for and that their basic human rights are protected. AgeGuide looks forward to fostering new partnerships and building on previous relationships with local organizations to assist these most vulnerable older adults.
“The pandemic showed us that we all have a stake in helping people both better prepare for and mitigate whatever crisis may be happening in their life,” said Marla Fronczak, CEO of AgeGuide. “We saw disproportionate infections and deaths among the elderly in long term care. We saw their well-being decline under the weight of extreme social isolation. This grant is an excellent opportunity to get involved and to make a difference by ensuring that every long-term care resident’s health is protected and that they are safe from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.”
The service components of this grant include investigative services; regular presence in long-term care facilities; issue advocacy; consultation and community education; and resident and family council support. Letters of Intent are due to AgeGuide Northeastern Illinois on or before close of business on March 10, 2022. AgeGuide will not respond to any letter of intent which is received after this deadline. For further information about the grant requirements and the application process, visit the AgeGuide webpage: www.ageguide.org/rfp
Proposal packages will be sent to each agency that submits a timely letter of intent. However, submission of a letter and receipt of a proposal package does not obligate an agency to participate in the designation process.
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AgeGuide Northeastern Illinois, an Area Agency on Aging, is a nonprofit organization responsible for developing and coordinating a network of services for older persons throughout an eight-county area in northeastern Illinois. AgeGuide informs and advises public and private agencies and the general public of the needs of older persons living in its region, and acts as an advocate on their behalf. The Agency serves DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties. Other information about AgeGuide, other topics of interest to older adults, and links to additional resources are available at the Agency’s web site: www.ageguide.org
