Suffolk County's regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman Coordinator is Elizabeth Maxim, sponsored by Family Service League (FSL), 1444 Fifth Ave., Bay Shore, NY 11706, phone 631-470-6755. The Ombudsman Program advocates for residents in Suffolk County skilled nursing homes, assisted living, adult homes, and family-type homes for adults, and operates as part of the statewide Long Term Care Ombudsman Program housed within the NY State Office for the Aging.
How this actually works
A Long-Term Care Ombudsman is an independent advocate for residents, not an employee of the facility or the state licensing agency; their job is to investigate and help resolve complaints about care, rights violations, or quality-of-life concerns on behalf of the resident, confidentially and at no cost. In Suffolk County, that role is filled by Elizabeth Maxim through Family Service League, a nonprofit whose general administrative offices are in Huntington at 790 Park Avenue, phone 631-427-3700, but whose LTCOP work is based out of the Bay Shore office. Families with a loved one in a Suffolk skilled nursing facility, assisted living residence, adult home, or family-type home who feel a concern isn't being addressed by facility staff can contact the Ombudsman directly rather than only filing a formal state complaint, since the Ombudsman can often help resolve issues informally and more quickly.
Related questions
- Who is the Long-Term Care Ombudsman for Nassau County?
- What's the statewide hotline if I don't know who my local Long-Term Care Ombudsman is?
- What kinds of problems should I bring to the Ombudsman versus reporting to Adult Protective Services?
- Is the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program free, and does it cost anything to file a complaint?
