Long-term care residents honored during Residents’ Rights Month

For Immediate Release:
Oct. 6, 2025

Media Contact:
Lisa Cox
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Media Inquiry Form

JEFFERSON CITY, MO -- During October, Residents' Rights Month is recognized to bring awareness to the dignity, respect and value of long-term care residents. This year's theme is "Stand with Me" which emphasizes the importance of solidarity and support for residents who stand up and advocate for their rights, as well as the value of encouraging the community to join residents in sharing their voices.

In Missouri, the ombudsman program administered by the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) helps ensure residents are receiving this quality. Volunteer ombudsmen visit residents weekly at a local nursing home or other long-term care facility. They listen to residents' needs and concerns, help resolve any problems or complaints, and supply information on resident rights and other long-term care resources.

Some of the key functions of volunteer ombudsmen are to:

• Identify, investigate and resolve complaints made by or on behalf of residents;
• Provide information to residents about long-term care services and their rights;
• Advocate for changes to improve residents' quality of life and care.

"All residents deserve to have a high quality of care, and their rights respected," said Jenny Hollandsworth, State Long-Term Care Ombudsman with DHSS. "The ombudsman program provided information and assistance over 3,000 times last year and conducted 4,637 visits to long-term care facilities. Missouri is fortunate to have amazing ombudsmen who truly care about residents."

The Missouri Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is currently recruiting for volunteer ombudsmen statewide. Those living in a nursing home or other long-term care facility may have times when help solving problems or addressing concerns is needed, and this program is available to assist. Volunteer ombudsmen perform invaluable work with residents and their families to resolve complaints or provide information and other assistance.

DHSS licenses more than 1,100 long-term care facilities in the state. For information on becoming a volunteer ombudsman, assistance in solving a problem within a facility, or help advocating for resident rights and establishing resident and family councils, contact the Missouri State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Office at 1-800-309-3282, visit health.mo.gov/ombudsman, or find us on Facebook.

###