Educate and Empower

“We can be a voice for people by educating and empowering them,” says Zanzy Lewis, executive director of Long Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman program in Fort Wayne. “A lot of people don’t realize that residents of skilled nursing and licensed assisted living facilities have rights, and we are advocates for those residents.”

October is Residents’ Rights Month and Lewis, who took on the role of executive director 15 months ago, is on a mission to make sure people in the community are aware of Long Term Care Ombudsman and what it does to assist people.

“I try to partner with as many community agencies as possible to let them know how we advocate for these residents and their families through mediation, moral support, education and empowerment. I also want to change the narrative and the way people working at these facilities look at Ombudsman. I want them to know that I’m not the enemy. I just want to work with them, and reinforce that by working together we can provide the best care possible for their residents.”

Long Term Care Ombudsman program in Fort Wayne is a nonprofit agency serving nine northeast Indiana counties: Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, LaGrange, Noble, Wells, Whitley and Steuben.

Lewis works with two part-time employees and eight volunteers to assist people living in 94 facilities.

“Our services are free and confidential, and we don’t intervene until we have the verbal permission of the resident to do so. For example, maybe a resident is upset because they’re being woken up at 5:30 a.m. to shower, but they don’t want to take a shower until 10:00 a.m. We meet with them and can set up a Care Plan Meeting with the facility’s administrator, the social services director and director of nursing. I always follow up a couple weeks after the meeting and, if the issue is not resolved, I will file a formal complaint with the Indiana State Department of Health. People need to know residents have rights.”

Lewis is inviting the public to its 14^th annual fundraiser called “Amplify Our Voice” on Oct. 26 at Parkview Field. The event includes dinner and dancing, a silent auction and entertainment by Adam Strack. There will also be numerous other fundraising events throughout the year.

“I love what I do and I feel like God put me here for a reason. I call my residents ‘More Seasoned Saints’ because they have done so much for our generation, and we owe it to them to give them their voice back.” 

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