Center For The Advocacy For The Rights & Interests Of The Elderly

The long-term care ombudsman program provides advocacy for older adults in long term care settings in philadelphia counties to long-term care settings including nursing facilities, assisted living, licensed personal care homes, older adult day centers, domiciliary care homes, and life programs. Ombudsman staff educate residents about their rights and investigate and seek to resolve complaints on behalf of elders receiving long-term care services. In addition, staff support the volunteer ombudsman program and pennsylvania's empowered expert residents (peers), specially trained long-term care consumers who work closely with the ombudsman to address resident's rights within their facility. Ombudsman volunteers provide technical assistance to resident council presidents and other residents, educate visitors and staff about resident's rights and act as liaison between residents and ombudsman staff to resolve complaints. During fy24, 32 volunteers and peer representatives of the carie philadelphia long term care ombudsman helped staff to make 350 facility visits, received 215 complaints regarding the provision of long-term care services, provided information and assistance to 3,645 residents and family members, as well as educating providers and community members.

The providing advocacy for victimized elders (pave) program was created in 2003 to support access to justice for elder philadelphia victims of crime and abuse. Staff provide court accompaniment, assistance completing victim compensation applications and impact statements, trauma-informed short-term counseling when requested and referrals as needed. During fy24 the pave program served 1203 elders, informing victims of their rights, educating them about the criminal justice system, and providing individual advocacy for victims of crime and abuse. In addition, staff coordinate the elderly victims emergency security fund (evesf) through which carie arranges and pays for re-securing the damage to the homes of low-income elder victims of crime and abuse in philadelphia. During fy24 funds were used to replace or re-key locks, repair or replace doors, and replace windows at 42 homes to prevent re-victimization of the resident(s). The evesf also provides emergency help with home needs that we become aware of through our helpline, and which present imminent risk to the health of the low-income homeowner.

Carie's oldest program is the carie line, a telephone helpline which quickly became recognized throughout the region as a source of assistance and advocacy for elders, caregivers and professionals seeking to resolve a wide range of problems and concerns older adults were facing. Since its inception the helpline has expanded to be accessible online (carie online) and in community settings (carie onsite). Staff continue to work to resolve any challenge an elder is facing including access to health care or health care coverage, lack of transportation, a need for nutritional support, financial insecurity, inadequate housing and homelessness, elder abuse and neglect, guardianship and more. In addition to providing individual assistance and advocacy, staff develop and present community education and outreach programs that inform elders and caregivers on issues of interest and concern for older adults. During fy24, the carie line provided assistance and advocacy to 1,938 elders, family members and others who care about an older adult via phone, and 3,729 through outreach events.