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e. Team Leaders Karen Pensgen and Karen Gabbert have talked with perspective volunteers who have inquired about serving on the CAC to educate prospective volunteers and offer a realistic perspective of the duties expected from this challenging work. f. Assisted in outreach efforts at CMC- Northeast Hospital to publicize World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2011. Community Involvement by the Committees a. Both the NH CAC and ACH CAC now have a sufficient number of volunteers to meet required duties. b. Hours volunteered in 2011: • NH Committee — 280 hours (estimated) • ACH Committee — 520 hours (estimated) c. Committees provided residents with a voice that focused on and promoted resident rights d. Quarterly visits presented Committees with opportunities to socialize with residents who need additional outside contact e. Both the ACH CAC and the NH CAC conducted friendly and activity visits to their assigned homes exceeding the minimum program requirements. Additional visits allowed the volunteers to build rapport with residents and staff and to increase their visibility and efficacy f. Team Leader Karen Pensgen agreed to serve as a mentor to student - intern Jinitza Stevenson, who was able to serve a one -year term and use her experience to meet her degree requirements. g. Volunteers, along with the CAAA, planned and hosted the 11th Annual Cabarrus County Resident Rights Luncheon in October. Over 180 residents, volunteers and local officials attended the luncheon. The City of Concord Police Color Guard was invited to present the colors. Residents stood and applauded; veteran residents were honored. h. The Regional Ombudsman Program and CACs enjoyed the collaboration with Cabarrus Caring Hearts to collect donated toiletries to fill goodie bags which were given to the residents at the Residents Rights Celebration. We are indebted to Ms. Kay Honeycutt for her assistance with this endeavor. Extra goodie bags were hand - delivered by CAC members to some of the residents who couldn't attend the celebration. Problems Encountered by the Committees • Many residents do not receive any visitors at all, leaving residents lonely and isolated. • Residents who receive Medicaid to pay for their care receive only $30 /month in a nursing home, and $66 /month in an adult care home. These meager funds are all residents have to pay for toiletries, a personal telephone or television, and even medications (in adult care homes). • Cabarrus County has few options available for individuals who need dementia care. • Residents are often hesitant to invoke their rights due to concerns of retaliation. Committee Involvement in Grievance Resolutions a. Complaints about scheduled activities that do not actually occur. b. Complaints about unavailable or inadequate facility transportation. c. Complaints regarding call bells not answered promptly. d. Residents are often unwilling to divulge their name in the complaint resolution process. Therefore, most "grievances" expressed by residents /family were brought to the administrators' attention as a general expression of dissatisfaction and followed up by the CACs during subsequent visits. e. NH CAC has served as a sounding board for families, to empathize and then direct them to the correct staff person to get resolution to concerns. AttachmenN, g,g, v S 1 -3 Page 285