RECENT DEVELOPMENT OF OMBUDSMAN PROGRAMMES FOR THE ELDERLY CARE FACILITIES IN KOREA

Abstract

Recently, the Ombudsman program has been introduced to prevent elder abuse in elderly care facilities. However, the program has no coercive powers in Korea. As a result, many care workers and elderly people witness and experience elder abuse cases(mainly verbal aggression, ignoring requests and threatening communication) in the long term care facilities. Thus, this study is to review the policy development of Ombudsman programs in long term care facilities in East-Asia countries. Secondly, this paper investigates care workers’ experiences of Ombudsman programmes and elder abuse cases where some elderly care facilities have already operated the program. Thirdly, the research examines the Ombudsman system in terms of official approval, mandatory implementation, the right of investigation, professionalism, and the functions of coordination, guidance and recommendation. To collect data to develop the Ombudsman programs we conducted FGIs, using the Delphi technique, with 45 experts in geriatric social work institutions and long term care facilities. Finally, this research suggests that ‘Elderly Ombudsman Agency’, as an state organization, should be established to investigate elder abuse screening affairs.