In recognition of Volunteer Appreciation Week, the Ark-Tex Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is highlighting the extraordinary service of Linda Reynolds, who has dedicated more than two decades as a volunteer ombudsman advocating for nursing home residents throughout Lamar County, Texas.
Reynolds’ journey began when her mother entered a nursing home and faced a crisis situation. Working alongside a volunteer ombudsman, Linda helped address the issue. After her mother’s passing, she made a decision that would impact countless lives throughout the region.
“After my mother died, I decided I would like to become a volunteer ombudsman,” Linda recalled. “With my background as a social worker, I think I’ve always had a need to give more to my community.”
For 23 years, Linda has served as an advocate for residents in long-term care facilities, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met. She approaches each nursing home visit prepared for whatever she might encounter.
“A typical visit is one that you would have to be prepared for change,” Linda explains. “You need to always be ready for change in staff at the nursing home because you may have a relationship with some of the aids or the social worker, and then you go in and that has changed.”
Linda’s advocacy ranges from addressing seemingly small issues that make a significant difference in residents’ quality of life to helping residents navigate complex problems with their care.
“One of the more memorable occasions when I think I really made a difference in someone’s life—and this sounds so simple—[involved] one of my grade school teachers who was in the nursing home,” Linda shared. “She was so grumpy when I went in and talked with her. I [commented that] her name tag outside the door didn’t match what I knew her by, and she said, ‘I have never gone by that name in my life.’ We had a meeting regarding this simple thing, and they changed it to the name she had gone by for 80 years. She was happy.”
Kim Palmore, Managing Local Ombudsman who oversees the program for the Ark-Tex Area Agency on Aging, praised Linda’s dedication and impact.
“Linda’s years of service represent thousands of lives touched across our region,” said Palmore. “When I first became an ombudsman, Linda took me under her wing and showed me what it truly means to be an advocate. Her compassion and commitment have set the standard for our volunteer program.”
The rewards of being an ombudsman, Linda notes, come from the connections made and the difference volunteers can make in residents’ lives.
“You have a sense of satisfaction that you have made a contact with another person and been able to bring some comfort or sense of worth to the other person,” she explains. “One of the best ways to feel like you have a purpose in life is giving of yourself in some way, not for money or material rewards, but for the sense of satisfaction that you have contacted someone in a way that has made a little bit of difference in their life.”
The Area Agency on Aging is currently seeking compassionate individuals like Linda to serve as volunteer ombudsmen. People who live in nursing homes and assisted living facilities may have little or no contact with the outside world, and many feel they lack control over their lives. A certified volunteer ombudsman who visits regularly can be the highlight of a resident’s day and ensure residents receive good care.
Volunteers regularly visit residents at an assigned nursing home or assisted living facility. They listen to residents’ concerns and, with resident consent, investigate, problem-solve, and help resolve concerns. Ombudsmen support residents’ rights, privacy, and confidentiality.
“There’s a real need for volunteer ombudsmen because the more oversight that a home has, the better it is really and truly,” Linda says. “When there are people there seeing the small things and helping the residents get things settled, it makes everybody happier.”
Volunteers must be at least 18 years old, have available transportation, and possess genuine care and concern for older adults. All volunteers must pass a criminal history check and screening for conflicts of interest. No experience is required, as training, ongoing supervision, and support are provided by the local ombudsman program.
Those interested in volunteering can call 903-255-3507 for more information or visit www.ATCOG.org/Ombudsman.
PHOTO: Longtime volunteer ombudsman Linda Reynolds (center) receives recognition from Kim Palmore (left) and Vanessa Conway (right) for her two decades of dedicated service championing the rights of Lamar County’s nursing home residents.
