The Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is a free, confidential advocate for residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and adult family care homes.
What the Ombudsman does
Trained, certified volunteers investigate and help resolve residents' complaints — about care, rights, dignity, billing, or discharge — and conduct facility visits. The service is free and confidential, and works on the resident's behalf.
They cannot regulate facilities (that's AHCA) but are powerful advocates for residents and families.
How to reach them
Call the statewide toll-free Ombudsman number or contact the local council serving Tampa Bay. You can ask for help even if your loved one can't advocate for themselves.
How Tampa Senior Advisor can help
We're a free, local senior-care advisory service for Tampa Bay families. We don't charge you — communities pay us a referral fee only if you choose to move in. If any of this feels overwhelming, tell us what's going on and we'll point you to the right next step, whether or not it involves a paid placement.