A program that advocates for residents and their rights in long-term care communities is looking for volunteers.VOYCE is a federally mandated nonprofit organization. It serves approximately 22,000 individuals who reside in more than 300 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in greater St. Louis and northeast Missouri, 50 percent of whom have no one to advocate on their behalf.Their mission is to facilitate a high quality of life for residents, and it’s achieved by empowering and educating individuals and their families. A key component is the crew of VOYCE volunteer ombudsmen.“We’re in search of individuals who want to help seniors and individuals living in long-term care communities,” said VOYCE Volunteer Coordinator Susan Press.“As a volunteer ombudsman, you would visit individuals who live in a long-term care facility near you, talk to residents and give them an opportunity to voice their concerns about the quality of their daily lives, and skillfully resolve resident issues by working with staff caregivers.”Volunteer ombudsmen receive 16 to 20 hours of training before VOYCE places them in a licensed long-term care residence in their community or neighborhood.Volunteers receive eight hours of additional training each year to learn about resident rights, abuse and neglect, staff sensitivity, difficult behaviors and mental health, effective communication, and trends in long-term care.“Some residents do not have visitors so our volunteers become like family,” said Press. “What is important is that residents know how much we care about them and that we are there to help.”VOYCE