News

Nicole Shannon, Systemic Advocacy Attorney, interviewed in WXYZ's report: "After WXYZ investigations, new legislation offers protection in Michigan's adult guardianship system"

Tue, 05/25/2021

“There really is no training, educational or other type of requirement to be able to serve as a legal guardian,” said Nicole Shannon, the Systemic Advocacy Attorney for the Michigan Elder Justice Initiative. See full story here.

Salli Pung, Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman, Comments in Traverse City Record-Eagle's: "Fabric of time: Vaccine hesitancy cancels family visits at care homes"

Sun, 05/16/2021

Advocating for improving quality of life for residents of licensed facilities, like encouraging vaccinations, is the role of the state’s Long Term Ombudsman, a state-funded position created in 1972.

The office, with 18 full and part-time staff, is stretched thin, said Ombudsman Salli Pung.

Salli Pung, Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman, Comments in the Iosco County News-Herald article: "Michigan AG Nessel to kick off project protecting nursing home residents; critics say its too late"

Mon, 04/26/2021

“The Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is pleased with the announcement of another avenue for abuse and neglect concerns to be addressed in long term care,” Pung wrote in an email. Read full artice here. 

Tammy Cordes, Special Projects Coordinator, comments in the Traverse City Record-Eagle's article: "Grandvue Medical Care Facility soothes elders' loneliness with robot pets"

Sun, 03/28/2021

“We call it ‘The Companion Pet Adoption Project’ and I’ll tell you, its been a pretty great one to work on,” said Special Projects Coordinator Tammy Cordes.

MEJI launches new MI Choice and PACE Ombudsman Program

Mon, 03/01/2021

The Michigan Elder Justice Initiative (MEJI) is pleased to announce that, with our partners at the Counsel and Advocacy Law Line (CALL), we are launching The MI Choice and PACE Ombudsman Program (MICPOP) on March 1, 2021. This program will provide free information and legal assistance to applicants to and individuals enrolled in the

Salli Pung, Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman, Comments in Bridge Michigan's: "Hugging stations: How Michigan nursing homes fight despair amid COVID"

Tue, 02/16/2021

“We hear about homes — where residents are near end-of-life, where visitation is clearly allowed — and aren’t allowing” visitation, said Salli Pung, head of the Michigan Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, which advocates for residents in nursing homes and similar facilities.

Salli Pung, Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman, Comments in Bridge Michigan's: "90 percent need COVID vaccine for herd immunity. That's unlikely."

Wed, 01/20/2021

In some of the state’s more than 450 nursing homes, nearly all residents have consented to receive the vaccine, but about half of staff are declining it, according to anecdotal reports, said Salli Pung, who leads Michigan’s Long-term Care Ombudsman’s office, a network of advocates for residents in long-term care facilities.

Salli Pung, Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman, and Alison Hirschel, Managing Attorney of the Michigan Elder Justice Initiative, Comment in Bridge Michigan's: "Michigan makes gains on COVID vaccines in nursing homes; other seniors wait"

Tue, 01/19/2021

“When you look at the last 10 months of COVID, this is one of the few things that has gone well,” said Salli Pung, who heads Michigan’s Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, a state- and federally funded office that advocates for residents in nursing homes.

Salli Pung, Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman, Comments in Michigan Radio's: "COVID-19 exposed and deepened longstanding problems in Michigan's long-term care system"

Fri, 01/01/2021

Chronic issues in Michigan’s long-term care facilities were deepened in 2020 by the pandemic.

Public health measures often had the unintended consequence of forcing residents into isolation and loneliness. National studies show those conditions can have negative health impacts on older adults, and in some cases bring on an earlier death.

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