Michigan nursing home ombudsmen go the extra mile for residents | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

Just 23 ombudsmen in Michigan represent the interests of the nearly 40,000 nursing home residents in the state -- helping families navigate the bureaucracy of nursing care, mediating conflicts and advocating for residents fighting for better care.

They also are responsible for monitoring adult group homes and other long-term facilities -- which means that each ombudsman is responsible for more than 4,000 (mostly filled) beds.

That's more than twice the caseload that the federal government recommends -- 2,000 residents per ombudsman -- and 67% more than the national average of 2,500.