Volunteer ombudsman burnout in long term care services: some causes and solutions

A study of volunteer ombudsmen in long term care facilities indicates that currently active and "burned out" volunteers differ in their perception of organizational obstacles and desired supervisory supports. Difficulties found in program funding, attitudes on nursing home staff, the frail nature of the population served and the strategic orientation--"contest" or "collaborative"--one assigns to the task of patient representation may have played a critical role in discouraging some of the volunteers to continue to aid the institutionalized elderly.