How to Choose: Making the Best Long Term Care Decision for Yourself of Your Loved One

How to Choose: Making the Best Long Term Care Decision for Yourself of Your Loved One

In this presentation, participants will learn about the different levels of long-term care options and how to navigate the process of selecting a facility for themselves or a loved one.

Learning goals:

1. Understand the difference between nursing homes and assisted living facilities
2. Know how to determine which level of care is most appropriate
3. Know how to navigate the process of choosing a facility
4. Be equipped with steps to take to get good care in a facility
5. Understand the role of ombudsmen and how they can support residents and families

Suzanna M. Sulfstede, LMSW

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program

The Senior Source

Suzanna Sulfstede has served as the Director of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program at The Senior Source and the Managing Local Ombudsman for the Dallas County program for eighteen years. Prior to this, she served as the director of an intergenerational volunteer program at The Senior Source and as a nursing home social worker. Suzanna received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville and her Masters’ in Social Work from the University of Texas in Arlington, and she is licensed by the State of Texas as a Licensed Master Social Worker. Suzanna is widely recognized as an expert in this field and was previously appointed by the Governor to serve on a Nursing Facility Advisory Committee, which advised the Texas Health and Human Services Commission on issues related to nursing facilities and Medicaid managed care. She has also served on multiple statewide workgroups, and most recently participated in one tasked with reviewing and commenting on draft state rules about the Ombudsman Program. Suzanna advocates for the quality of life and care for the frail, elderly and disabled residents in Dallas County nursing homes and assisted living facilities.