The following words and terms when used in this Part, shall have the following meaning unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

     "Assistant Secretary" means the Assistant Secretary for Aging; the administrative head of the Administration on Aging of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

     "Certification" means the official designation of a volunteer representative of the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.

     "Confidential information" means all information which relates to specific individuals who live in long-term care facilities, complainants, and other informants including but not limited to names, other identifying information, and all problem and complaint documentation.

     "Designation" means the appointment of an agency, an individual, or both, as the official representative of the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman (Office), according to the policies of the Office.

     "Leave of absence" means an excused absence from official duties of an ombudsman volunteer, not to exceed three months.

     "Long-term care facility" means any nursing facility, specialized facility, residential care home, or assisted living center as defined by Oklahoma State Statute in this definition.

• (A) "Nursing facility" means a home, an establishment, or an institution a distinct part thereof which is primarily engaged in providing: 
  • (i) skilled nursing care and related services for residents who require medical or nursing care;
  • (ii) rehabilitation services for the rehabilitation of injured, disabled, or sick persons; or
  • (iii) on a regular basis, health-related care and services to individuals who because of their mental or physical condition require care and services beyond the level of care provided by a residential care home which can be made available to them only through a nursing facility.  [63 O.S. § 1-1902(9)]
• (B) "Residential care home" means any establishment or institution other than an adult companion home, a group home, hotel, motel, fraternity or sorority house, college or university dormitory which offers, provides or supports residential accommodations, food service, and supportive assistance to any of its residents, or houses any resident requiring supportive assistance who are not related to the owner or administrator of the home by blood or marriage.  The residents shall be ambulatory and essentially capable of participating in their own activities of daily living, shall not routinely require nursing services.  [63 O.S. § 1-820.12]
• (C) "Specialized facility" means any home, establishment, or institution which offers or provides inpatient long-term care services on a 24 hour basis to a limited category of persons requiring such services, including but not limited to a facility providing health or habilitation services for persons who have mental retardation or developmental disabilities.  [63 O.S. § 1-1902(11)]
• (D) "Assisted living center" means any home or establishment offering, coordinating, or providing services to two or more persons who:
  • (i) are domiciled therein;
  • (ii) are unrelated to the operator;
  • (iii) by choice or functional impairments, need assistance with personal care or nursing supervision;
  • (iv) may need intermittent or unscheduled nursing care;
  • (v) may need medication assistance; and
  • (vi) may need assistance with transfer, ambulation, or both.  [63 O.S. § 1-890.1.1]

     "Long-term care ombudsman" means a person who receives and resolves complaints made by or on behalf of older residents of long-term care facilities, and who has been trained and designated as an official representative of the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.

     "Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman (Office)" referred to hereinafter as the "Office" means the office created within the Department of Human Services which, under the auspices and general direction of the state long-term care ombudsman, carries out the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program in accordance with the Older Americans Act (OAA) of 1965, as amended, and in accordance with federal regulations.

     "Planning and Service Area (PSA)" means a geographic area specified by the State Agency under Section 305(a)(1)(E) of the OAA for purposes of planning for and serving the needs of individuals aged 60 and above.

     "Representative" means the state long-term care ombudsman and any state, area, or local long-term care ombudsman designated by the state long-term care ombudsman, whether paid or unpaid.

     "State long-term care ombudsman" means the individual employed by the Department of Human Services to be the chief administrative officer of the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.