Ombudsman Acting Director

Karen Gardner Gilliland has been appointed Acting Director of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program.  Karen has been with the Division of Aging for eight years and most recently served as Deputy Director for Policy and Planning.  As a gerontologist, she has 40 years in services for the older adults, having served as an Area Agency on Aging Director in Muncie, President/CEO of a joint venture with Parkview and Lutheran Hospitals and the Visiting Nurse Services and Hospice of Fort Wayne, and as LTC Program Development Director for Mercy Health System in Cincinnati.  In May of 2015, Karen was awarded the "Advocate of the Year" award by the Indiana Association of Home and Hospice Care for client advocacy.

The Ombudsman program serves to advocate for the needs of long term care residents by investigating and resolving their problems and complaints.  The program provides information and education on long term care services, programs and advocacy on regulations and policies affecting long term care.  Karen will oversee twenty-two full and part time Ombudsman located throughout the state.