Are you concerned about residents of nursing homes or personal care homes?
The Georgia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program can help you.

What is an Ombudsman?
"Ombudsman" is a Swedish word that means "Citizen Representative". An ombudsman works to increase the responsiveness of organizations to the people they serve.

What is a Long-Term Care Ombudsman?
A Long-Term Care Ombudsman seeks to improve the quality of life of the residents of long-term care facilities. These facilities include nursing homes, and personal care facilities.
Residents of long-term care facilities sometimes have little or no contact with the outside world. Many feel they lack control over their own lives. Ombudsmen are available to help these residents.

What does the Long-term Care Ombudsman do?

• Investigates and works to resolve problems or complaints affecting long-term care residents.

• Identifies problem areas in long-term care and advocates for change.
• Provides information about long-term care and related services.
• Promotes resident, family and community involvement in long-term care.
• Educates the community about the needs of long-term care residents.
• Coordinates efforts with other agencies concerned with long-term care.
• Visits long-term care facilities routinely to talk to residents and monitor conditions.
• Educates facility staff about residents rights and other issues.

• Rights of long-term care
• Care provided in long-term care facilities
• Transfers and discharges from long-term care facilities (including assistance with appeals).

Background and Authority

The Long-term Care Ombudsman Program is governed by the federal Older Americans Act and by Georgia law. The Division of Aging Services of the Department of Human Resources administers the statewide Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program through 17 community programs located throughout the state. These programs are funded by Area Agencies on Aging and funded with federal, as well as state and local, dollars. There is no charge for services provided by the ombudsman program. However, contributions are appreciated and are used to support additional ombudsman services and activities to benefit Georgia's long-term care residents.

To view a list of Nursing Homes and Personal Care Homes in the Legacy Link, Inc area, choose one of the following below:

Nursing Homes by County
Personal Care homes by County

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program works to improve the quality of life of residents in nursing homes and personal care homes by acting as their independent advocate. Ombudsman staff and volunteers informally investigate and resolve complaints on behalf of residents. A monthly progress report can be obtain at the Department of Human Resources page for the entire State of Georgia.

Examples of Outstanding Accomplishments
In addition to assisting individual residents, the Ombudsman Program also advocates for system wide improvements to long-term care:

Improved Protections for Residents of Community Living Arrangements

• Ombudsmen successfully advocated for stronger resident protections in the newly developed regulations for Community Living Arrangements (i.e. a new category of homes for people served by the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Disease).

Improved Staffing in Long-Term Care

• In advocating for more adequate staffing in long-term care, ombudsmen advocated for legislative action to improve nursing home staffing and co-sponsored forums to share best practices in recruiting and retaining long-term care workers.

Enhanced Independence as an Advocate for Residents

• Effective January 2002, the Office of the State Long-term Care Ombudsman was reorganized to more appropriately reflect it's independent role within the aging network.