Georgia at a Glance

The Healthcare Facility Regulation Division licenses and inspects Georgia nursing homes and investigates complaints.

• Licenses and inspects Georgia nursing homes
• Investigates complaints — hotline 1-800-878-6442
• Residents’ bill of rights appears at O.C.G.A. § 31-8-100 et seq.

Visit the state agency site →

Families can speak with a Georgia nursing home lawyer to understand if rights may have been violated.

Georgia resident rights include:

• Right to dignified, appropriate care, treatment, and services
• Right to be free from physical or chemical restraints, isolation, or restrictions except by physician’s written order
• Right to select their own pharmacy or pharmacist
• Right not to perform services for the facility
• Right to rise and retire at times of their own choosing and to enter and leave the facility
• Right to retain and use personal property, with secure storage and theft investigations
• Right to manage their own financial affairs
• Right to voice complaints, with set response timelines and review by an impartial referee
• Right to form and participate in a residents’ council
• Right to exercise these rights free from interference or retaliation
• Right to refuse most transfers or discharges
• Right to sue the facility for violations of these rights (O.C.G.A. § 31-8-126)

Source: O.C.G.A. § 31-8-100 et seq. (Bill of Rights for Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities)

Phone: 1-866-552-4464 (option 5)
Website: https://georgiaombudsman.org/

Learn more about nursing home ombudsmen →

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. To report nursing home abuse or neglect in Georgia, contact the Department of Community Health’s Healthcare Facility Regulation Division.

Families can:

• Call the HFRD complaint line at 1-800-878-6442 or file a complaint online
• Report abuse of at-risk adults to Adult Protective Services at 1-866-552-4464
• Contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 1-866-552-4464 (option 5)
• Report suspected crimes to local law enforcement

Include the facility name, resident name, dates, injuries, witnesses, and photos if available.

Full reporting guide →

Families may be able to sue a Georgia nursing home when poor care caused injury or death. Georgia’s bill of rights for long-term care residents also lets residents sue facilities directly for rights violations.

Common claims include:

• Personal injury: The resident was harmed by neglect or abuse.
• Wrongful death: Poor care contributed to the resident’s death.

Georgia has strict legal deadlines, so families should speak with a nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible. Don’t wait — get started right now.

Free case review →

Nursing home settlements and trial verdicts in Georgia can vary depending on the situation. Some cases have resulted in payouts of more than $1 million.

See nursing home settlement amounts in Georgia →