Nursing Homes and Adult Care Homes

How do I get help with a complaint about care in a nursing home or adult care home?

• The North Carolina Long Term Care Ombudsman Program investigates and attempts to resolve the concerns or complaints of residents and families as effectively as possible. The ombudsmen work with facility staff and with public and private agencies on behalf of residents who need assistance. Residents and others making complaints are involved to the extent they choose to be. Identities of residents and complainants, along with the information shared with the Ombudsman Program are kept confidential unless the person making the complaint consents to such information being released. The ombudsman provides guidance and assistance on concerns including:
  
  
  1. medical and personal services being provided to residents such as problems with medication, nutrition and hygiene;
  2. financial concerns such as handling of residents' funds, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security;
  3. rights of residents, such as the right to be treated with courtesy and to have individual requests
     and preferences respected; and
  4. administrative decisions such as admission to or discharge from a nursing home.
  
  
  
• For regulatory complaints within nursing homes, the Division of Health Service Regulation also maintains a Complaints Investigation Section. This section investigates regulatory complaints within nursing homes [919-855-4500]. For regulatory complaints within adult care homes, there are Adult Home Specialists within each county department of social services available to look into complaints and concerns.
• Complaints of immediate life-threatening conditions as well as abuse, neglect and misappropriation are also referred to Adult Protective Services within each county department of social service.