Georgia Injury Law Blog
On Tybee Island, a family is searching for answers after their loved one died in the care of The Rosewood nursing home. Frederick Dillard was a 61-year-old quadriplegic at the time of his death, when he was found half hanging off his bed with his elbow wedged into a half side rail. According to a Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) report, he had not been checked on by staff in about four hours. This facility had been previously investigated by local news in 2025, and in response the facility changed their name from Oceanside Care Center to The Rosewood. Such strategies are sometimes employed by long-term residential care facilities following bad press or investigations, making it harder for families to intelligently select a safe nursing facility for their loved ones. Families are encouraged to use the online Medicare search tool to compare facilities, which tracks facilities regardless of whether or how frequently they change their names.
The National Center on Elder Abuse tracks national statistics for elder abuse and neglect. In 2023, they found that US nursing homes were fined $153 million for health violations, which amounts to about $10,000 per facility nationwide. About 10% of Americans 60 or older reported abuse or neglect while living at home, while 16% of residents in long-term care facilities reported abuse. Those with dementia are particularly at risk, with 1 in 2 people with dementia experiencing abuse. One of the causes for abuse is understaffing, which has worsened in recent years, as residents received 3.77 hours of daily care in 2023, down from 4.13 hours of daily care in 2015. This problem is particularly noted at for-profit private nursing homes, which comprise about 69% of nursing homes in the US. In order to maximize profits, for-profit homes are more prone to understaffing.
Signs that a loved one is experiencing elder abuse are diverse. In particular, families should watch out for the following:
- Being restricted from unannounced visits during visitation hours, or having visitation taken away without cause
- Sudden changes to their loved one’s medication, especially if these changes coincide with behavioral changes such as increased drowsiness or lack of mobility
- Missing possessions or suspected theft
- Unexplained bruises, bed sores, or injuries, or injuries that are left untreated
- Signs of poor hygiene for the resident, such as being left for long periods in an unchanged diaper
What can families do to protect their loved ones? According to Georgia state law, residents of long-term care facilities have a Bill of Rights pertaining to a wide range of matters, from the right to vote and practice one’s religion, to freedom from physical restraints including drugs and isolation, to the right to refuse medical treatment and dietary restrictions. Those with a loved one in long-term residential care should review these rights carefully to ensure that the facility is following the law. The Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Aging Services, provides a tool for reporting elder abuse or neglect. Reports can be made by phone at 1-800-878-6442 or through this online form.
The Atlanta nursing home abuse lawyers at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons who have suffered injuries as a result of elder abuse and neglect at nursing homes in the metro Atlanta region and across the state of Georgia. If your loved one has suffered injuries as a result of nursing home abuse, talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss his or her options for a claim for damages.