Source: https://www.bbga.com/practice-areas/nursing-home-abuse/georgia-laws-nursing-homes-assisted-living-facilities/
Timestamp: 2019-02-19 02:13:57
Document Index: 378495506

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 51', '§ 483', '§ 31', '§ 31', '§ 31', '§ 30', '§ 30', '§ 3', '§ 30', '§ 31', '§ 31']

Georgia Assisted Living Regulations | Guide to Nursing Home Regulations in GA
Home » Practice Areas » Georgia Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Attorneys » Georgia Laws on Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities
This cause of action arises from the duty that professional staff at nursing homes owe it to the residents to act in accordance with the standard of care ordinarily exercised by skilled nursing facilities or long-term care facilities under like conditions and similar surrounding circumstances. O.C.G.A. § 51-1-27.
Failing to protect residents from falls
failing to follow residents’ care plans
failing to follow toileting plans for residents
failing to utilize safety measures such as beds
alarms, wheelchair arms, etc.
failing to maintain records properly
failing to prevent skin breakdown
This cause of action arises from the rights that long-term residents are owed under the Georgia act “Thurman v. Pruitt Corp.,” 212 Ga. App. 766, 422, S.E. 2d 844 (1994). These rights include:
and compliance with the applicable laws and regulations
This Bill of Rights was created to protect residents from abuse and neglect.
Failing to plan for falls
failing to follow a resident’s care plan violates a resident’s dignity
Dignity is defined as a resident’s “self-worth.” 42 U.S.C. § 483.15(a). A nursing home has a duty to maintain and enhance an elderly resident’s dignity and self-esteem.
OBRA applies to skilled nursing facilities that accept Medicare and Medicaid. Employees of these facilities are required to follow the regulations set forth by Medicare and Medicaid under this act. These rights include:
dignified self-existence
a comprehensive and accurate resident assessment
No matter a patient’s respective medical condition, these regulations are required to be followed. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-7-3.2(i), a court in any civil action shall take judicial notice of these regulations and admit them into evidence if found to be relevant to the harm alleged in the complaint.
and failing to prevent accidents.
The Department of Community Health Rules and Regulations were designed to establish the minimum standards for the operation of homes, which provide residential services to citizens of the State of Georgia. These regulations lay out the necessary requirements for staffing, inspections, training, and safety standards for assisted living facilities. They also include rules regarding residents’ care plans, medications, nutrition, and procedures for documenting changes in condition. Responding to changes in condition play an important role in many nursing homes and assisted living cases as these procedures if implemented effectively, can help prevent deadly falls and injuries.
In addition to claims of negligence, professional negligence, and violations of OBRA (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) and DCH (Department of Community Health) rules, the Official Code of Georgia provides several avenues for asserting claims in assisted living suits. Specifically, these statutes are intended to hold assisted living facilities accountable for respecting the dignity and privacy of residents, providing reasonable care, skills, and services; and complying with applicable laws and regulations.
Under these statutes, essential services including social, medical, psychiatric, or legal services necessary to safeguard these elderly residents are required to be provided. The statutes are intended to protect residents from neglect and abuse, while also creating a safe environment.
These statutes allow residents and their families to recover for failures, violations, and injuries by the professional staff of these assisted living facilities, while also granting the Department of Community Health with rule-making authority in this area.
O.C.G.A. § 31-8-131;
O.C.G.A. § 31-8-133;
O.C.G.A. § 30-5-1;
O.C.G.A. § 30-5-3;
O.C.G.A. § 3-5-8;
O.C.G.A. § 30-8-3;
O.C.G.A. § 31-7-3.2;
and O.C.G.A. § 31-21-1.