In 2015, over 12% of the 10 million people living in Georgia were over 65. These people are represented by the government advocacy group, the Elderly Legal Assistance Program. In addition to the Adult Protective Services, the Attorney General, and the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, this service provides information and representation for elderly citizens living both at home and in nursing care facilities.
The program can help elderly citizens obtain legal counsel, find a representative to take on their case regarding elder abuse in an Atlanta nursing home, and educational sessions that help elderly Georgian citizens learn more about the legal rights they have.
The ELAP program is overseen by the Division of Aging Services and the Area Agencies on Aging, both of which are part of the Attorney General’s Office.
The Division of Aging Services also oversees the private organization Georgia Cares, which is a volunteer program that is meant to inform and assist Medicare beneficiaries. This service provides counseling, education, and advice regarding the assistance provided by Medicare for elderly patients. If an elderly patient needs help understanding the benefits of Medicare, and help making informed decisions about Medicare, this organization can help.
The services provided by Georgia Cares are free for all elders, and can help stop one type of elder abuse. Financial elder abuse occurs when an elderly citizen in an Atlanta nursing home is exploited through faulty record keeping and falsified medical claims that allow facilities to draw more Medicare payments than they should for the care of the individual.
In 2015, a nursing care center near Atlanta called the New London Health Center was investigated after a 77-year-old resident was taken to the hospital with a large head wound. When she arrived, doctors stated that they found evidence of neglect in her grooming, as well as other sores on her body. In addition to the wound she came in with, she had another sore of the back of her head that had become infected.
This Atlanta nursing home had only one other instance of abuse investigation on record, and had a high rating from the various government channels that inspect and rate nursing homes.
In addition to the investigation and persecution of criminal cases of neglect and abuse in Atlanta nursing homes, the Division of Aging Services provides a number of other services. These can include meal delivery, counseling, senior recreation, emergency response services, homemaker services, in-home caregiver services, handyman services, transportation, and temporary financial aid.
Reporting a suspected case of elder abuse usually starts at the local level. If a person suspects that an elderly person is being abused in Atlanta, they would call the Atlanta Police Department. They would then send an investigator to look into the problem. If the claims of abuse or neglect seem to be substantiated, then they would contact the proper authorities. If the patient is on Medicare, the Attorney General will usually take over the case. If the patient is not, the Adult Protective Services will be called in to take over the investigation.
In all cases, the other services offered by the Atlanta city government and the Georgia state government can help a senior deal with the aftermath of abuse, as well as help provide the education and resources necessary to avoid elder abuse in the future. Atlanta’s nursing homes are under close scrutiny as the population of elderly citizens in Georgia grows larger. These programs help navigate the many options that face a family when an elderly relative needs long-term care.
Sources:
http://aging.dhs.georgia.gov/home-community-based-services
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150427006272/en/Nursing-Home-Abuse-Allegations-Georgia-Underscore-Dangers