Guide
How to Report Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect
If you suspect a nursing home resident is being abused or neglected, you have several channels, and using them is free. Here is who to contact, in order, and what to have ready. This is general information, not legal advice.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911
If a resident faces an immediate threat to health or safety, call 911 or local emergency services first. Everything else can follow once the person is safe.
Contact your state Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Every state has a Long-Term Care Ombudsman, a free advocate whose job is to investigate resident complaints and press facilities to fix them, independent of the nursing home. You can reach your local office through the national Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 or at eldercare.acl.gov. The ombudsman can act quickly and can involve you as much or as little as you want.
File a complaint with the state survey agency
The state survey agency is the body that inspects nursing homes on behalf of Medicare. Filing a complaint can trigger an official investigation and, if warranted, citations and penalties. Each state has a complaint hotline. Your complaint becomes part of the facility's federal record.
Report to Adult Protective Services
Adult Protective Services (APS) investigates abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults. If the concern involves a specific resident's safety or finances, APS is an appropriate channel, and in many states certain professionals are required by law to report.
What to document
Before and after you report, write down what you observed: dates, times, names, what you saw or were told, and any photos of injuries or conditions. Keep copies of medical records, care plans, and any communication with the facility. Specific, dated observations carry far more weight than general impressions.
What happens after you report
The ombudsman or survey agency will typically follow up, and a survey-agency complaint can lead to an unannounced inspection. You can usually ask to remain anonymous, though sharing your contact information helps investigators follow up. Retaliation against a resident for a complaint is prohibited.
You can also review a facility's existing citations, fines, and substantiated complaints on Open Care Data before or after you report. Look up the facility.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I report nursing home abuse?
Start with your state Long-Term Care Ombudsman, reachable through the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116. You can also file a complaint with your state survey agency (which inspects nursing homes) and report to Adult Protective Services. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 first.
Can I report nursing home abuse anonymously?
In most states, yes. You can usually file a complaint without giving your name, although providing contact information helps investigators follow up with you. Retaliation against a resident for a good-faith complaint is prohibited.
What is a Long-Term Care Ombudsman?
A Long-Term Care Ombudsman is a free, independent advocate for nursing home and assisted-living residents. Ombudsmen investigate complaints and work to resolve them, separate from the facility and from the government inspection agencies. Reach yours through the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.
What counts as nursing home abuse or neglect?
Abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual, or financial. Neglect is the failure to provide needed care, such as help with eating, hygiene, medication, or preventing pressure sores. Unexplained injuries, sudden behavior changes, poor hygiene, weight loss, and missing funds are common warning signs.