A problem with home care is easiest to fix early: a caregiver who arrives 20 minutes late twice in one week, a bath skipped, a new caregiver nobody told about the stairs.
Start with the agency’s complaint contact
Georgia’s rules for private home care providers require each provider to give clients the name, business address, and phone number of the person who handles complaints and questions (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-8-65-.12). Look for that contact in the papers you received when care started. The same rule lets clients raise a complaint by phone, in person, or in writing, and gives them the right to complain without discrimination or retaliation.
Write down what happened
Before you call, write down:
The date and time
What happened, in plain facts
Who was there
What it affected, such as a missed medication reminder or a meal not made
What you want the agency to do
A written note keeps the call short and gives you a record if the problem comes back.
Ask who will fix it, and by when
On the call, describe the facts and say what you want. Ask who will handle it and when you will hear back. Write down that person’s name and the date. Then send a short email that repeats what you were told. If the problem happens again, say so, and give the date of your first report.
When someone may be in danger
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911.
To report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an older adult or an adult with disabilities who lives at home, call Georgia Adult Protective Services at 1-866-552-4464 and press 3, or file a report online (Georgia Division of Aging Services). You can report to Adult Protective Services and to the agency.
If the agency does not fix it
The Georgia Department of Community Health licenses private home care providers and investigates client complaints that appear to break licensing rules. Rule 111-8-65-.12 requires each provider to give clients the Department’s address and phone number in writing. The Department’s complaint intake line is 1-800-878-6442, and complaints can also be filed online (Georgia Department of Community Health).
The Department investigates whether the agency followed Georgia’s licensing rules. For a disagreement about a bill, start with the agency and your service agreement.
If a payer is involved
When someone else pays for the care, tell the payer too:
The VA: the veteran’s VA care team
A Medicaid waiver program: the waiver case manager
Long-term care insurance: the insurance company
Give the payer the same facts and dates you gave the agency.
A first step this week
Find the complaint contact in your service agreement and save that number in your phone.
To talk with OPA about care for your family, see how care starts at OPA.
Georgia’s rules and agency phone numbers change. Confirm current requirements before acting. Confirm complaint routes with the Georgia Department of Community Health. This is general information, not legal advice.