North Georgia Programs and Services Long-Term Care Ombudsman

06/11/2026

🌟 Legacy Link Dementia Care Group Education Programs 🌟
Serving Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties.

Legacy Link is proud to offer FREE dementia education programs for individuals, caregivers, and senior groups. These sessions help our community better understand dementia and provide support for those affected.

💙 For Everyone:
🧠 Dementia Friends (1 hour) – Learn how dementia affects people and how you can make a positive difference.
🪑 Ageless Grace (1 hour) – A fun, chair-based brain fitness program that keeps participants moving and thinking through play.

💚 For Caregivers:
🔄 Responding to Changes (1 hour) – Understand common changes in dementia and gain practical tips for responding with confidence and compassion.

💜 For Senior Groups:
🎵 Music & Memory Bingo (1 hour) – A lively, music-filled twist on bingo, featuring trivia, prizes, and insights into dementia vs. normal aging.

📩 Interested in booking a free training?
Email: [email protected]

Call: Veronica Reidling – (706) 564-3246

Learn more at 🌐 www.LegacyLink.org

Connecting our community to knowledge, support, and a better quality of life. 💛

06/11/2026

Choosing Assisted Living: What Families Need to Know

The video below is an interesting dialogue and list of considerations when selecting and touring assisted living facilities.

Our organization also has handouts and other resources to help you make that important decision. Contact us today with any questions.

Aging Untold

Finding the right assisted-living community for a loved one is one ...

06/10/2026

June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Every older adult deserves to live with dignity, respect, and freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Elder abuse can take many forms, including physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse, as well as neglect. Unfortunately, the warning signs are not always obvious. By learning to recognize the signs and speaking up when concerns arise, we can all play a role in protecting vulnerable older adults.

As advocates for residents in long-term care, we encourage families, caregivers, professionals, and community members to stay informed and remain vigilant.

The graphic below, provided by the National Center on Elder Abuse, highlights common signs of elder abuse and neglect. Together, we can raise awareness, promote prevention, and help ensure older adults are treated with the dignity and care they deserve.

https://ncea.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Signs-of-Elder-Abuse_English.pdf

06/09/2026

🌟 Ready to Come Home? We Can Help! 🏡

If you or a loved one is currently in a nursing home or short-term rehab facility and ready to transition back home, Legacy Link is here to support you every step of the way!

Our dedicated team offers personalized transition programs to make the journey home as smooth and comfortable as possible.

📞 Call us today at 770-538-2650 to learn more about how we can help.

06/09/2026

An estimated 5 million, or 1 in 10, older Americans experience elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Working together across our networks, we can generate awareness and foster action to end elder abuse. Let’s work to keep everyone safe as we age.

https://ncea.usc.edu/weaad

06/09/2026

The fear of retaliation is real, and it is never acceptable.

Every resident has the federally protected right to raise concerns without punishment, and there are steps you can take to counter retaliation when it does occur.

Along with reporting to the State Licensing Agency, you can get free, confidential help from the Ombudsman program: theconsumervoice.org/get-help

06/08/2026

💡 Did You Know?

Before becoming certified, Long-Term Care Ombudsman Representatives complete extensive training designed to prepare them to advocate effectively for residents in long-term care facilities.

Certification candidates typically spend weeks to months completing classroom instruction, independent study, shadowing experiences, and supervised fieldwork. Training topics include resident rights, long-term care regulations, complaint investigation and resolution, communication skills, abuse recognition, and ethical advocacy.

Candidates must also demonstrate their knowledge and competency through examinations and other certification requirements before they can serve independently.

This rigorous process helps ensure that Ombudsman Representatives are well-equipped to support residents, uphold their rights, and provide knowledgeable advocacy when it matters most.

05/27/2026

🚨 LAST CALL! Only a few days left! 🚨

The Georgia Council on Aging is accepting CO-AGE issue submissions through May 31, 2026 to help shape the 2027 Legislative Session for older adults across Georgia.

See a need? Have an idea? Want to help create real change?

Your voice and lived experiences matter.

Help bring attention to the issues impacting older Georgians and strengthen advocacy, resources, and policies across our state.

🗓️ Deadline: May 31, 2026

Submit your issue here:
https://www.gcoa.org/call-for-issues

Not a CO-AGE member yet?
Join today and be part of the work. 🤝


🚨 LAST CALL! 🚨

The Georgia Council on Aging is still accepting CO-AGE issue submissions to help shape the 2027 Legislative Session for older adults across Georgia.

See a need? Have an idea? Ready to help create meaningful change? This is your opportunity to help bring attention to the issues impacting older Georgians statewide.

🗓️ Submit your issue by May 31, 2026.

Your voice can help strengthen advocacy, resources, and policies across our state.

Submit your issue here:
https://www.gcoa.org/call-for-issues

05/20/2026

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is a fully public program funded entirely through state and federal sources. North Georgia Programs and Services contracts with the Georgia Department of Human Services, Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, to provide local services across 31 counties in North Georgia and Metro Atlanta.

As part of our public mandate, we regularly conduct community education sessions—often at senior centers, professional trainings, and interagency meetings—covering topics such as the types of long-term care facilities, residents’ rights, complaint resolution, mandated reporting, abuse recognition and prevention, and available resources.

We’re always glad to schedule sessions and would welcome the opportunity to present to your staff, your students, or the community.

www.georgiaombudsman.org

05/20/2026

Caregiving for an older adult is an act of love, commitment, and selflessness — and caregivers deserve, and often need support too.

As registration enters its final days, we invite caregivers from across the region to join us for the Caregiver Retreat on June 6 in Atlanta.

This free event is designed to provide those who care for older adult friends or family members with a day of wellness, encouragement, resources, and community connection.

Saturday, June 6
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Loudermilk Conference Center | Atlanta, GA

Breakfast, lunch and refreshments will be provided. Limited spots remain.
Register here: https://bit.ly/4ukxkUe

This event is sponsored by the Atlanta Regional Commission.