Charleston Senior AdvisorWhat rights do residents of South Carolina care facilities have?
The Bill of Rights for Residents of Long Term Care Facilities (S.C. Code 44-81-10 and following) covers CRCF and nursing home residents, and Regulation 60-84 requires every CRCF to give residents a copy and train staff on it.
The rights include dignity and respect, privacy in care and in mail and phone calls, managing one's own money, receiving visitors, taking part in care planning, being told about services and charges, and raising grievances without retaliation. Section 1001 of Regulation 60-84 adds CRCF-specific protections. Related statutes:
| South Carolina law | Citation |
|---|---|
| Alzheimer's Special Care Disclosure Act | S.C. Code 44-36-510 et seq. |
| Bill of Rights for Residents of Long Term Care Facilities | S.C. Code 44-81-10 et seq. |
| Criminal record checks of direct care staff | S.C. Code 44-7-2910 et seq. |
| Omnibus Adult Protection Act | S.C. Code 43-35-5 et seq. |
Where do I file a complaint about a Charleston facility?
With DPH Healthcare Quality, through the online complaint portal it opened in March 2026 or by calling 1-800-922-6735; DPH can investigate any licensed CRCF, nursing home, hospice, home health agency or adult day center.
Give dates, times, the names of staff on duty, what happened and who saw it. An investigation can lead to cited violations and a plan of correction, and serious or repeated problems can become an enforcement order in DPH's monthly report. Facilities themselves must report serious incidents to DPH within 24 hours and file a written investigation within five days (Section 601).
Who investigates abuse of a resident in a Lowcountry facility?
Under the Omnibus Adult Protection Act (S.C. Code 43-35-5 and following), reports about residents of most long-term care facilities go to the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, which for Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties is based at the Trident Area Agency on Aging (843-554-2275); SLED's Vulnerable Adults Investigations Unit handles state-operated facilities.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 first. Facility staff and many health professionals are mandated reporters. Families need no proof to make a report; describe what was seen or said and let investigators take it from there. Beyond abuse cases, the ombudsman helps residents with disputed discharges, fee increases without proper notice, personal funds and visiting rights.
Who handles abuse or self-neglect of an older adult living at home?
S.C. Department of Social Services Adult Protective Services, at 1-888-227-3487 (1-888-CARE4US) or online; APS investigates abuse, neglect, self-neglect and financial exploitation of vulnerable adults in the community.
Self-neglect counts, so a call is appropriate when a parent living alone on Johns Island or in Goose Creek can no longer manage and refuses help. Financial exploitation by a relative, a hired caregiver or a scammer is also reportable. Call law enforcement when a crime is under way.
What must an admission agreement say, and can a CRCF use restraints?
Before move-in the resident and facility sign an agreement listing the care, services and equipment provided, every fee, at least 30 days' notice of fee changes, the refund policy, the personal needs allowance and the transportation policy (Section 901.A); restraints are banned except in an extreme emergency under a physician's order (Section 905).
Read the agreement before move-in day and look hardest at level-of-care fees and what happens to prepaid rent after a hospitalization or death. On restraints, the regulation forbids mechanical, physical or chemical restraint for convenience, discipline or routine care; an emergency order must state the reason, type and time limit, and a resident needing restraint for more than 24 hours must be transferred. Residents manage their own money whenever possible, and a facility holding funds must give a quarterly accounting (Section 902).
Side by side
| Call this agency | For this problem | |
|---|---|---|
| DPH Healthcare Quality, 1-800-922-6735 | Licensing violations, poor care, unsafe conditions | Abuse of a person living at home |
| Trident AAA ombudsman, 843-554-2275 | Resident rights, discharges, abuse in a facility | Licensing a new facility |
| DSS APS, 1-888-227-3487 | Abuse, neglect or exploitation of an adult at home | Complaints about a facility's food |
| 911 | Anyone in immediate danger | Routine disputes |
Sources: S.C. Code Regs. 60-84, DPH Healthcare Quality, SCDHHS bulletins and charts, CareScout, CMS and VA rate tables, as cited in each answer. See our editorial standards.
