Tennessee Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman is a federally and state-mandated resident-rights advocate for people living in licensed long-term care facilities — including nursing homes, ACLFs (assisted living), and RHFAs (Residential Homes for the Aged). The Ombudsman investigates complaints, advocates for residents, and helps families navigate facility concerns. The program is free and confidential.
What the Ombudsman can do
- Investigate complaints about care, rights, safety, or discharge
- Advocate on behalf of a resident during a dispute with the facility
- Explain resident rights under Tennessee and federal law
- Help families understand their role and legal protections
- Refer serious regulatory issues to TDH for formal investigation
What the Ombudsman cannot do
The Ombudsman is an advocate, not a regulator. The program cannot issue citations or fines — that authority belongs to the TDH Board for Licensing Health Care Facilities. If regulatory enforcement is needed, the Ombudsman will refer to TDH.
Nashville metro contact
The regional Ombudsman program for the Nashville metro (13-county Middle Tennessee region) operates through the Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC) Area Agency on Aging & Disability. Call: 615-255-1010 or toll-free 866-836-6678. The GNRC AAAD serves Davidson, Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson counties.
Statewide program
The statewide LTC Ombudsman program is administered by the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability (TCAD), 502 Deaderick Street, Nashville, TN 37243. Phone: 615-741-2056.
When to call
Call the Ombudsman before you file a TDH complaint, during a discharge dispute, when a resident's rights seem to have been violated, or whenever you're unsure about the right next step. It's free, confidential, and the Ombudsman is on the resident's side.
Free help from a local Nashville advisor
Nashville Senior Advisor connects families across Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Sumner, Maury, Robertson, and Dickson counties with a free local advisor — no fees, ever. We help you understand your options, compare licensed providers, verify TDH and CMS credentials, and coordinate the move. Tell us your situation →
Common questions
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Who pays for senior placement help in Nashville?
Getting senior-care help in the Nashville metro
If you're starting a senior-care search in the Nashville metro, the process is simpler than it looks. It begins with an honest assessment of what your parent actually needs day to day, followed by a realistic budget and a look at how to fund it — savings, long-term-care insurance, VA Aid & Attendance, or Tennessee's TennCare CHOICES for those who qualify. Only then does it make sense to tour communities, because the care level determines which licensed options can legally serve your parent.
Nashville metro families also have free public resources. The GNRC Area Agency on Aging & Disability (615-255-1010 / 866-836-6678) screens seniors for meals, in-home support, caregiver respite, and benefits counseling. Much of it is free or sliding-scale and doesn't require Medicaid. A single call can unlock several programs at once.
Tennessee programs & protections to know
Tennessee licenses and inspects senior care through the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) — Board for Licensing Health Care Facilities; you can verify any license, inspection, and complaint history free at tn.gov/health. Service funding and in-home support are coordinated through the regional Area Agency on Aging — in the Nashville metro, the Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC) Area Agency on Aging & Disability (615-255-1010), with the statewide Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability (TCAD) as the entry point. Long-term-care help runs through TennCare CHOICES, and residents are protected by the Long-Term Care Ombudsman and TDH Adult Protective Services. These are the same programs our advisors help families navigate at no cost.
Why families choose a local Nashville metro advisor
National senior-living websites are essentially lead brokers: enter your information and a dozen communities call you within minutes, whether they fit or not. A local advisor works differently. We focus only on the Nashville metro — Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Sumner, Maury, Robertson, and Dickson counties — so we know the buildings, the directors, and which providers are genuinely strong for memory care versus assisted living versus Residential Homes for the Aged. We shortlist two or three real fits instead of selling your contact details to the highest bidder.
Both models are free to families, because communities pay a referral fee only when someone moves in. The difference is depth and trust: we verify every option against the TDH license database and CMS Nursing Home Compare, we tell you about good providers that don't pay us, and we stay reachable after the move. That local, lighter-touch approach is why families across the Nashville metro start with us rather than a national 800 number.
Free help from a local Nashville advisor
Nashville Senior Advisor connects families across Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Sumner, Maury, Robertson, and Dickson counties with a free local advisor — no fees, ever. We help you understand your options, compare licensed providers, verify TDH and CMS credentials, and coordinate the move. Tell us your situation →
What to do next in the Nashville metro
Senior-care decisions rarely improve by waiting, but they don't have to be made in a panic either. The most useful first step is a short, no-pressure conversation that turns a vague worry into a concrete plan: what level of care fits, what it will realistically cost in the Nashville metro, and which licensed communities or services are genuine candidates right now. From there, touring two or three real fits beats wading through dozens of listings.
- Free assessment. A 15-minute call to pin down care needs, budget, and timeline.
- A real shortlist. Two or three TDH-licensed options that actually fit — not a dozen sales calls.
- Hands-on help. We help you tour, compare itemized pricing, and coordinate the move.
- Always free to families. We're paid by the community only if you choose to move in.
Whether you need help this week or are planning months ahead, a free the Nashville metro advisor can save you days of research and a costly mismatch. Tell us what's going on — there's no obligation.