Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 111-8-50-.04 - Citizenship and Personal Choice
Residents shall be free from any duty to perform services for the facility and must be permitted to exercise all rights of citizenship and of personal choice in accordance with the following:
(a) All residents legally eligible to vote
must be permitted to vote in all primary, special and general elections and in
referenda. If requested by the resident, the facility must assist in obtaining
voter registration forms, applications for absentee ballots and in obtaining
such ballots and assist the resident in meeting all other legal requirements in
order to be able to vote. The facility shall not interfere with nor attempt to
influence the actual casting of the resident's vote.
(b) All residents must be free to practice
their religion and religious beliefs as they choose.
All residents must also be free from the imposition, by the facility or any of its employees, of any religious beliefs and practices if they so choose.
(c) All
residents must be free to associate, meet and communicate in private with
persons of the resident's choice. Residents must be permitted to participate in
social, familial, religious, and community group activities of their choice
either on or off of the facility grounds, provided that if such event occurs
off the facility grounds, the right to leave the facility shall be subject to
.10 of these rules and regulations.
(d) All residents shall be permitted (subject
to .10 of these rules and regulations) to rise and retire at any time of their
choice, provided the resident does not interfere with the rights of
others.
(e) Subject to applicable
state law and the written policies of the facility given and explained to the
resident, guardian and/or representative at the time of admission, all
residents must be permitted to use tobacco and to consume alcoholic beverages,
as long as the resident does not interfere with the rights of others. This
right is subject to .10 of these rules and regulations. Residents shall be
notified 30 days in advance of any change in the facility's policies affecting
the use of tobacco or consumption of alcoholic beverages;
(f) Subject to .10 of these rules and
regulations, all residents must be free to enter and leave the facility grounds
as the resident chooses. If the facility desires, as stated in its written
policies, it may require a resident to inform the facility at the times he is
leaving and re-entering the facility grounds.
(g) The facility must have visiting hours of
at least 12 continuous hours in any 24-hour period, seven days a
week.
(h) Visitors must be granted
access to residents during normal visiting hours provided that each visitor
entering a facility promptly discloses his presence and identifies himself to
the person in charge and enters the immediate living quarters of a resident
only after identifying himself and receiving permission to enter. Place of
visitation shall be any place of the resident's choice so long as it does not
disrupt the normal operation of the facility or disturb the other residents.
Residents may terminate visits at any time. The person in charge may refuse a
visitor access or require such a visitor to leave only if:
1. The person in charge has reason to believe
that the presence of such visitor would result in severe harm to a resident's
health, safety or property; or
2.
Access is sought for financial solicitation or commercial purposes;
or
3. A resident does not wish such
visitor to stay. If access by a visitor is denied, the person in charge shall
document such denial, along with the reasons therefore. This section does not
limit the power of any public agency, ombudsman, persons from federally
mandated advocacy programs, or other persons permitted or required by state or
federal law to enter or inspect a facility.
(i) Residents must be permitted to form
resident councils to address any issues they may feel are appropriate or for
other purposes and to meet without staff, if residents so desire. The facility
must provide sufficient space for meetings of such resident councils and shall
assist in attending such meetings those residents who request such assistance.
The facility shall not compel the attendance of any residents at such
meetings.
(j) Each resident must be
permitted to voice complaints and recommend changes in policies, procedures,
and services to the administrator, his or her designee, or the residents'
counsel.
Notes
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
No prior version found.