Worcester Senior AdvisorHow do I file a complaint about an assisted living residence in Massachusetts?
Send AGE's Assisted Living Residence complaint form by email to ALRhelp@mass.gov or by mail to AGE's Assisted Living Certification Unit at One Ashburton Place, 10th Floor, Boston, MA 02108.
You can also raise the concern with the residence's service coordinator or manager first; residents have a right to present grievances without reprisal. If someone is in danger, call 911 before anything else.
How do I file a complaint about a nursing home?
Call the Department of Public Health's 24-hour consumer complaint line at (800) 462-5540, or send DPH's complaint form by fax or mail; DPH asks that complaints not be sent by email to protect resident privacy.
DPH says it acknowledges written complaints within 10 business days and tells you if an on-site investigation is warranted or if another agency should handle the matter. If you are not the resident or their legal representative, include a signed HIPAA release so DPH can share the outcome with you.
Where do I report abuse or neglect of an older adult?
Call Adult Protective Services at (800) 922-2275, 24 hours a day, to report suspected abuse, neglect, financial exploitation or self-neglect of an adult 60 or older living in the community; you may report anonymously by phone.
Abuse of a nursing home or hospital patient by staff goes to DPH at (800) 462-5540, and abuse of an adult under 60 with a disability goes to the Disabled Persons Protection Commission at (800) 426-9009. Assisted living residents' rights explicitly include access to Elder Protective Services and the Assisted Living Ombudsman.
What does the Long-Term Care Ombudsman do?
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, run through AGE, sends trained advocates to help residents of nursing homes and assisted living resolve problems with care, rights and quality of life, free and confidentially, and the program's contact information must be posted in every residence.
An ombudsman works for the resident, not the facility or the family, and acts with the resident's consent. In Worcester County, ask the residence or the local Aging Services Access Point for the ombudsman who covers that building.
At a glance
| Call this office | For this problem | |
|---|---|---|
| AGE ALR Consumer Help (ALRhelp@mass.gov) | Assisted living care, rights or fees | Nursing home care |
| DPH complaint line (800) 462-5540 | Nursing home or hospital care, or staff abuse of a patient | Assisted living lease disputes |
| Adult Protective Services (800) 922-2275 | Abuse, neglect or exploitation of someone 60+ in the community | Routine billing questions |
Sources include M.G.L. c. 19D and 651 CMR 12.00, the Executive Office of Aging & Independence's assisted living pages and 2025 Census Report, MassHealth's 2026 financial guidelines, DPH and CMS, and the CareScout and VA rate tables cited above; see our editorial standards.
