Danny Ramsey's brother has needed round-the-clock care for the last seven years. The last two have been at the Southeast Georgia Health System Senior Care Center. He said he's never had any problems.
"As far as the quality of care and the cleanliness and the facility and the way they treat the patients here, I don't think there's a better facility in the southeast," said Ramsey.
However, a recent inspection report by the state of Georgia has shown otherwise for the 200 bed facility, one of Brunswick's largest nursing homes.
The report shows the nursing home falls behind state and national averages in several key areas like patients in pain, quality of care, and staffing. For example, nationally 11% of long-term residents in nursing homes deal with bed sores. At the senior care center, that number is 43%.
"We do everything for our patients," said spokesperson Jacqueline Weder. "We realize there are some issues we need to resolve. There are [changes] that are going to take place and change immediately."
Southeast Georgia Health administrators have not shied away from the report which gives the center a one star rating out of five. Officials said since they took ownership of the nursing home two years ago, they had to make wholesale changes. They also said it's clear they have more changes to make.
"The report has given us an opportunity to make improvements and thats the way were looking at it. We don't look at it as punitive," said Weder. "There's an educational opportunity to really exceed expectations."
To check inspection reports from any nursing home, simply visit www.medicare.gov/NHCompare.
