The lowest-rated nursing homes in Macon-Bibb County include Blossom Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, Bolingreen Health and Rehabilitation, and Carlyle Place. Each currently has an overall rating of one star on Medicare Care Compare.
Ratings change over time, so families should review each facility’s current profile before making a decision. They should also review inspection reports, staffing information, complaint histories, and other public records before deciding where a loved one will live.
If you have concerns about the care someone has already received, our Atlanta nursing home abuse lawyers are ready to help you review your legal options.
Why These Nursing Homes Received Low Ratings
Medicare assigns an overall star rating to nursing homes based on health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. The facilities listed above currently have overall one-star ratings, which Medicare considers much below average.
Blossom Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center
Blossom Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, formerly known as Fountain Blue Rehab & Nursing, offers short-term rehabilitation, long-term nursing care, and respite support in central Georgia, according to its website.
Bolingreen Health and Rehabilitation
Bolingreen Health and Rehabilitation is a skilled nursing facility in Macon that provides short-term rehabilitation, long-term nursing care, and specialized memory care services for its residents.
Carlyle Place
Carlyle Place is a life plan retirement community in Macon that offers independent living, personal care, memory care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation services on one campus.
If you are considering these or another facility in the Macon-Bibb County area, a one-star rating is only part of the picture. It is a reason to ask more questions before making a decision. Every facility deserves a careful evaluation, regardless of its rating.
How Does Medicare Rate Nursing Homes?
Medicare uses its Five-Star Quality Rating System to help families compare nursing homes across the country.
The rating is based on three main areas, which are health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. Health inspections generally carry the greatest weight because they evaluate whether a facility follows federal health and safety standards.
Ratings can change over time as facilities receive new inspections or submit updated staffing and quality data.
How to Check a Nursing Home’s Rating
Because no single rating tells the whole story, families should review several trusted government resources before choosing a nursing home. Here are some places to start:
Medicare Care Compare
Medicare Care Compare is usually the best place to begin your research. The website allows you to:
- Compare nursing homes in and near your area
- View overall star ratings
- Review health inspection results
- Check a center’s staffing levels
- See quality measures
- Review penalties and enforcement actions
Comparing several nursing homes side by side can make it easier to see how they differ.
CMS Special Focus Facility Program
Some nursing homes receive additional oversight through the CMS Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program.
Facilities placed in this program have a history of serious inspection problems, and federal regulators monitor them closely. Even if a nursing home is not currently in the program, families may wish to review whether it has previously been identified for increased oversight.
Georgia Department of Community Health and GaMap2CareⓇ
The Georgia Department of Community Health oversees nursing home inspections across the state. Families can also use GaMap2CareⓇ-Find a Facility, the state’s online search tool, to find information about licensed homes and other long-term care facilities.
Families can use these resources to review records such as:
- Inspection reports
- Complaint investigations
- Licensing information
- Survey findings
- Enforcement actions
Reading the actual inspection reports often provides more detail than a star rating alone.
What Else Should You Look for Besides a Nursing Home’s Rating?
When considering a facility’s rating and whether it will be a good fit for you and your loved one, take time to review:
- The most recent inspection reports
- Repeat issues
- Complaint review records
- Staffing levels
- Infection control findings
- Civil monetary penalties
- Changes in ownership
- Resident and family reviews
Can a Nursing Home Improve Its Rating?
Nursing home ratings are not permanent, so a facility can work toward improvement. Upon receiving news of a low score, a facility may hire more staff workers, fix problems found during inspections, complete required plans of correction, and perform better during future inspections.
Other nursing homes may receive lower ratings if new problems are identified. This is another reason families should review the most current information instead of relying on older reports.
What are Common Signs of Nursing Home Neglect?
Touring a facility, talking with its employees, observing residents, and asking questions can provide valuable information that may not appear online.
However, even after carefully researching a facility, relatives should continue paying attention after their loved one is admitted. Any of the following could be signs that something isn’t right:
- Bedsores
- Frequent falls
- Broken bones
- Dehydration
- Malnutrition
- Poor hygiene
- Unexplained bruises
- Sepsis
- Sudden changes in behavior
These issues do not always mean neglect occurred, but they should not be ignored.
What Should You Do if You Suspect Neglect or Abuse?
If you believe your loved one or another resident is in immediate danger, call 911 or contact local law enforcement right away. You can also:
- Take pictures of visible injuries when appropriate.
- Keep medical records and bills.
- Save emails and written communications, even text messages.
- Write down dates and conversations.
- Request copies of incident reports.
- Report concerns to the Georgia Department of Community Health’s Healthcare Facility Regulation Division (HFRD).
The more information you have, the easier it may be to explain what happened.
How Can Our Nursing Home Attorneys Help You?
Our injury lawyers take nursing home abuse and neglect seriously and start by listening to families and what they have experienced.
We investigate what happened, review medical records, and obtain inspection reports before determining whether a nursing home, assisted living facility, personal care home, caregiver, or another party may be legally responsible for a resident’s injuries.
Legal guidance may also help families understand whether they have a claim involving bedsores, falls, fractures, sepsis, wrongful death, or other injuries related to neglect or abuse.
Concerned About a Low-Rated Macon-Bibb Nursing Home? We Can Help
If you believe a loved one has suffered harm because of neglect or abuse in a nursing home in the Macon-Bibb County area, Schenk Nursing Home Abuse Law is here to answer your questions and explain your legal options.
Our firm focuses exclusively on nursing home and neglect cases throughout Georgia, and we will take on nursing homes in court. Call our office today for a free consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no upfront attorney’s fees, and we receive payment only if we recover damages on your behalf.
