*Editor's note: The video playlist above continues previous coverage from the WTOC Investigates series “Bedside Betrayal.”
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – A Savannah family is warning others about care at a local nursing home, claiming their loved one's condition worsened due to improper treatment.
James and Cynthia Fullwood admitted James' mother, Mary Fullwood, to Pruitt Health Savannah after she suffered a stroke. Although the family chose the facility based on its reputation, they say the care Mary received was substandard.
Care concerns recorded in medical records
“There are situations where she is allowed to lie in her own filth. She hasn't changed enough,” Cynthia Fullwood said. “On two occasions, family members came in in the morning and found feces on her hands.”
Cynthia Fullwood said the family had documented multiple problems, including lethargy, urinary tract infections and unresolved lab work issues.
According to Mary's medical records, she lost weight during her stay and a hole was discovered in her feeding tube, requiring emergency room treatment.
“What we're asking for is literally the instructions that the doctor put in her record: Checking to see if she's changing every two to three hours. Checking to see if she's changing positions every two hours to fill pressure sores. Checking for her blood pressure. Making sure lab work is done so they can monitor their medications. Monitoring their thyroid medication. Monitoring their overall vitals to make sure everything is working properly,” said Cynthia Fullwood. “They haven't done that, and her health has deteriorated significantly because of that.”
Questions raised regarding administration of pain medication
Records also show that Mary was prescribed painkillers on several occasions, even though she was in a cognitive state.
“Cognitively speaking, she can't answer questions, you can't say things to her, and she can't articulate things back,” Cynthia Fullwood said.
Medical records show Mary communicated her pain levels to staff, but her family disputes this.
Medical records show that only one nurse repeatedly prescribed painkillers to Mary.
Staff are aware of care plan issues
The family expressed their concerns to Pruitt Health staff at a care meeting. Records of those meetings show that staff acknowledged that Mary was “unable to consent to the administration of pain medication or to explain whether she was in pain.”
The memo also states that Mary's care plan “is not currently completed as directed” by her doctor.
Facility evaluation and inspection schedule comparison
PruittHealth Savannah is rated 3 stars by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and is considered average compared to more than half of other nursing homes in the Savannah area.
“We talked to a lot of people about this place, even people in the medical field, and they said Pruitt was probably the best nursing home in Savannah,” James Fulwood said.
But the facility's last routine health inspection was 21 months ago, in March 2024, according to Georgia Department of Community Health records. Federal regulations require state agencies to conduct standardized surveys every 15 months. PruittHealth Savannah underwent a complaint inspection in March 2025, which is not as comprehensive as a routine health inspection.
According to a May 2021 report by the U.S. Inspector General, 93% of Georgia's nursing homes have been left without a standard inspection for at least 16 months, the second-worst rate in the nation.
“There are so many inconsistencies in that facility from the top of the administration that the city and state need to address,” Cynthia Fulwood said. “We need to deal with this problem, and we need to do it now before someone loses their life or something worse happens.”
After recording the interview with Cynthia and James, Mary Fullwood was readmitted to the hospital and her family decided to take her home.
Pruitt Health Savannah declined to participate in this story, saying it does not have a “media representative.” We also attempted to contact PruittHealth's corporate office, but received no response.
WTOC investigates: Before choosing a nursing home
If you are considering placing your loved one in a nursing home, there are several steps you should take before making your decision.
You must visit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid website and use the “Care Compare” feature. There you can see how many “stars” a property has and see if it has a history of violations. A 5-star rating is the highest rating a property can have.
Georgia nursing home inspection reports are also available on the Georgia Department of Community Health website.
Brian Clough, a personal injury attorney who handles nursing home abuse cases, previously told WTOC Inquiry to take unannounced tours of the facility to see how it is working before choosing a facility.
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