TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. — A group of both former and current staff members from the Oceanside Care Center on Tybee Island have come forward to shed light on the conditions within the facility, following an investigative report by News 3.
The testimonies reveal troubling allegations of neglect and substandard conditions. A current staff member, who requested anonymity, highlighted that residents who are confined to their beds suffer the most from the alleged mistreatment.
“The place has become a disaster, which is unfair to the residents,” she remarked. “When I first started, it felt like a family. Everyone, including the families and employees, seemed content. But gradually, as the company changed hands, significant problems began to emerge.”
This employee, who is not directly involved in caregiving, noted that residents often go without being washed or changed regularly.
“The bed linens change color due to neglect,” she explained. “If a resident is plus-sized, it’s rare for them to receive proper cleaning.”
She further told News 3 that these issues aren’t a result of understaffing; rather, it’s because some workers are unwilling to fulfill their responsibilities.
A former employee, as of Spring 2025, confirmed all of this and even added that workers don’t respond when a resident hits the call button.
“I have witnessed nurses turn the call light off. They don’t even try to figure out why the call light is on. ‘Do you need help? What’s going on?’ No, because they turn the light off and just forget about it,” she said.
These employees told News 3 that the staff from Thunderbolt Health and Rehab, which closed its doors in July, are now employed at Oceanside. The reason Thunderbolt closed was due to “multiple immediate jeopardy situations”, poor care, unsanitary conditions, and the list goes on.
“They don’t have compassion. They don’t have love. They don’t have the patience to actually deal with these residents,” that current employee said.
Both women said complaints have been taken to Oceanside management, but nothing has been done.
The concern for one of the women is too close to home. The former employee said her mother, a former resident, was not cared for properly and ended up in the hospital twice before her death. The doctors told her that her mom was dehydrated, her catheters were dirty, and her oral health was not being taken care of.
“My mom’s case… she was there for eight years. Like I say, she was a tube-feeder, and she depended on the facility for help,” the former employee said. “My mom died in April, and I left in July. I just couldn’t go back there, because I blame the facility for her death.”
Each employee said the residents want to speak up and come to us with their stories, but they’re afraid of retaliation.
The interim administrator of the facility has not responded to ‘s request for comment.
