Myrtle Beach Leader

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Blue Ridge in Georgetown stood out as the second largest nursing home in Georgetown County, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Data shows that the nursing center had a total of 84 beds available, one less than the average in Georgetown County as of the fourth quarter of 2023. They aided an average of 70.7 residents during that period.

Blue Ridge in Georgetown had an overall rating of 1 from the CMS, which lags behind the average of 2.8 recorded for nursing homes in South Carolina.

During the quarter, Prince George Healthcare Center stood out as the largest nursing home in Georgetown County, with 148 beds available. Lakes at Litchfield came in third place, with 24 beds available.

As of the fourth quarter of 2023, Blue Ridge in Georgetown has already spent a total of $134,643 in 24 fines and suffered 24 penalties.

In total, there were three for-profit nursing homes in Georgetown County, South Carolina.

According to US Census data, in 2020, nearly 1 in 6 Americans were aged 65 years or older. Since 1920, the older population skyrocketed from 4.9 million to 55.8 million, reflecting a growth rate of roughly 1,000%, five times higher than the average growth for the overall U.S. population.

A 2021 study suggests that nearly half of this age group, roughly 28 million individuals, may require long-term services and support. Additionally, the study projects that over a third of them may eventually need nursing home care.

“Living a long life is something that many of us want and could get,” said Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, an insurance education group. “But when we live a long life, the chances of us needing long-term care increase exponentially. But when you need that type of care, there are limited options.”

Rank	Nursing Home	Overall Rating
1	Prince George Healthcare Center	3
2	Blue Ridge in Georgetown	1
3	Lakes at Litchfield	3