Personal care homes flying under Barrow radar? County looking at rules as facilities grow

The head of Barrow County Planning & Permits last week directed the owner of a newly state-licensed home for disabled adults not to accept any clients until the facility comes into compliance with local zoning and permitting requirements.

The owner, Agnes Taylor, has state licenses to operate both a Personal Care Home and a new Community Living Arrangement in two houses in the Matthews Plantation subdivision.

But the state licenses – the first of which dates back to 2003 – were granted without the knowledge of county officials who were surprised to learn of the existence of both homes last week.

Neither home has a county business license or a special use permit for the operation of such a facility in the R-1 residential zoning district in which they are located. And neither has been inspected by the county fire marshal to insure compliance with the Life Safety Code requirements.

In addition, state inspection reports for the personal care home indicate that it has more than one employee – which currently is forbidden in home-based businesses in Barrow County.

Rebecca Whiddon, the supervisor of planning & permits, discovered the existence of the personal care home after the Barrow Journal early last week sent a list of state-licensed homes to local government officials to check the status of the operators’ business licenses.

For the full story, see the July 13 issue of the Barrow Journal.

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#1 Anonymous on 07/13/11 at 07:00 AM [Reply]

They were probably told at the time that all they needed was their state license. Happened to me. I was told all I needed was a state license and I was good to go. Mr. Lynn Clements told me that. Asked several times, and always got the same answer, but now he's gone and after being in business for years, Barrow has decided I'm not in compliance and the fun has begun.

#1.1 Adam on 07/13/11 at 07:47 PM [Reply]

Sounds like Lyn told you what he told a lot of people. Just do it as long as you dont get caught its ok. He would let people do what ever they wanted. Now that he is gone people are finally being made to play by the rules and get propper permits. This will bring in a lot of revenue for the county that Lyn lost over the years. He just let people do what ever they wanted. Barrow couty may finally make some money back. That is unless Danny keeps digging a deeper hole with lawsuits.

#1.1.1 Beth on 07/18/11 at 10:45 PM [Reply]

Chris Bridges: Why did you remove my post????? Thought this was an OPEN forum! Oh, I see now, it is until the barrow Journal doesn't like someone's post. Funny you can bash EVERYONE else on here, but be specific and your post gets booted! LMBO TYPICAL barrow County Politics, and you are just one of them!

#2 Anonymous on 07/13/11 at 08:10 AM [Reply]

Another small business that will be run out by the County. I guess you got your story

#2.1 Jack Legg on 07/13/11 at 08:34 AM [Reply]

This really needs to be nipped in the bud.These so-called personal care homes have a bad reputation and I have seen with my own eyes the way that the elderly are neglected in these places.
What most often happens is that someone will open one of these places and then hire a foreigner with dubious skills to stay there and "take care" of the people.
What I see mostly is that whenever they have a medical emergency , first of all they wait too long before calling for 911 and then when the ambulance gets there the "nurse " usually doesnt even have any kind of medical records for the patient and the patient usually cant tell you whats wrong .
Wheras, if you put your momma in a nursing home(still not usually the best solution) they at least have the patients medical history and records to go to the hospital with them.
Personal care homes are a bad idea period.

#2.1.1 Anonymous on 07/13/11 at 08:44 AM [Reply]

Really? Been my experience that nursing homes hire poorly qualified people who neglect or abuse the patient. That's why these private home facilities opened up. One or two elderly people living in a home like environment.

While I wish there was no need for these type facilities, the fact remains that in today's society children don't want to take on the burden of parenting their parents.

#2.1.1.1 Jack Legg on 07/13/11 at 09:41 AM [Reply]

Im not saying that nursing homes are where you should put an elderly loved one.Im just saying that inmy experience and it is vast , that they are better on average than the personal care homes.
Its just an easy way for the owner to make a guarnteed income, and that is usually all they are interesed in.I personally wouldnt leave my dog with some of the people that they hire in these places to take care of the residents.

#2.1.2 Anonymous on 07/13/11 at 09:47 AM [Reply]

If they are a bad idea, then the market will let them fail... The market will decide who fails and who success... Its called a Free Market economy

#2.1.3 Annonymous on 07/18/11 at 08:38 PM [Reply]

Talking about Personal Care Homes and Jack automatically thinks elderly care. For your information, the individuals involved here are people with developmental disabilities. Let me educate you some. In the first place, the state will not allow these individuals to be placed in a home where their welfare and well being will not be the top priority. Secondly, the state have case managers who visit these homes monthly or as needed and ensure that they comply with guidelines. Additionally, the parents and/or guardian visits regularly and unannounced at times. Without these homes, the individuals will be institutionalized forever. Those of us who have individuals with developmental disabilities are very grateful for these homes away from home and institutions. You don't know other people's stories until you walk in their shoes. May God lay his hand on you.Amen

#2.1.4 Listen on 07/18/11 at 09:04 PM [Reply]

From what I can see there seems to be a lot of ignorant people in Barrow County. Not all personal care homes service elderly or hire foreigners to care of there residents. Have anyone of you fools commenting on this lady's personal care home ever visited it to see the type of care she provides to her residents or even the environment? Truthfully I don't blame you all, I blame the journal, because apparently they didn't do there research either. At best snooping around to take another hard working individual out of business. Welfare money, hiring illegal immigrants, abuse, neglect etc......Are you serious. What makes you think the state does not have a 24 hour watch on these business. What make you think they don't run background checks and require specific training. These personal care home are here of offer a better option for the Developmentally Disable and also Mental Health which is way better than being in an locked up institution. All of this negativity proves nothing. Educate yourselves before committing on something you know nothing about.

#3 Anonymous on 07/13/11 at 09:17 AM [Reply]

Lets make sure the only jobs are government, government welfare and KFC... You run off anyone with the guts to make it on their own Barrow.

#4 Jones on 07/13/11 at 11:25 AM [Reply]

Yet another example of how the government is telling private citizens what they can do in their own home...

#4.1 Sheesh on 07/14/11 at 07:20 AM [Reply]

I'm sorry Jones, you are off the mark here. When you convert a home into a business you are no longer "doing something in your own home" you are now operating a business and are responsible and accountable for what goes on there.

The government didn't tell you to open the company, that was your decision.

#5 Anonymous on 07/13/11 at 12:46 PM [Reply]

Let's see Licensed by the State, in business for 8+ years, bring commerce in to the county, no dead bodies, no burnt down homes, no law enforcement complaints. The County will change their mind and run them off... No wounder the county has such a small private sector. Just another Small business trying to make it in this anti business county

#5.1 Anonymous on 07/13/11 at 01:24 PM [Reply]

I was in business for 6 years in the county. Told all I needed was my state license. I now do business outside of Barrow. Actually improved my bottom line, so thanks Barrow for being anti-business.

#5.1.1 Jack Legg on 07/13/11 at 01:52 PM [Reply]

During those 6 years did you stay with your elderly residents 24/7 and see to their needs? or did you have a foriegn "nurse" taking care of them and you come by maybe once a week to make sure that noone had died?
Personal care homes are just sucking off of medicare/caid increasing the price of growing old for everyone and doing a poor job of patient care in the process.
Im glad that you took your welfare scam and went elsewhere.

#5.1.1.1 Anonymous on 07/13/11 at 02:02 PM [Reply]

Nope actually mom wasn't warehoused. She lived at home where family members could take care of her. We didn't mind caring for our parents to pay them back for the years they took care of us.

Now about my business -- has nothing to do with the elder, but I DO have a good Dunn & Bradstreet rating.

#5.1.1.1.1 John Wages on 07/13/11 at 02:09 PM [Reply]

Thank you for your insight.

#5.1.1.1.2 r on 07/13/11 at 08:22 PM [Reply]

Careful. Most on here won't understand what a D&B rating is.

#5.1.1.1.2.1 Go Mez on 07/13/11 at 09:45 PM [Reply]

Those who do might know know to spell it correctly.
Dun & Bradstreet.

#5.1.1.1.2.1.1 Anonymous on 07/14/11 at 04:01 PM [Reply]

my bad, was commenting from my phone and missed the second "N".

#6 Anonymous on 07/13/11 at 03:52 PM [Reply]

The Journal can't, the County will, ask your BOC why they are so much against Small Business

#7 Jack Legg on 07/13/11 at 03:56 PM [Reply]

Card carryer: These business'e suck welfare money out of the budget, they dont do the job that they purport to do, they need to be shut down.
I guess I shouldnt be surprised that you would advertise yourself as being a republican and then hold up as a business example this kind of industry, does your card also say that you are a hypocrite ?

#8 Jack Legg on 07/14/11 at 08:28 AM [Reply]

Put your card back in your wallet: Why not bring back slavery then bub? that would certainly allow the rich to "make a dime", you see if you dont have to pay your workers then you have just increased your profit.We dont need pwersonal care homes in barrow period.its a drain on the welfare system and its opening up the people who are housed there for abuse and neglect.

#8.1 John Wages on 07/18/11 at 05:19 PM [Reply]

What.......?

#8.2 Listen on 07/18/11 at 09:16 PM [Reply]

Wow I can certainly say you need to get a life. Clearly you have no clue what you're talking about. Welfare???? Who told you personal care home funding comes from welfare. I forgot, you are clueless. And from what I conclude, you must certainly be on welfare to be talking so much about it. Try educating yourself before speaking on a topic............Be careful with what you say about others it might come back at you............May God truly remove the scales from your eyes. May he grant you knowledge and understanding.

#8.2.1 Jack Legg on 07/19/11 at 09:20 AM [Reply]

Listener:
if you are one of the few people who pay for your elders stay in these places out of your own pocket then good for you.
But I know what OI see every day and I know who we send the bill to, while in one way welfare is probably not the right way to describe medicare because , after all they owe us that dont they, it still is coming out of the public dole.
I know some people cant but if you can you need to keep momma at home with you, after all she didnt ship you off when you was a youngster to an instituition did she ?
But I know from first hand experience that these places dont really take care of people the way the relatives think they are being cared for.
You need to wake up.

#9 Card carrying Republican on 07/14/11 at 09:16 PM [Reply]

I've always said we need to bring back the asbestos factories. That would help put people back to work. We need to continue pushing the Republican way in Barrow County. Profits above all.

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Personal care homes flying under Barrow radar? County looking at rules as ...

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Personal care homes flying under Barrow radar? County looking at rules as facilities grow

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