South Carolina Shuts Down Southwinds Assisted Living Facility After Series of Violations
RIDGEWAY, S.C. – Southwinds Assisted Living in Ridgeway has been permanently closed by the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) following a troubling pattern of violations uncovered in multiple inspections over the past year and a half.
Inspections Reveal Pattern of Severe Negligence
The DPH conducted four inspections at the facility between February 2024 and July 2025. Of those, three inspections resulted in failing scores, with the first two receiving a score of zero percent due to serious issues such as:
- Undocumented hospice care
- Failure to update resident care plans
- Improper storage of controlled substances
- Mixing expired medications with current ones
- Storing medications without physician approval
In one inspection, medications were even found in shared bathrooms and near residents’ toothbrushes, according to WLTX News.
The only inspection Southwinds passed was in March 2025, which focused only on food and sanitation and not on resident care or medication handling.
Emergency Action Triggered by July 2025 Complaint
The most alarming findings came after a July 2025 complaint, when investigators discovered that the owner had fired all staff, called the police, and left eight residents inside—three more than the licensed capacity—without any trained supervision.
DPH officials found:
- Medications left out in paper cups
- Locked doors chained from the inside
- Training records over a decade old
- A hospice patient requiring higher-level care not transferred to a nursing home
JoMonica Taylor, Director of DPH’s Residential Facility Services, said, “We received a complaint… there were concerns that there would be no one there to care for the loved ones, so we did follow up.”
Taylor further stated that when there’s an immediate threat to health or safety, DPH can issue an emergency suspension order.
Facility License Revoked and Residents Relocated
On July 15, the Department issued an emergency order, revoking Southwinds’ license. All remaining residents were either moved to new facilities or returned to family members.
The Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that while DPH is leading the investigation, no criminal charges are planned at this time. Attempts to reach the facility’s owner and administrator have so far gone unanswered.
Southwinds Assisted Living is now permanently closed.
What do you think about the oversight of assisted living facilities in South Carolina? Should there be stronger penalties for violations? Share your thoughts at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com
