CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — Dozens of elderly residents are scrambling to find a new place to live after an assisted living facility announced it will be closing down on Friday due to foreclosure.
Tranquil Gardens Assisted Living and Memory Care in Cherokee County confirmed it notified families on Tuesday.
Residents and workers need to be out by Friday at noon.
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“They are, by far, bailing on the care of their residents. It is definitely elderly care abuse,” said Joybeth Fissette, a resident’s daughter.
Fissette’s mother and her mother’s husband have dementia. Both are in hospice care.
“Every major change is a setback,” said Fissette. “I’m setting them back (with the forced move). I’m expediting their death basically.”
Ken Byers’ mother is one of the original tenants. Hazel Byers has lived at Tranquil Gardens for two and a half years and is currently in memory care.
Ken Byers told Channel 2′s Chris Jose they received at verbal eviction on Tuesday.
“This place was based on Christian faith. They’re supposedly strong Christians and that’s no way a Christian should live,” said Byers, as he referenced a Bible verse near the facility’s front door.
Jose went straight to the facility on Wednesday for answers.
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“I received a call yesterday morning at 10:30 from Brian Stewart. He said everyone needed to vacate the premise by 12 o’clock on Friday,” said Tranquil Gardens executive director Tiffany Echols.
Echols told Jose that Brian Stewart and his mother, Janice Stewart own the facility.
Documents from the Secretary of State’s Office shows they operate under Five Dreams Management, LLC. Online records show the Stewarts were approved for a $118,500 PPP loan in June 2020.
“The reason he said we need to vacate the premise is because the bank has foreclosed on the property,” said Echols.
Echols said the came owners came to the property after she got the phone call.
“They ran out of the building. They ran and jumped in his truck and pulled away. We have not seen or heard from them since,” said Echols. “Don’t be cowards. Man up! You did this. You created this. Come and face these families, come and face these residents. Help these families find some where to go.”
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Jose called the Stewarts and left messages. They did not return his calls.
There are two dozen residents and more than 20 employees at Tranquil Gardens.
Employees won’t have a job by Friday and Echols is doubtful the owners will pay them.
“My staff, even though I know we’re not getting paid, we’re going to stick it out with the residents because they are the ones we are concerned about,” said Echols. “I will not leave this building until the last resident leaves.”
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